Robert Harron

Robert Emmett Harron (April 12, 1893 – September 5, 1920) was an American motion picture actor of the early silent film era. Although he appeared in over 200 films, he is perhaps best remembered for his roles in the D.W. Griffith directed films The Birth of a Nation and Intolerance (1916).

Discussing script on location for Sunshine Alley (1917); from left: director John W. Noble, Harron, actress Mae Marsh, and cameraman George W. Hill

Early life and family Born in New York City, Harron was the second-oldest child of nine siblings in a poor, working-class Irish Catholic family. Harron's younger siblings John (nicknamed "Johnnie"), Mary, and Charles also became actors while one of his younger sisters, Tessie, was an extra in silent films. Tessie died of Spanish influenza in 1918 while Harron's brother John died of spinal meningitis in 1939.

Harron attended the Saint John Parochial School in Greenwich Village. In addition to cleaning duties, Harron also appeared as an extra in a few shorts for Biograph.

Career Within a year of working for Biograph, Harron was noticed by the newly hired director D.W. Griffith.

Harron is probably best recalled for his roles in the three epic Griffith films: 1914's Judith of Bethulia, opposite Blanche Sweet, Mae Marsh, Henry B. Walthall, and Dorothy and Lillian Gish; 1915's controversial all-star cast The Birth of a Nation; and 1916's colossal multi-scenario Intolerance opposite such popular stars of the era as Lillian Gish, Mae Marsh, Miriam Cooper, Wallace Reid, Harold Lockwood and Mildred Harris. One of Harron's most popular roles of the era came in 1919 when he starred opposite Lillian Gish in the Griffith directed romantic film True Heart Susie.

Harron's film career continued to flourish throughout the 1910s, and he was occasionally paired with leading actresses Mae Marsh and Lillian Gish in romantic plots, often in roles that cemented his "sensitive boy" image. Harron had, in fact, a burgeoning off-screen romantic relationship with Dorothy Gish. By 1920, Harron had grown too old to continue playing the juvenile roles that had launched his career. He began losing leading man roles to Richard Barthelmess. Later that year, D.W. Griffith agreed to loan Harron to Metro Pictures for a four-picture deal. His first film for Metro, also the last film of his career, was the comedy Coincidence. The film was released in 1921, after Harron's death.

Death In late August 1920, Harron traveled by train from Los Angeles to New York City to attend the premiere of the film Way Down East and a preview of what would become his final film, Coincidence. Harron checked into the Hotel Seymour on September 1 with his friend, screenwriter and director Victor Heerman, with whom he was sharing a room. Harron and Heerman attended the preview for Coincidence later that day. Heerman later said the preview went poorly because the film was not well-received by the audience. Harron called the hotel desk for assistance and was still conscious when the hotel manager came to his room. Not realizing he was seriously wounded, Harron joked with the manager that he was in a "devil of a fix" having shot himself. He initially refused to let the manager call an ambulance, only wanting to be examined by a local physician in his room. After a physician could not be found, Harron relented and allowed the manager to call an ambulance. When medics arrived and attempted to transport Harron using a stretcher, he insisted on being taken down in a chair. As he had lost a considerable amount of blood, medics had to convince Harron that he needed to be transported on a stretcher. Shortly after the shooting, rumors arose that the shooting was not accidental and Harron had attempted suicide. There was speculation that Harron was disappointed over being passed over for the leading role in Way Down East (Richard Barthelmess was ultimately cast). However, on September 5, four days after he was shot, Harron died of his wound. He is interred at Calvary Cemetery in Woodside, Queens, New York City.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1907 Dr. Skinum Boy at Door Short film Lost film 1907 Mr. Gay and Mrs. Messenger Short film Lost film 1908 Bobby's Kodak Son Short film 1908 At the Crossroads of life Messenger Short film 1908 The Snowman A child Short film Lost film 1908 Balked at the Altar Short film 1908 Monday Morning in a Coney Island Police Court Young Man Short film 1908 A Calamitous Elopement George Wilkinson Short film 1909 Those Awful Hats Theatre Audience Short film, Uncredited1909A Sound Sleeper Fighter Short film Lost film 1909 At the Altar Boy On Street Short film1909 Jones and the Lady Book Agent MessengerShort film 1909 A Drunkard's Reformation Theatre Usher Short film 1909 The Lonely Villa Short film 1909 The Hessian Renegades Farmer Short film 1909 To Save Her Soul Stagehand / Usher Short film 1910 Ramona Short film 1910 The Modern Prodigal At Post Office 1911 The Broken Cross Short film Lost film 1911 The White Rose of the Wilds White Rose's Brother Short film Lost film 1911 Enoch Arden Teenage Arden Son Part II 1911 Fighting Blood The Old Soldier's Son Short film 1911 A Country Cupid Among Students Short film 1911 The Last Drop of Water In Wagon Train Short film 1911 The Battle A Union soldier Short film 1911 The Miser's Heart Bakeshop Assistant Short film 1912 For His Son At Soda Fountain Short film, Uncredited 1912 The Transformation of Mike At Dance Short film 1912 Under Burning Skies On Street / At Farewell Party Short film 1912 A String of Pearls In Tenement Short film Lost film 1912 One Is Business, the Other Crime Delivery Boy Uncredited, Short film 1912 The Lesser Evil In Smuggler Band Short film 1912 A Temporary Truce The Murdered Indian's Son Short film 1912 Man's Lust for Gold The Prospector's Son Short film Lost film 1912 The Inner Circle In Crowd / Accident Witness Short film 1912 A Change of Spirit Young Man on Street Short film Lost film Uncredited 1912 Two Daughters of Eve At Stage Door Short film 1912 Friends Stableboy Short film, Uncredited 1912 So Near, Yet So Far The Rival / In Club Short film 1912 A Feud in the Kentucky Hills A brother Short film 1912 The Painted Lady Beau at Ice Cream Festival Short film, Uncredited 1912 The Musketeers of Pig Alley Rival Gang Member / In Alley / At Dance Short film 1912 Heredity Indian Short film Lost film 1912 The Informer The Southern Boy Short 1912 A Sailor's Heart On Porch Short film Uncredited 1912 Brutality Short film 1912 The New York Hat Youth outside church Short film 1912 My Hero The Young Man Short film Lost film 1912 The Burglar's Dilemma Young Burglar Short film 1912 A Cry for Help Witness to Accident Short film Lost film 1913 A Misappropriated Turkey Union Member Short film Lost film 1913 Brothers The Father's Favorite Son Short film Lost film 1913 Oil and Water Minor Role Short film Uncredited 1913 Love in an Apartment Hotel The Desk Clerk Short film Lost film 1913 Broken Ways In Telegraph Office Short film 1913 Near to Earth Gato's Brother Short film Lost film 1913 Fate The Beloved Son Short film 1913 The Sheriff's Baby The Deputy Short film Lost film 1913 A Misunderstood Boy The Son Short film 1913 The House of Darkness Asylum Guard Short film 1913 A Timely Interception The Farmer's Adopted Son Short film 1913 Death's Marathon The Messenger Short film 1913 The Sorrowful Shore One of the Son's Friends Short film 1913 The Battle at Elderbush Gulch The father Short film 1913 The Tender Hearted Boy The Tender Hearted Boy Short film Lost film 1913 The Little Tease Jim 1913 The Yaqui Cur Strongheart 1914 Judith of Bethulia Nathan 1914 The Battle of the Sexes John Andrews, the son Lost film A fragment survives 1914 Brute Force Harry Faulkner Short, Prologue - Weakhands (The Old Days) 1914 The Great Leap; Until Death Do Us Part Bobby Dawson Lost film 1914 The Life of General Villa American lover Lost film 1914 Home, Sweet Home The Easterner, Robert Winthrop 1914 The Escape Larry Joyce Lost film 1914 The Rebellion of Kitty Belle Joe Belle Short film Lost film 1914 The Avenging Conscience The Grocer's boy 1914 The Idiot The Idiot Short film Lost film 1915 The Birth of a Nation Tod Stoneman 1915 The Outcast Bob Lost film 1915 The Outlaw's Revenge American lover Lost film 1915 Her Shattered Idol Robert 1915 The Missing Links Henry Gaylord Lost film 1916 Hoodoo Ann Jimmie Vance 1916 A Child of the Paris Streets Jimmie Parker 1916 A Wild Girl of the Sierras Bob Jordan Lost film 1916 The Marriage of Molly-O Larry O'Dea Lost film 1916 Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages The Boy (Modern Story) 1916 The Little Liar Bobby Lost film 1916 The Wharf Rat Edward Holmes Lost film 1917 The Bad Boy Jimmie Bates Lost film 1918 An Old-Fashioned Young Man Frank Trent 1918 Sunshine Alley Ned Morris Lost film 1918 Hearts of the World The Boy, Douglas Gordon Hamilton Uncredited 1918 The Great Love Jim Young Lost film 1918 The Greatest Thing in Life Edward Livingston Lost film 1918 A Romance of Happy Valley John L. Logan, Jr. 1919 The Girl Who Stayed at Home James Grey 1919 True Heart Susie William Jenkins 1919 The Mother and the Law The Boy 1919 The Greatest Question Jimmie Hilton 1921 Coincidence Billy Jenks Posthumous release Lost film