John K. Wells

John K. Wells
John K. Wells 1919
Born
John Kenneth Wells

(1886-07-02)July 2, 1886
Evanston, Illinois, U.S.
DiedDecember 27, 1953(1953-12-27) (aged 67)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting placeGreenwood Memorial Park
Occupations
  • Actor
  • Director
  • Producer
  • Writer
Years active1915–1923
Known forQueen of the Turf
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1924; died 1948)​

John K. Wells (July 2, 1886 – December 27, 1953) was an American actor, director, producer, and writer of the Silent film era. Wells was a 29-year old actor who earned his first credited role in the 1915 Universal short film — The Queen of Hearts.[1]

Wells worked his way up the ranks at Universal, ultimately being promoted from Assistant Director to full-time Director in 1917. In 1919, Wells worked on the Universal movie serial — The Lion Man. After directing the first two chapters of the production, he quit his job. Wells booked passage and departed for Australia, hoping to participate in their burgeoning movie industry. In 1921, Wells hit his high water mark when he wrote, produced, and directed the Australian film — Silks and Saddles.

Wells and his wife, Agnes Vernon, returned to America in 1922.[2] Wells partnered in a real estate brokerage firm in La Jolla, California. He briefly emerged in the publishing world when he published his novel — Rafter Romance in 1932.[3] In 1933, RKO picked up the rights to Rafter Romance and made it the basis for two films produced in the 1930s — Rafter Romance and Living on Love.

John and Judith Wells continued to live in both California and Arizona until his wife died in 1948.[4][a] Wells would die five years later in 1953. He was 67 when he died.[6]

  1. ^ "The Queen of Hearts". Motion Picture News. New York, Motion Picture News, Inc. September 18, 1915. p. 1441. Archived from the original on June 29, 2015. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  2. ^ "California, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists". NARA. 2008. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  3. ^ Library of Congress. Copyright Office (1933). Catalog of Copyright Entries Books. p. 191. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
  4. ^ "State of California, Death Index for AgnesVernon". State of California Department of Health Services. 2000. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  5. ^ "Anes Vernon Drops Something". The Moving Picture World. New York : The World Photographic Publishing Company. April 21, 1917. p. 434. Archived from the original on September 3, 2014. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
  6. ^ "State of California, Death Index for John Kenneth Wells". State of California Department of Health Services. 2000. Retrieved August 31, 2022.


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