Richard Talmadge
British postcard in the Picturegoer Series, London, no. 140.
Richard Talmadge (1892-1981) was a German-born actor, stuntman, and film director in Hollywood. Talmadge's fast-pacing action and adventure movies were popular over the world, in particular in the Soviet Union.
Richard Talmadge was born Sylvester Metzetti, Ricardo Metzetti, or Sylvester Ricardo Metzett in 1892 in Munich, Germany. He arrived in Hollywood in 1910 where he began his career as a stuntman for Slim Summerville, Tom Mix, and Douglas Fairbanks (The Mollycuddle, The Mark of Zorro, The Nut, The Three Musketeers, Robin Hood, etc.) before becoming an actor himself. He continued his stunt work after his start as an actor. Talmadge had his first lead in The Unknown (Grover Jones, 1921) for Phil Goldstone Productions, followed by several more leads in Goldstone films, such as the sensational Thru the Flames (Grover Jones, 1923). In 1923 Talmadge launched his own company Richard Talmadge productions, starting with Let's Go (William K. Howard, 1923), Other titles were e.g. American Manners (1924), Laughing at Danger (1924), Tearing Through (1925), The Fighting Demon (1925), The Poor Millionaire (1930), Dancing Dynamite1931), Speed Madness (1932), and the Pirate Treasure serial (1934). Talmadge's fast-pacing action and adventure movies were popular over the world, in particular in the Soviet Union.
Talmadge was the lead in The Cavalier (Irving Willat, 1928), a film released by Tiffany Pictures with only a music and sound effects soundtrack. Talmadge never got rid of his German accent, so with the advent of the talkies, he started working behind the cameras as assistant director, stunt coordinator (often uncredited) and, from 1945, as director, thanks to his friend Henry Hathaway. Talmadge was e.g. assistant-director to Hathaway's North to Alaska, 1960). His later work included How the West Was Won (1962, as stunt coordinator) and Casino Royale (1967, director of the finale). He was the stepfather of American polo pioneer and Polo's Grande Dame Sue Sally Hale. His brothers, Otto and Victor Metzetti, both had success as stunt performers and were members of the vaudeville troupe the Flying Metzettis (or the Five Metzettis) who were the first to perform the quadruple back somersault in 1917, at Barnum and Bailey's, with Richard as voltigeur. Richard Talmadge died of cancer at the age of 88, in 1981, in Carmel, California. He is interred at Inglewood Park Cemetery, where his grave is marked with the name "Richard Metzetti Talmadge".
Sources: Wikipedia (English and French), and IMDb. The Belgian archive Cinematek possesses many Talmadge films.
And, please check out our blog European Film Star Postcards.
Richard Talmadge
British postcard in the Picturegoer Series, London, no. 140.
Richard Talmadge (1892-1981) was a German-born actor, stuntman, and film director in Hollywood. Talmadge's fast-pacing action and adventure movies were popular over the world, in particular in the Soviet Union.
Richard Talmadge was born Sylvester Metzetti, Ricardo Metzetti, or Sylvester Ricardo Metzett in 1892 in Munich, Germany. He arrived in Hollywood in 1910 where he began his career as a stuntman for Slim Summerville, Tom Mix, and Douglas Fairbanks (The Mollycuddle, The Mark of Zorro, The Nut, The Three Musketeers, Robin Hood, etc.) before becoming an actor himself. He continued his stunt work after his start as an actor. Talmadge had his first lead in The Unknown (Grover Jones, 1921) for Phil Goldstone Productions, followed by several more leads in Goldstone films, such as the sensational Thru the Flames (Grover Jones, 1923). In 1923 Talmadge launched his own company Richard Talmadge productions, starting with Let's Go (William K. Howard, 1923), Other titles were e.g. American Manners (1924), Laughing at Danger (1924), Tearing Through (1925), The Fighting Demon (1925), The Poor Millionaire (1930), Dancing Dynamite1931), Speed Madness (1932), and the Pirate Treasure serial (1934). Talmadge's fast-pacing action and adventure movies were popular over the world, in particular in the Soviet Union.
Talmadge was the lead in The Cavalier (Irving Willat, 1928), a film released by Tiffany Pictures with only a music and sound effects soundtrack. Talmadge never got rid of his German accent, so with the advent of the talkies, he started working behind the cameras as assistant director, stunt coordinator (often uncredited) and, from 1945, as director, thanks to his friend Henry Hathaway. Talmadge was e.g. assistant-director to Hathaway's North to Alaska, 1960). His later work included How the West Was Won (1962, as stunt coordinator) and Casino Royale (1967, director of the finale). He was the stepfather of American polo pioneer and Polo's Grande Dame Sue Sally Hale. His brothers, Otto and Victor Metzetti, both had success as stunt performers and were members of the vaudeville troupe the Flying Metzettis (or the Five Metzettis) who were the first to perform the quadruple back somersault in 1917, at Barnum and Bailey's, with Richard as voltigeur. Richard Talmadge died of cancer at the age of 88, in 1981, in Carmel, California. He is interred at Inglewood Park Cemetery, where his grave is marked with the name "Richard Metzetti Talmadge".
Sources: Wikipedia (English and French), and IMDb. The Belgian archive Cinematek possesses many Talmadge films.
And, please check out our blog European Film Star Postcards.