Henry Lehrman

Biography

Austrian-born Henry Lehrman entered the film industry in 1909 while working as a trolley conductor. Legend has it that he cornered director D.W. Griffith and claimed to be an agent for the French-based Pathe company, sent by them to work with Griffith. By the time Griffith found out that Lehrman's claims were untrue, he had already impressed Griffith with his talents as an actor and gagman; instead of firing him, Griffith made him a director, and Lehrman had earned the nickname "Pathe" Lehrman. He soon left Griffith and went to work as an actor, gagman and director for Mack Sennett at Keystone, appearing in (and directing) many entries in the Keystone Kops series. Lehrman struck out on his own and formed L-KO (Lehrman Knock-Out) Pictures, which made two-reel comedies for release by Universal. By 1917 Lehrman was working for Fox, directing the studio's Sunshine comedies. Although he was a major talent in his day, the thing he will probably be remembered for most is his involvement in the Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle scandal of the early 1920s. Lehrman was the boyfriend of actress Virginia Rappe, who died after a night of partying in a hotel room with Arbuckle.