Tom Ricketts

Thomas B. Ricketts (15 January 1853 – 19 January 1939) was an English-born American stage and film actor and director who was a pioneer in the film industry. He portrayed Ebenezer Scrooge in the first American film adaptation of A Christmas Carol, and directed one of the first motion pictures ever made in Hollywood. After directing scores of silent films, including the first film to be released by Universal Pictures, Ricketts became a prominent character actor.

Biography Thomas B. Ricketts was born in Greenwich, London 15 January 1853, He played Scrooge in A Christmas Carol (1908), the first American film adaption of the Dickens classic, then starred in The Old Curiosity Shop (1909). When Ricketts said he had toured with a comedy he had written, A Cure for Gout, the company asked him to make a 600-foot film of it—the length limit for a comedy at that time. he helped organize the American Film Manufacturing Company in 1910. He made six films for the Flying "A"

Ricketts directed one of the first Hollywood-made motion pictures, The Best Man Wins (1911), photographed by Charles Rosher. Its stars were juvenile leading man Harold Lockwood, ingenue Dorothy Davenport, vamp Josephine Ditt, juvenile ingenue Victoria Forde, male heavy Gordon Sackville, and character actresses Eugenie Forde and Alice Davenport. Allan Dwan was Ricketts's assistant. Nestor's distributor beginning with The Dawn of Netta (1912), directed by Ricketts.

In 1914, on an independent contract, Ricketts directed Richard Bennett in Damaged Goods back at American. When flower girls were needed for a wedding scene, Bennett's three daughters—Joan Bennett, Constance Bennett and Barbara Bennett—began their film careers. However, Ricketts did direct several more feature films for American through 1916, including some with their major romantic team of May Allison and Harold Lockwood such as The Lure of the Mask (1915) and The Other Side of the Door (1916).

Returning to acting in 1919, in his mid-60s, Ricketts was almost always in demand for character parts.

Ricketts died at Hollywood Hospital 19 January 1939, aged 86, of pneumonia, contracted the previous week when he went to work at Universal Studios despite a cold. "Mr. Ricketts left no funds," reported The New York Times, "and expenses of his funeral will be paid by the Motion Picture Relief Society." Ricketts was buried in an unmarked grave at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Select filmography Director

Year Title Notes 1909 1909 1912 First film distributed by Universal Pictures 1915 1915 1915 1915 1915 Secretary of Frivolous Affairs 1915 1916 1916 Secret Marriage 1918

Actor

Year Title Role Notes 1908 Ebenezer Scrooge 1919 Girls Mr. Dennett 1932 Love Bound The Baron 1932 If I Had a Million Guest at Mrs. Walker's dance 1932 Stepping Sisters "Stock Market" 1932 Thrill of Youth Grandpa Thayer 1933 Henry 1933 Forgotten Old crony 1933 Good-bye Love Alimony jail inmate 1933 Mama Loves Papa Mr. Pierrepont 1933 1933Secret Sinners Pop, the stage doorman 1933 Women Won't Tell 1934 Broadway Bill Johnson 1934 Cockeye 1934 Hotel manager 1934 In Love with Life Bookstore proprietor 1934 Forsaking All Others Wiffens 1934 Friends of Mr. Sweeney Old gentleman 1934 It Happened One Night Prissy old man 1934 Curly 1934 Manhattan Love Song Rich man 1934 No Greater Glory Old janitor 1934 One More River Barrister and clerk 1934 Pursued Tourist 1934 Sons of Steel Williams 1934 Springtime for Henry Bookstore clerk 1934 Stolen Sweets Stoner 1934 Viva Villa! Grandee 1934 Whom the Gods Destroy Charlie 1935 Clive of India Old member 1935 Cardinal Richelieu Agitator 1935 Escapade Old dandy 1935 George White's 1935 Scandals Old man 1935 Goin' to Town Eligible bachelor 1935 Villager 1935 Hi, Gaucho! Don Salvador 1935 Let's Live Tonight Millionaire 1935 Music Is Magic Dancer, elderly man 1935 Now or Never 1935 Old man 1935 Tellson, Jr. 1935 Top Hat Thackeray Club waiter 1935 Vagabond Lady Department head 1936 Juryman 1936 Faculty doctor 1936 Daniel Boone Attorney General's associate 1936 Show Boat Minister 1936 Gold Diggers of 1937 Reginald 1936 Little Lord Fauntleroy Partygoer 1936 Gentle Julia Old man at dance 1936 Human Cargo Reporter 1936 After the Thin Man Henry, the butler 1936 To Mary - with Love Waiter 1936 More Than a Secretary Henry 1936 Pennies from Heaven Mr. Briggs 1936 Song and Dance Man Old theatrical couple 1936 We Went to College Pop 1937 Born Reckless Patient 1937 Maid of Salem Giles Cory 1937 Servant 1937 Uncle George 1937 Sexton 1937 Member of the board of directors 1937 Personal Property Elderly man 1937 Parnell Elderly man 1937 Rhythm in the Clouds Winter 1938 Andrew 1938 Bluebeard's Eighth Wife Uncle Andre 1938 Old man 1938 Young Fugitives Tom Riggins 1938 Gateway Old man 1938 Four Men and a Prayer Station master 1939 Son of Frankenstein Burgher