Walter H. Edwards

Walter H. Edwards (January 8, 1870 – April 12, 1920) was an American actor, director, and screenwriter whose career spanned stage and screen. His Broadway appearances ran from 1887 to 1903 and included roles in The Sign of the Four and Gaston Cadol. Beyond his stage work, Edwards directed 46 films over the course of his career.

His association with the Elitch Theatre in Denver began in 1896, when he was brought in to replace the original director, J. H. Huntley, who had been hired by Mrs. Elitch to lead a resident stock company. Edwards took over as director on July 12, 1896, with his first production being J. K. Tillotson's A Gilded Crime. Contemporary newspaper coverage noted that his arrival had strengthened the company. From 1897 through 1908, Edwards remained a regular presence in the Elitch Theatre's summer stock cast as an actor. During the 1898 season, he headed the company in the opening production of Mrs. Frances Hodgson Burnett's Esmeralda, with Margaret Dibdin serving as his leading lady. He returned to the Elitch Theatre again in 1912 to take the lead role in The Deep Purple, written by Wilson Mizner and Paul Armstrong.

Edwards transitioned into film work and directed numerous productions beginning in 1913 with The Harvest of Sin. His subsequent directorial credits included The Edge of the Abyss (1915), The Bride of Hate (1917), Mrs. Leffingwell's Boots (1918), A Pair of Silk Stockings (1918), The Gypsy Trail (1918), and A Girl Named Mary (1919), among many others. His final films, including Easy to Get and A Lady in Love, were released in 1920, the year of his death.