Editing Tod Browning (section)

==Film actor: 1909–1913==
In 1909, after 13 years performing in carnivals and vaudeville circuits, Browning, age 29, transitioned to film acting.<ref>Robinson, 1968 p. 125: "Browning was a vaudeville comic at the time he went into movies as an actor at the [[Biograph Studios]].</ref> Browning's work as a comedic film actor began in 1909 when he performed with director and screenwriter [[Edward Dillon (actor)|Edward Dillon]] in [[Short film|film shorts]]. In all, Browning was cast in over 50 of these one- or two-reeler [[slapstick]] productions. 

Film historian Boris Henry observed that "Browning's experience as a slapstick actor [became] incorporated into his career as a filmmaker." Dillon later provided many of the screenplays for the early films that Browning would direct.<ref>Henry, 2006 p. 41</ref><ref>Herzogenrath, 2006 pp. 10–11: "In 1909, Browning made his transition from the carnival to Hollywood (sic) [New York City], where he started as an actor in Edward Dillon's slapstick shorts." And: "Before becoming a film director, Tod Browning acted in at least 50 short slapstick movies, working with actors he would later direct..."</ref> A number of actors that Browning performed with in his early acting career would later appear in his own pictures, many of whom served their apprenticeships with [[Keystone Film Company|Keystone Cops]] director [[Mack Sennett]], among them [[Wallace Beery]], [[Ford Sterling]], [[Polly Moran]], [[Wheeler Oakman]], [[Raymond Griffith]], [[Kalla Pasha]], [[Mae Busch]], [[Wallace MacDonald]] and [[Laura La Varnie]].<ref>Henry, 2006 p. 41: "...some of those who played in Tod Browning's movies have a slapstick background, in particular, those who acted in [[Mack Sennett]]'s [[Keystone Studios|Keystone]] films [among them] [[Wallace Beery]], [[Ford Sterling]], [[Polly Moran]], [[Wheeler Oakman]], [[Raymond Griffith]], [[Kalla Pasha]], [[Mae Busch]], [[Wallace MacDonald]] and [[Laura La Varnie]]..." And: "Edward Dillion was the author of most of Browning's [early] short films..."</ref>

In 1913, Browning was hired by film director [[D. W. Griffith]] at [[Biograph Studios]] in New York City, first appearing as an undertaker in ''Scenting a Terrible Crime'' (1913).<ref>Brogan, 2008: "He segued into acting and directing in New York City, where D.W. Griffith hired him at the Biograph Studio..."<br />Rosenthal, 1975 p. 13: NOTE: Rosenthal appears to mistakenly report that Browning ``entered motion pictures in either 1913 or 1914 (depending upon the source)..." [parenthetical remark in original]. Perhaps Rosenthal associates "entering" with "directing " film. Browning, according to Herzogenrath and Boris Henry, both report this shift to film (acting) took place earlier.<br />Barson, 2021: "In 1913 he was signed by the [[Biograph Company]], where under the supervision of [[D.W. Griffith]] he was featured in a series of knockabout comedies."<br />Herzogenrath, 2006 p. 11: At Biograph "Browning met D. W. Griffith, and both men left Biograph for the Reliance-Majestic studio in 1913."<br />Robinson, 1968 p. 125: Browning ``played in [[D. W. Griffith|Griffith]]'s ''Mother and the Law'' (1919)..."</ref> Both Griffith and Browning departed Biograph and New York that same year and together joined [[Reliance-Majestic Studios]] in Hollywood, California.<ref>Herzogenrath, 2006 p. 11: "...both men left Biograph for Reliance-Majestic in 1913..."</ref><ref>Towlson, 2017 Part 2: "... fellow Kentuckian, D.W Griffith, took Browning to Hollywood as an actor."</ref> Browning was featured in several Reliance-Majestic films, including ''[[The Wild Girl (1917 film)|The Wild Girl]]'' (1917).<ref>Rosenthal, 1975 p. 8<br />Solomon, 2006 pp. 49–50: "After Browning went to work as film comedian for another Louisville native, D. W. Griffith, at the Biograph movie studios in New York, his beginning the carnival mileu (italics) were often highlighted – long dash an association that would continue throughout his entire career."</ref>