Biography
Richard Barthelmess was an American actor, principally known for his work in silent films. Born in New York City in 1895, he was educated at Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut, and began his career with stage work and small film roles before appearing opposite Alla Nazimova in War Brides (1916).
His performance as Cheng Huan in D. W. Griffith's Broken Blossoms (1919) established him as a star, and he went on to play David Bartlett in Way Down East (1920). He founded Inspiration Pictures with Charles Duell and Henry King, producing films including Tol'able David (1921). Barthelmess received Academy Award nominations for Best Actor for The Patent Leather Kid (1927) and The Noose (1928), and was among the founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
He continued acting into the sound era with roles in films such as Only Angels Have Wings (1939). Barthelmess died in 1963.
