Gene Gauntier(1885-1966)

Silent -screen actress and screenwriter, with Kalem from 1906. Her actual name was Eugenia Gauntier Liggett. In 1912 she left Kalem to form the Gene Gauntier Feature Players Company in conjunction with her former mentor, director Sidney Olcott. She retired from films in 1920. An interesting footnote to her career is, that as a producer for Biograph in 1907, she gave the first directing assignment to an actor they then called "Larry" who would become legendary silent-film producer-director D.W. Griffith.

[on director Sidney Olcott] He loved a fight and was as tenacious as a bulldog. His method of direction would not be tolerated today. Shouts, threats, sarcasm, bullying, cajoling, petting, he would try each in turn. But after the scene was over it was always the same--an arm thrown around the shoulder, compliments, enthusiasm. His people adored him, respected him and would (and did) risk their lives for him.