
John Steppling
Acting
Biography
John Steppling (8 August 1870 in Essen, Germany – 5 April 1932 in Hollywood, California) was a German-American silent film actor. He moved to America at a young age and entered film in 1912 aged 42. He starred in a total of 230 films between then and 1928, beginning with one of the first feature films ever made, Tess of the d'Urbervilles. He is also credited with directing 7 films. He is the grandfather of playwright John Steppling.
Known For

When a wealthy young lady loses her inheritance, she decides to apply for work in disguise. In prim and proper working girl attire she becomes the respectable companion of a woman looking to reform her wayward nephew.
Glass Houses

After an argument with his father, in which he is accused of stealing, Bill Carmody leaves home. His girlfriend Ethel is mad at him because of his carousing. So he heads out West, but he gets in a railroad accident and saves the life of Appleton, who owns a lumber mill. To reward Bill, Appleton gives him a job, and it doesn't take him long to discern that Buck Moncrossen, the camp boss, is crooked.
The Promise

A young French soldier in World War I is overcome with guilt when he kills a German soldier who, like himself, is a musically gifted conscript, each having attended the same musical conservatory in France. The fact that the incident occurred in war does not assuage his guilt. He travels to Germany to meet the man's family.
Broken Lullaby

A maid is forced to take the place of the lady of the house when she is temporarily incapacitated.
The Gay Old Bird

"The County Fair" begins with a nasty rich guy threatening to turn an old lady onto the street--unless her niece (who lives with her) marries this man's son. While she's dead set against it, the niece is a sweet thing and would do anything to help her aunt--even marry the rich jerk. However, a possible way out is presented. When a poor young man is taken in and fed, he turns out (naturally) to be a jockey and thinks he can win the $3000 prize at the fair and save the farm.
The County Fair

Princess Triloff, an emigrée from Czarist Russia, escapes to America where she becomes a patron of the arts. She falls in love with the verses of impoverished poet Owen Carey and becomes his anonymous benefactor. When Owen inherits a fortune from his rich Uncle Krakerfeller, he assumes his uncle's identity and confers his own upon an impoverished friend, Frank Manners. At a resort, Owen meets the princess and falls in love with her, but is chagrined to discover that she is enamored with Manners. The princess finally discovers Owen's real identity and the two fall in love.
Billions

A lost film. A successful stage actress with a hidden past as a criminal is kept on the path of righteousness by a benefactor.
In the Bishop's Carriage

Through sheer bluff Rodney Marvin ( Edward Everett Horton ) gets a job on a newspaper; becomes editor Matt Hayward's ( James Corrigan ) partner; and brings about a reconciliation between Hayward and his long time enemy, Mayor Gorham ( Lloyd Ingraham ).
Too Much Business
Within earshot of her fiancé Leo Holmes and his friend Bruce Morgan Louise Wilke says she could never marry a man who was a drunkard. Morgan, secretly in love with Louise, gets Leo intoxicated and sends him to her home. Louise breaks off the engagement and Bruce pursues her. Undecided, she slips into a dream where she is mired in a life of misery with Morgan, who has become a worse drunkard than Holmes as well as selfish and brutal. In trying to defend herself from Bruce she kills him with a pair of shears. Holmes, a poor derelict, hears her scream, rushes to her rescue. Louise awakens and sends for Leo.
The Derelict

Anna Sewell's "autobiography" of a horse named Black Beauty is here expanded to include the adventures of the humans who surround the horse.
Black Beauty

A biographical film featuring the presidency and assassination of Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War.
The Dramatic Life of Abraham Lincoln

Tito Lombardi a Fifth Avenue dress designer, causes his business to suffer by his generous dispensation of credit to clients, one of whom, Max Strohm, the manager of a musical review, has promised payment for his girls' lavish costumes as soon as the show makes money. To the dismay of Norah Blake, Lombardi's faithful assistant, who loves him, Lombardi proposes to Phyllis Manning, one of the showgirls, and presents her with his finest creations, while not even attempting to kiss her, as she puts off setting a wedding date and also accepts the attentions of wealthy bachelor Bob Tarrant.
Lombardi, Ltd.

Mary is marrying Jimmie, from whom she has kept a secret; Mary remains in love with another man. Problems ensue, jeopardizing the tranquility of their relationship.
Memory Lane

The no-good son of a company owner is sent to investigate a problematic business deal.
Let's Go
At the palatial home of a merchant the latter's wife entertains her husband's friends. The guests have all departed save one, the husband's most intimate and trusted friend. That this man should abuse the confidence of his friend and attempt to force his attentions upon the wife was a thing the merchant deemed little call to fortify against.
Jim

Lord Harrowby takes out an $100,000 insurance policy to be paid if his wedding to Cecilia Meyrick is cancelled. The insurance company sends Dick Minot to make sure the wedding takes place, but he falls in love with the bride.
The Reckless Age

"Damaged Goods" pictures the terrible consequences of vice and the physical ruin that follows the abuse of moral law. It is a stirring plea for a pure life before marriage, in order to make impossible the transmission of hereditary traits to future generations.
Damaged Goods

Stratton's café is a popular place with the people of Cottonia, a wealthy cotton town on the banks of the Mississippi, installs flood-proof doors as a safeguard against an overflow of the river; when a flood comes, it appears that the entire town will be submerged. Trapped in Stratton's cafe, amongst others, are Billy Bear, a young broker, and Poppy, a chorus girl with whom he has been in love.
The Sin Flood
When her British parents are killed when an Arabian desert bandit launches an attack on their encampment, their young daughter is spared and brought up as an Arab known as Nadia. The bandit who killed Nadia's parents wishes to marry her. She is ordered to steal some documents from a British secret service agent. Lost film.
A Cafe in Cairo
Ida Price has been cheated out of her share in her father's estate by her cousin Charles. She puts the appeal of the case in the hands of Judge Clark and his assistant Robert Graham. Charles tries to compromise with Ida, but she stands firm. He resorts to attempting to get the judge tipsy and delay the verdict. He fails, the former decision is reversed with Ida receiving her fair share and incidentally a husband in Robert Graham.