Yale Boss

Birth : 1899-10-18, Utica, New York, U.S.

Death : 1977-11-16

History

New York-born Boss was one of the screen's first child stars. He was already a stage veteran when he made his screen debut in Thanhouser's The Actor's Children (1910). He appeared on Broadway opposite Adeline Genée in The Silver Star. Later he became one of Edison Studios's most popular players, but the studio constantly had to battle rumors questioning his true age. Boss's popularity waned in the late 1910s and he later worked as a prop man.

Movies

Souls for Sale
Prop Man (uncredited)
A young woman hits Hollywood, determined to become a star.
Cartoons in a Seminary
Jim
Laura tells her companions at Miss Syntax's seminary that Jim, her sweetheart, is to visit her that afternoon. Shortly afterward, Jim climbs the fence surrounding the school playground, and after greeting the them girls, shows a copy of the "Grouch Chaser." The girls get a great laugh out of "Silas Bunkum's Boarders Picnic" in which Silas, his wife and their three guests spend a lively day in the country.
Andy Goes on the Stage
Jimmie Brown
A short comic film in which young André delivers a telegram to the theatre. Once there, he has to stand in for an actor during a performance of Little Lord Fauntleroy. Despite the chaotic performance, he is very successful.
The Active Life of Dolly of the Dailies #5: The Chinese Fan
Daddy, the office boy
An early Thomas Edison short. A young woman is kidnapped while attending a play in Chinatown. A reporter attends another play in Chinatown, is likewise kidnapped and rescues the young woman.
How a Horseshoe Upset a Happy Family
The Messenger Boy
A farce in which Ms. Murphy finds that a horseshoe brings her anything but happiness.
The Totville Eye
Young Sammy
A printer and his young assistant take over a local newspaper while the editor is away.
Revenge Is Sweet
Jimmy - the Office Boy
A short comedy in which the newest employee is teased by the office girls, but he retaliates by putting black polish in a powder-box. Ultimately the girls use the resulting black powder on the young employee himself.
Papa's Sweetheart
One of the Children
In the first scene we see a group of children at a window waiting for the arrival of their father. Following this we learn that the little family lacks a mother. The next scene brings us to a theater-box party. The father of the little family meets another woman. It soon becomes evident that he intends to marry again and at last he brings this other woman to the house. While he is present, she seems to be fond of the children, but once he is out of the room we see that her fondness is hardly skin-deep. Soon the mother's picture is removed from over the fireplace and evidently the new wedding will take place. Little Margaret, taking care of the children, finds them hard to amuse one day, and going up into the garret, finds some old clothes, in which they all dress. By chance she puts on the very costume which was used when her mother posed for the big portrait, now absent from its place over the mantel, and so it happens that when the father comes home at night.
The Ransom of Red Chief
Red Chief - The Little Boy
After reading a newspaper article regarding old Tightwad's rise in the world, Bill and Jim hit upon a plan to get some of Tightwad's easy money by holding young Tightwad for ransom. They accordingly hire a rig, take the boy and conceal him in a cave. The boy, instead of weeping and wailing for home and mother, proclaims himself "Red Chief" and makes it uncomfortable for his captors. (Moving Picture World)
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Mad Hatter
Made by the Edison Manufacturing Company and directed by Edwin S. Porter, the film starred Gladys Hulette as Alice. Being a silent film, naturally all of Lewis Carroll's nonsensical prose could not be used, and, being only a one-reel picture, most of Carroll's memorable characters in his original 1865 novel similarly could not be included. What was used in the film was faithful in spirit to Carroll, and in design to the original John Tenniel illustrations. Variety complimented the picture by comparing it favorably to the "foreign" film fantasies then flooding American cinemas.
The Actor's Children
The Actor's Son
When his play closes down, an actor returns home to find that his children are gone. He's then notified that a wealthy relative has died and left him a substantial amount of money.