Eric Mayne(1865-1947)
- Actor
Dublin-born Eric Mayne was educated at Westminster and Durham in
England and spent almost thirty years on the stage in both London and
his native Ireland. He had a penchant for Shakespearean roles and in
later years lectured in Shakespeare at the Los Angeles University
College.
Mayne, with his imposing six-foot frame and beard, was tailor-made for the silent screen and invariably cast as a heavy or comic foil. After arriving in Hollywood, he became an immensely prolific, sought-after character player. He co-starred in Oscar Apfel's adventure film The Oakdale Affair (1919), opposite Evelyn Greeley. In Rudolph Valentino's Eugénie Grandet (1921), he enjoyed high billing as Victor Grandet and was a memorable Dr. Saulsbourg in Harold Lloyd's knock-about comedy Et puis ça va (1922), the sort of role later played by Sig Ruman. Eric's name was high up in the credits again in the John Ford-directed L'homme aux camées (1923) as Colonel Randall, and there were many more roles to follow.
Mayne's career declined with the advent of sound pictures, though he remained in demand as an extra and small-part supporting actor. He played several more 'doctors', notably in East Lynne (1931) and the Victor McLaglen comedy Rackety Rax (1932), but subsequently only bit parts came his way. Mayne, nonetheless, continued in films until his death in Hollywood in February 1947.
Mayne, with his imposing six-foot frame and beard, was tailor-made for the silent screen and invariably cast as a heavy or comic foil. After arriving in Hollywood, he became an immensely prolific, sought-after character player. He co-starred in Oscar Apfel's adventure film The Oakdale Affair (1919), opposite Evelyn Greeley. In Rudolph Valentino's Eugénie Grandet (1921), he enjoyed high billing as Victor Grandet and was a memorable Dr. Saulsbourg in Harold Lloyd's knock-about comedy Et puis ça va (1922), the sort of role later played by Sig Ruman. Eric's name was high up in the credits again in the John Ford-directed L'homme aux camées (1923) as Colonel Randall, and there were many more roles to follow.
Mayne's career declined with the advent of sound pictures, though he remained in demand as an extra and small-part supporting actor. He played several more 'doctors', notably in East Lynne (1931) and the Victor McLaglen comedy Rackety Rax (1932), but subsequently only bit parts came his way. Mayne, nonetheless, continued in films until his death in Hollywood in February 1947.
