James K. Hackett(1869-1926)

Handsome classical stage and screen actor James K. Hackett born James Keteltas Hackett in Ontario, Canada in 1869. Son of the celebrated Shakespearian actor James Henry Hackett. Like his father he studied law at the College of the City of New York, his outstanding acting talent soon became evident in college theatricals and after leaving he embarked on a stage career after graduation in 1891. He made his professional stage debut in 'The Broken Seal' in Philadelphia in 1892, he became a highly well-known matinee idol through the 1890's, playing such roles as Romeo with Olga Nethersole as Juliet in 'Romeo and Juliet' and as Captain Basil Jennico in the 1900 production of 'The Pride of Jennico' with Bertha Galland in her New York stage debut. He eventually formed his own theatre Company. In 1913 Adolph Zukor asked him to star in a movie version of 'The Prisoner of Zenda' playing the duel roles Rudolf Rassendyll and King Rudolf of Ruritania a role which he played in the theatre numberous times, the film was directed by Edwin S. Porter and co-starred his wife Beatrice Beckley as Princess Flavia for the Famous Players Film Co. Later starred in only two more films, as Arthur Woodridge in Ivan Abramson's 'Ashes of Love' co-starring Effie Shannon in 1918 and his last screen appearance in A.J. Bloome's 'The Greater Sinner' starring opposite Ormi Hawley for Rivoli Film Co in 1919. Late in his stage career he attempted a number of Shakespearian revivals, which met with only modest success , and his last Broadway appearance was in 1924 as Macbeth. Married actress Mary Mannering in 1897 and in 1911 married Beatrice Beckley. Hackett died from cirrhosis of the liver in Paris, France at 57, leaving a $1 million bequest to the Actors' Home in Staten Island, New York.