Harry Benham

Harry Benham (February 26, 1884 – July 17, 1969) was an American actor and silent film performer whose career spanned Broadway and early cinema. Born in Valparaiso, Indiana, he relocated with his family to Chicago during childhood, where he was raised and educated. From an early age he demonstrated a gift for singing, which he developed through participation in his local church choir.

Benham's entry into professional performance came in 1904, when the touring production of Peggy from Paris arrived in Chicago. At twenty years old, he joined the company as a chorus member while simultaneously supporting himself through work in the wholesale paper business. He advanced from the chorus to the leading role in the production and held that position for the remainder of its three-year run. His Broadway career, which extended from 1903 to 1922, included credits in the musical Peggy from Paris, the musical The Rainbow Girl, and the play The Doormat. Beyond those Broadway credits, Benham accumulated stage experience in a range of other productions, among them The Sultan of Sulu, Woodland, Marrying Mary, The Gay Musician, H.M.S. Pinafore, Florodora, The Mayoress, and Madame Sherry.

In 1910, Benham transitioned into film when he joined the Thanhouser Company in New Rochelle, New York. He served as a leading player in numerous Thanhouser productions through 1915. His work in the company's 1912 film Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde received attention decades later when an article about his performance appeared in the October 1963 issue of Famous Monsters of Filmland. Benham married actress Ethyle Cooke, and the couple had two children, Dorothy and Leland, both of whom became notable figures within the Thanhouser organization. Benham died on July 17, 1969, in Sarasota, Florida, at the age of 85.