# Gilbert Emery

Gilbert Emery Bensley Pottle (June 11, 1875 – October 28, 1945), known professionally as Gilbert Emery, was an American actor who appeared in over 80 movies from 1921 to his death in 1945. He was also a playwright, author of seven Broadway plays from 1921 to 1933.

## Early years

Gilbert Emery Bensley Pottle was born June 11, 1875, in Naples, New York, to William L. and Hariette (Gilbert) Pottle. He prepared for college at Naples High School and at the Normal School in Oneonta, New York. He graduated from Amherst College in the class of 1899.

## Career

Pottle started out as a short story writer, using the name Emery Pottle, and he later wrote plays. From 1899 to 1900 he was an instructor in English and public speaking at Beloit Academy in Wisconsin. In 1900 he was a reporter for the Morning Sun in New York City; from 1900-1901 he worked for the Evening Post; and from 1901-1903 he worked for Criterion Magazine. He was an instructor in English at Columbia University and a writer.
During World War I, Pottle was a member of the American Expeditionary Forces' Liaison Service, serving with French Balloon Companies 39, 49 and 74. He was later a member of the Paris Peace Conference from 1918 to 1919, and a member of the Interallied Food Commission in 1919.
He wrote a number of books in his early years, including Handicapped, The Little Village, and The Little House. He also wrote poems and short stories for magazines and several plays. Much of his writing was under the pen name Gilbert Emery.
Emery began his career as a playwright in 1921 with several of his plays produced on Broadway into the 1930's. He also acted in several other productions. His first play, "The Hero", was revived in 2014 to acclaimed reviews including the New York Times .

## Personal life

On November 22, 1904, Emery (using the name Emery Pottle) married Juliet Wilbour Tompkins, a writer, in New York. Tompkins sued for divorce in March 1905.

## Death

Emery died on October 28, 1945, in Los Angeles, California and is buried in Rose Ridge Cemetery in Naples, NY.

## Playwright

"Far-Away Horses" (Mar 21, 1933 - Mar 1933) (also "staged by")
"Housewarming" (Apr 07, 1932 - Apr 1932)
"Say When" (Jun 26, 1928 - Jul 07, 1928) ("Based on a play by Gilbert Emery")
"Love in a Mist" (Apr 12, 1926 - Jul 17, 1926) (also director)
"Episode" (Feb 04, 1925 - Feb 1925) (also actor)
"Tarnish" (Oct 01, 1923 - May 1924)
"The Hero" (Mar 14, 1921 - Mar 1921), (Sep 05, 1921 - Nov 1921)

## Filmography

From 1921 until his death in 1945, Gilbert Emery acted in at least 88 films, including:
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1921 | Cousin Kate | Heath Desmond | (Film debut) |
| 1929 | Behind That Curtain | Sir Frederick Bruce | |
| 1930 | A Lady's Morals | Broughm | |
| 1931 | The Lady Refuses | Sir Gerald Courtney | |
| 1931 | The Yellow Ticket | Sir Hubert, British Ambassador | Uncredited |
| 1931 | The Ruling Voice | Andrew Gregory | |
| 1932 | Okay America! | Secretary John Drake | |
| 1932 | A Farewell to Arms | British Major | |
| 1934 | All of Me | The Dean | |
| 1934 | Coming Out Party | Herbert Emerson Stanhope | |
| 1934 | The House of Rothschild | Prime Minister | |
| 1934 | One More River | The Judge | |
| 1934 | Now and Forever | James Higginson | |
| 1934 | The Man Who Reclaimed His Head | His Excellency | Uncredited |
| 1935 | Clive of India | Mr. Sullivan | |
| 1935 | Cardinal Richelieu | Noble | |
| 1935 | Goin' to Town | Winslow | |
| 1935 | Harmony Lane | Mr. Foster | |
| 1935 | Peter Ibbetson | Wilkins | |
| 1935 | Magnificent Obsession | Doctor Ramsay | |
| 1936 | Wife vs. Secretary | Simpson | |
| 1936 | Little Lord Fauntleroy | Purvis | |
| 1936 | Dracula's Daughter | Sir Basil Humphrey | |
| 1936 | Bullets or Ballots | Mr. Thorndyke | |
| 1937 | The Great Barrier | George Stephen | |
| 1937 | Souls at Sea | Captain Martisel | |
| 1937 | The Life of Emile Zola | Minister of War | |
| 1937 | Double or Nothing | Mr. Mitchell | |
| 1938 | The Buccaneer | Captain Lockyer | |
| 1938 | Lord Jeff | Magistrate | |
| 1938 | Storm Over Bengal | Colonel Torrance | |
| 1939 | The Saint Strikes Back | Martin Eastman | |
| 1939 | The Lady's from Kentucky | Pinckney Rodell | |
| 1939 | Nurse Edith Cavell | Brand Whitlock | |
| 1939 | Raffles | Bingham | |
| 1940 | The House of the Seven Gables | Gerald Pyncheon | |
| 1940 | Waterloo Bridge | Colonel at Luncheon | Uncredited |
| 1940 | Anne of Windy Poplars | Stephen Pringle | |
| 1940 | A Dispatch from Reuters | Lord Palmerston | Uncredited |
| 1940 | South of Suez | Manders | |
| 1941 | Adam Had Four Sons | Dr. Lane | |
| 1941 | Rage in Heaven | Mr. Black | |
| 1941 | That Hamilton Woman | Lord Spencer | |
| 1941 | A Woman's Face | Associate Judge | |
| 1941 | Singapore Woman | Sir Stanley Moore | |
| 1941 | The Great Awakening | School Principal | |
| 1941 | Sundown | Ashburton | |
| 1942 | The Remarkable Andrew | Thomas Jefferson | |
| 1942 | Escape from Hong Kong | Col. J.A. Crossley | |
| 1942 | The Loves of Edgar Allan Poe | Thomas Jefferson | |
| 1942 | King of the Mounties | Commissioner Morrison | |
| 1943 | Sherlock Holmes in Washington | Sir Henry Marchmont | Uncredited |
| 1943 | Appointment in Berlin | Gen. Marston | Uncredited |
| 1943 | The Return of the Vampire | Dr. Walter Saunders | |
| 1944 | Between Two Worlds | Benjamin Cliveden-Banks | |
| 1945 | The Brighton Strangler | Dr. Manby | Final film |