Gregory Scott

Gregory Scott Frances (15 December 1879 – ?), known professionally as Gregory Scott, was a British film actor of the silent era. He worked for a number of film production companies, most significantly for Neptune Films in the early years of World War I and Broadwest Films during 1916-7 and the post-war years to 1921. Scott featured in mainly dramatic roles playing a variety of characters, including villainous roles.

Biography

Gregory Scott Frances was born on 15 December 1879 in Sandy, 8 miles (13 km) to the east of Bedford in Bedfordshire, England.

The theatre

Gregory Frances adopted the stage name of Gregory Scott and commenced acting in the theatre from 1898. He later toured with the Ben Greet company.

Scott spent three years as a theatre actor at the St. James's Theatre under the management of Sir George Alexander. He also worked at the Haymarket Theatre under the co-management of Frederick Harrison and Cyril Maude. During his theatrical career he was also associated with the actor-manager Lewis Waller. Scott's first role was playing 'Lieutenant Seton Boyne' in the production of Beauty and the Barge, directed by Harold M. Shaw and released in February 1914. He appeared in six more films by London Film Productions, both comedy and drama productions, most of them released in the first half of 1914 prior to the outbreak of World War I.

In about mid-1914 Scott was engaged by Percy Nash for the newly established Neptune Film Company. He played the role of 'Frank Morland' in The Harbour Lights (released in October 1914), Neptune's first feature film directed by Nash. Scott appeared in several short films made about the same time, including Twin Trunks playing the male lead opposite Nash's actress wife Joan Ritz. Shortly afterwards Scott also had a role in Neptune's second feature production Enoch Arden, made on location at Polperro in Cornwall and also directed by Nash.

In 1916 Scott was engaged by the Broadwest Film Company. He was initially cast in The Answer, directed by Walter West and released in May 1916. In the following twelve months Scott appeared in five more films produced by Broadwest. He later described his military service as "a long series of parades, route marches, fatigues, and other scenes familiar to the man in khaki". He was still under contract with Broadwest Films, but after Not Negotiable it appears that in the immediate post-war period the company did not have roles for him. In his words: "As they were not ready for me, however, they released me from my contract to play in the Violet Hopson film, The Gentleman Rider". Scott's final film for Broadwest was The Penniless Millionaire, released in September 1921.

During his years with Broadwest Films Scott acquired a reputation for villainous screen roles. In a December 1920 interview Scott confided that the reason he often played the part of a villain was because "I'm entirely in the hands of the producer"; he added: "I long to try some other role". The director Walter West commented in 1924: "I also plead guilty to having trained several leading artistes in film villainy, among them being Cameron Carr, Gregory Scott, Arthur Walcott, Bob Vallis, Lewis Gilbert and Mercy Hatton".

Scott was cast in five films produced during 1922, made by four different production companies, each released in the latter part of the year. Another was also a short film (Wheels of Fate), the third release in 'The Sporting Twelve' series of one-reel sporting dramas.

In an article in the August 1924 Pictures and Picturegoer magazine about the "stars of yesteryear", it was reported about Gregory Scott: "When last heard from, he was chicken farming somewhere in Sussex and apparently Movieland will see him no more". Scott's final appearances on the screen was in five short silent films produced by British Screen Classics and released in October 1926, each of them comedies featuring George Bellamy and all directed by Frank Miller. The Little Minister (February 1915), Neptune Film Company The Romany Rye (March 1915), Neptune Film Company The Trumpet Call (April 1915), Neptune Film Company Flying from Justice (June 1915), Neptune Film Company The Coal King (August 1915), Neptune Film Company Married for Money (August 1915), Neptune Film Company Royal Love (October 1915), Trans-Atlantic Film Company The Devil's Bondman (US release: The Scorpion's Sting) (November 1915), Trans-Atlantic Film Company A Rogue's Wife (November 1915), Neptune Film Company Christmas Eve (November 1915), Neptune Film Company Frills (March 1916), Holmfirth The Answer (May 1916), Broadwest Films The Green Orchard (June 1916), Broadwest Films

The Black Knight (November 1916), Broadwest Films The House Opposite (March 1917), Broadwest Films The Ware Case (March 1917), Broadwest Films A Munition Girl's Romance (June 1917), Broadwest Films Not Negotiable (December 1918), Broadwest Films The Gentleman Rider (Hearts and Saddles) (October 1919), Violet Hopson Productions A Great Coup (November 1919), Broadwest Films A Dead Certainty (March 1920), Broadwest Films The Romance of a Movie Star (August 1920), Broadwest Films The Case of Lady Camber (August 1920), Broadwest Films Trent's Last Case (October 1920), Broadwest Films Kissing Cup's Race (January 1921), Broadwest Films The Loudwater Mystery (February 1921), Broadwest Films In Full Cry (March 1921), Broadwest Films A Sportsman's Wife (June 1921), Broadwest Films The Penniless Millionaire (September 1921), Broadwest Films A Rogue in Love (September 1922), Diamond Super Sea Dogs of Good Queen Bess (October 1922), British & Colonial Kinematograph Company The Story of Mary Robsart (October 1922), British & Colonial Kinematograph Company The Green Caravan (November 1922), Granger-Master Wheels of Fate (November 1922), Master Films Goose and Stuffing (October 1926), British Screen Classics The Happy Rascals (October 1926), British Screen Classics Mined and Counter-Mined (October 1926), British Screen Classics Regaining the Wind (October 1926), British Screen Classics The Little Shop in Fore Street (October 1926), British Screen Classics