Oscar C. Apfel (January 17, 1878 – March 21, 1938) was an American film actor, director, screenwriter and producer. He appeared in 167 films between 1913 and 1939, and also directed 94 films between 1911 and 1927.
Apfel was born in Cleveland, Ohio. After a number of years in commerce, he decided to adopt the stage as a profession. He secured his first professional engagement in 1900, in his hometown. He rose rapidly and soon held a position as director and producer and was at the time noted as being the youngest stage director in America. He spent eleven years on the stage on Broadway then joined the Edison Manufacturing Company. Apfel first directed for Thomas A. Edison, Inc. in 1911–12, where he made the innovative short film The Passer-By (1912). He also did some experimental work at Edison's laboratory in Orange, on the Edison Talking Pictures devices.
When Apfel left the Edison company, he joined Reliance-Majestic Studios, remaining with them eighteen months. In 1913, he became one of two main directors for the Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Company, the other being Cecil B. DeMille. All the first Lasky pictures were produced under his direction. Among these were the notable successes The Squaw Man (1914), Brewster's Millions, The Master Mind, The Only Son, The Ghost Breaker, The Man on the Box, The Circus Man and Cameo Kirby.
Apfel's directorial collaboration with DeMille was a crucial element in the development of DeMille's filmmaking technique.
In late 1914, Apfel left the Lasky Company and directed for various companies into the 1920s. His first move was to the producing staff of the William Fox Corporation where he directed a series of pictures in which William Farnum starred. Some of these were A Soldier's Oath, Fighting Blood, The End of the Trail, The Battle of Hearts and A Man of Sorrow.
For the Paralta Company, to whom Apfel went after leaving the Fox Corporation, he produced Peter Kyne's A Man's a Man and The Turn of a Card in which J. Warren Kerrigan starred.
Auction of Souls (1919), a public-awareness picture for the Armenian Relief Committee, was Apfel's work. This production commanded wide attention and attracted great crowds at the special showings which took place at the Plaza and other prominent hotels. The sympathetic interest evoked by its revelations helped in materially adding to the large sums that were subscribed to this cause.
A series of pictures for the World Film Corporation, starring Kitty Gordon, Montague Love, June Elvidge, Louise Huff, and Evelyn Greeley, were also among Apfel's successful productions.
After many years as a director, he gradually returned to acting. On March 21, 1938, Apfel died in Hollywood from a heart attack.
Actor
1939
Angel of Mercy (Short) as
Red Cross Representative (uncredited)
1937
Conquest as
Count Potocka (uncredited)
1937
The Toast of New York as
Wallack (uncredited)
1937
Fifty Roads to Town as
Smorgen
1937
The Soldier and the Lady as
Tsar's General (uncredited)
1937
Jim Hanvey, Detective as
Lambert
1937
Trouble in Morocco as
DeRouget
1937
Nancy Steele Is Missing! as
Judge (uncredited)
1936
That Girl from Paris as
Judge at 2nd Wedding (uncredited)
1936
Career Woman as
Medical Examiner (uncredited)
1936
We Who Are About to Die as
Mr. Armitage (uncredited)
1936
Crack-Up as
Alfred Knuxton
1936
The Plot Thickens as
H. G. Robbins
1936
15 Maiden Lane as
Jan Waltman - Diamond Cutter (uncredited)
1936
Bulldog Edition as
Taggart
1936
Missing Girls as
Jury Foreman
1936
Hollywood Boulevard as
Dr. Inslow
1936
Back to Nature as
Hotel Manager (uncredited)
1936
36 Hours to Kill as
Man in Wash Room (uncredited)
1936
San Francisco as
Founders' Club Member (uncredited)
1936
And Sudden Death as
Defense Counsel
1936
Hearts in Bondage as
Capt. Gilman
1936
Till We Meet Again as
German General (uncredited)
1936
Every Saturday Night as
Mr. Dayton
1936
The Farmer in the Dell as
H.F. Davis (uncredited)
1936
Sutter's Gold as
Bartender (uncredited)
1936
The Criminal Within as
Reuben Marshall
1936
The Bridge of Sighs as
Judge 'Teddy' Blaisdell
1935
The Calling of Dan Matthews as
District Attorney (uncredited)
1935
I Dream Too Much as
Cafe Owner (uncredited)
1935
The Fire-Trap as
R.A. Rawson
1935
Another Face as
Dr. H. J. Buler (uncredited)
1935
This Is the Life as
Kendall - Department of Justice Chief (uncredited)
1935
His Night Out as
Dr. Kraft
1935
O'Shaughnessy's Boy as
Lawyer
1935
Cappy Ricks Returns as
T. Osgood Blake
1935
Page Miss Glory as
Tailor (uncredited)
1935
The Perfect Tribute (Short) as
Stratton (uncredited)
1935
Man on the Flying Trapeze as
President Malloy
1935
Dante's Inferno as
Mr. Williams (uncredited)
1935
Rainbow's End as
Neil Gibson Sr.
1935
Born to Gamble as
Strickland - Cora's Father (uncredited)
1935
Silk Hat Kid as
School Principal (uncredited)
1935
Shadows of the Orient as
Judge Avery
1935
Ginger as
Bill Collector (uncredited)
1935
Mary Jane's Pa as
Chief Bailey
1935
Party Wire as
Thomas Sherman
1935
The Nut Farm as
Bob Bent - Helen's Husband
1935
Death Flies East as
Wallace P. Burroughs
1935
Carnival as
Mr. Lawson (uncredited)
1935
Bordertown as
Judge Rufus Barnswell (uncredited)
1935
The Best Man Wins as
Chief of Police (uncredited)
1934
White Lies as
Hunter (uncredited)
1934
Romance in Manhattan as
The Judge
1934
I Am a Thief as
Auctioneer
1934
You Bring the Ducks (Short) as
Governor
1934
The Firebird as
Police Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
1934
You Said a Hatful! (Short) as
J.P. Anderson
1934
Crimson Romance as
John Fleming
1934
Take the Stand as
Mr. Nevin
1934
Fifteen Wives as
Dist. Atty. Kerry
1934
The Old Fashioned Way as
Mr. Livingston (uncredited)
1934
It Happened One Day (Short) as
A. L. Void
1934
Let's Try Again as
Undetermined Secondary Role (scenes deleted)
1934
Are We Civilized? as
Dr. Leonard Gear
1934
Manhattan Melodrama as
Speaker of Assembly (uncredited)
1934
Twenty Million Sweethearts as
Walcott (uncredited)
1934
The House of Rothschild as
Prussian Officer
1934
The Big Shakedown as
Digitalis Doctor (uncredited)
1933
The World Changes as
Mr. Morley - Banker
1933
Only Yesterday as
Mr. Lane
1933
Hold the Press as
Mr. Bishop - Managing Editor
1933
The Bowery as
Ivan Rummel
1933
Ladies Must Love as
Herman Nussbauer
1933
One Man's Journey as
John Radford
1933
Before Dawn as
Chief of Detectives John F. O'Hara
1933
Tugboat Annie as
Reynolds (uncredited)
1933
Storm at Daybreak as
Counselor Velasch (uncredited)
1933
Tomorrow at Seven as
Asa Marsden
1933
Emergency Call as
Dr. Schwarz
1933
The Story of Temple Drake as
District Attorney (uncredited)
1933
Song of the Eagle as
New York Boss (uncredited)
1933
Bondage as
Judge (uncredited)
1933
Gabriel Over the White House as
German Delegate to Debt Conference (uncredited)
1933
Employees' Entrance as
Board of Directors Member #5 (uncredited)
1932
The Match King as
Uncle Gustav (uncredited)
1932
Rasputin and the Empress as
Undetermined Secondary Role (uncredited)
1932
Call Her Savage as
Doctor Treating Crosby (uncredited)
1932
You Said a Mouthful as
Armstrong (uncredited)
1932
Madison Square Garden as
Harrison the Promoter (uncredited)
1932
Hot Saturday as
Mr. Randolph
1932
That's My Boy as
District Attorney (uncredited)
1932
A Parisian Romance (uncredited)
1932
Hell's Highway as
William Billings
1932
Two Against the World as
District Attorney Howard Mills
1932
Blondie of the Follies as
Doctor Attending Pa (uncredited)
1932
Speak Easily as
Lawyer's Representative (uncredited)
1932
A Successful Calamity as
President of the United States
1932
Madame Racketeer as
J. Harrington Hagney (uncredited)
1932
Skyscraper Souls as
Brewster's Associate (uncredited)
1932
The Washington Masquerade as
Hank Larrimore (uncredited)
1932
Make Me a Star as
Henshaw
1932
Attorney for the Defense as
Managing Editor (uncredited)
1932
State's Attorney as
Mr. Ulrich
1932
When a Feller Needs a Friend as
Doctor
1932
The World and the Flesh as
Banker
1932
The Famous Ferguson Case as
Mr. Brooks
1932
Symphony of Six Million as
Conferring Doctor
1932
It's Tough to Be Famous as
S.J. Boynton
1932
The Heart of New York as
Otto Gassenheim
1932
The Impatient Maiden as
Dr. Wilcox
1932
Alias the Doctor as
Keller
1932
Business and Pleasure as
P.D. Weatheright (uncredited)
1932
The Man Who Played God as
Appleby - the Lip Reader
1932
The Menace as
Dr. H. Horgenson - Plastic Surgeon (uncredited)
1932
High Pressure as
Mr. Hackett
1932
The Woman from Monte Carlo as
Dr. Rabeouf
1931
Her Majesty, Love as
Marriage License Bureau Manager (uncredited)
1931
Way Back Home as
Wobbling Duffy
1931
The Yellow Ticket as
British Embassy Butler (uncredited)
1931
Wicked as
Judge Edwin Luther
1931
Sidewalks of New York as
Judge
1931
The Road to Reno as
Mr. Ash - Jackie's Attorney (uncredited)
1931
Five Star Final as
Bernard Hinchecliffe
1931
Huckleberry Finn as
The King
1931
The Bargain as
G.T. Warren
1931
Big Business Girl as
Walter T. Morley
1931
Quick Millions as
Police Detective Capp (uncredited)
1931
The Finger Points as
Ellis Wheeler
1931
Fighting Caravans as
Minor Role (uncredited)
1931
Inspiration as
M. Vignaud
1931
Misbehaving Ladies as
Mayor Twitchell
1931
Helping Grandma (Short) as
Mr. Pennypacker
1930
The Right to Love as
William Kellogg
1930
The Virtuous Sin as
Major Ivanoff
1930
Du Barry, Woman of Passion as
Undetermined Secondary Role (uncredited)
1930
Liliom as
Stefen Kadar (uncredited)
1930
The Spoilers as
A. Struve
1930
Abraham Lincoln as
Secretary of War Stanton
1930
Conspiracy as
Tourist Husband (uncredited)
1930
Our Blushing Brides as
Floorwalker (uncredited)
1930
Wild Company as
Prosecuting Attorney (uncredited)
1930
High Society Blues as
Divine's Stock Broker (uncredited)
1930
Puttin' on the Ritz as
House Manager (uncredited)
1930
Street of Chance as
Bartender (uncredited)
1929
Half Way to Heaven as
Circus Manager
1929
It's a Great Life as
Bit Role (uncredited)
1929
Marianne as
Maj. Russart (uncredited)
1929
Smiling Irish Eyes as
Max North
1929
Waltzing Around (Short) as
Mayor (uncredited)
1929
Hurdy Gurdy (Short) as
Mr. Schnitzmeyer
1929
Not Quite Decent as
Canfield
1929
True Heaven as
German General
1928
Romance of the Underworld as
Champagne Joe
1928
The Valley of Hunted Men as
Dan Phillips
1928
The Heart of Broadway as
Dave Richards
1926
Perils of the Coast Guard as
Carlton Aldridge
1922
The Man Who Paid (uncredited)
1913
The Fight for Right (Short)
Director
1927
In Search of a Thrill
1927
Code of the Cow Country
1926
The Call of the Klondike
1926
Perils of the Coast Guard
1923
In Search of a Thrill
1921
Ten Nights in a Bar Room
1918
The Interloper (as Oscar C. Apfel)
1917
The Price of Her Soul
1917
The Hidden Children (as Oscar C. Apfel)
1916
The End of the Trail (as Oscar C. Apfel)
1916
The Man from Bitter Roots (as Oscar C. Apfel)
1916
A Man of Sorrow (as Oscar C. Apfel)
1916
Fighting Blood (as Oscar C. Apfel)
1915
A Soldier's Oath (as Oscar C. Apfel)
1915
The Broken Law (as Oscar C. Apfel)
1915
The Little Gypsy (as Oscar C. Apfel)
1915
The Rug Maker's Daughter
1914
Cameo Kirby (uncredited)
1914
The Ghost Breaker (as Oscar C. Apfel)
1914
Martin Chuzzlewit (Short)
1914
The Making of Bobby Burnit (Short)
1914
The Last Volunteer (as Oscar C. Apfel)
1914
The Call of the North
1914
The Man on the Box (as Oscar C. Apfel)
1914
The Master Mind (as Oscar C. Apfel)
1914
Brewster's Millions (as Oscar C. Apfel)
1914
A Leech of Industry (Short)
1914
In the Mesh of Her Hair (Short)
1913
The Fight for Right (Short)
1913
The Higher Justice (Short)
1913
The Tangled Web (Short)
1913
Half a Chance (Short)
1913
The Master Cracksman (Short)
1913
The Bawlerout (Short)
1913
Held for Ransom (Short)
1913
For Love of Columbine (Short)
1913
The Judge's Vindication (Short)
1913
The Man from Outside (Short)
1913
The Lure of the City (Short)
1913
Bud Tilden, Mail Thief (Short)
1913
The Strike Leader (Short)
1913
The Open Road (Short)
1913
Duty and the Man (Short)
1912
The Fires of Conscience (Short)
1912
The Winner and the Spoils (Short)
1912
The Passer-by (Short)
1912
Martin Chuzzlewit (Short)
1912
A Romance of the Ice Fields (Short)
1912
The Bank President's Son (Short)
1912
The Guilty Party (Short)
1912
The Boss of Lumber Camp Number Four (Short)
1912
How Washington Crossed the Delaware (Short)
1912
The Heir Apparent (Short)
1912
Tony's Oath of Vengeance (Short)
1912
The Corsican Brothers (Short)
1912
Thirty Days at Hard Labor (Short)
1911
Uncle Hiram's List (Short) (as Oscar C. Apfel)
1911
The Awakening of John Bond (Short) (as Oscar C. Apfel)
1911
A Man for All That (Short)
1911
Home (Short) (as Oscar C. Apfel)
1911
The Black Arrow (Short) (as Oscar C. Apfel)
1911
Foul Play (Short) (as Oscar C. Apfel)
1911
Then You'll Remember Me (Short) (as Oscar C. Apfel)
1911
The Battle of Bunker Hill (Short) (as Oscar C. Apfel)
1911
The Capture of Fort Ticonderoga (Short) (as Oscar C. Apfel)
1911
The Minute Man (Short) (as Oscar C. Apfel)
1911
The Wedding Bell (Short) (as Oscar C. Apfel)
Writer
1926
Somebody's Mother (scenario) / (story)
1917
The Hidden Children (scenario - as Oscar C. Apfel)
1916
The End of the Trail (as Oscar C. Apfel)
1916
The Man from Bitter Roots (scenario - as Oscar C. Apfel)
1916
Fighting Blood (as Oscar C. Apfel)
1915
A Soldier's Oath (scenario - as Oscar C. Apfel)
1915
The Broken Law (as Oscar C. Apfel) / (story - as Oscar C. Apfel)
1914
The Ghost Breaker (as Oscar C. Apfel)
1914
The Squaw Man (picturized by - as Oscar C. Apfel)
Producer
1924
The Trail of the Law (producer)
1922
The Wolf's Fangs (producer)
1919
The Steel King (producer)
1919
Me and Captain Kidd (producer)
1919
The Oakdale Affair (producer)
1919
Phil-for-Short (producer)
1916
The Battle of Hearts (producer)
1916
A Man of Sorrow (producer - as Oscar C. Apfel)
Assistant Director
1914
Rose of the Rancho (assistant director)