Larry Semon was a renowned American silent film comedian whose illustrious career was marked by an unparalleled level of success, only to vanish suddenly and mysteriously. Born to a traveling vaudeville magician, Zera the Great, Semon was exposed to the world of entertainment from a tender age and honed his skills in stage comedy and acrobatics.
As a talented cartoonist, Semon's artistic flair led him to art school and subsequently, he worked as a cartoonist for various New York City newspapers, where his humorous creations caught the attention of executives at Vitagraph Studios. In 1916, he was hired as a gag writer, and his innate comedic talent and creative genius soon earned him a promotion to director for the Hughie Mack series of comedies.
Semon's background in magic allowed him to concoct innovative gags, which greatly contributed to the success of the series. When Mack departed Vitagraph in 1917, Semon seized the opportunity to take over the starring role, and his one-reelers became incredibly popular. Vitagraph subsequently dispatched him to California to spearhead its new West Coast operation, where he not only wrote, starred in, and directed his own films but also produced films for other comedians.
However, Semon's life took a tragic turn in the summer of 1928, when he reportedly fell ill with tuberculosis and suffered a nervous breakdown. He was admitted to a sanitarium near San Bernardino, California, where he allegedly passed away on October 8, 1928. The circumstances surrounding his death remain shrouded in mystery, as his wife, Dorothy Dwan, was denied almost all contact with him and never had the opportunity to view his body, which was cremated after a tightly secured funeral, attended by only a select few.
The whereabouts of Semon's cremated remains remain a mystery to this day, and his widow professed until her own passing to be baffled by the events surrounding his demise. With significant financial obligations looming over him, it is possible that Semon may have chosen to make a dramatic escape from his creditors. Alternatively, his death could have marked the sorrowful conclusion to a brilliant but short-lived career. The truth behind Semon's enigmatic demise may forever remain a secret.
