From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
John M. St. Polis (November 24, 1873 – October 8, 1946) was an American actor.
St. Polis was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Before starting his film career, he made a name for himself on the Broadway stage, most notably in the role of Frederik in the original production of The Return of Peter Grimm (1911–12) and the play's revival in 1921, both performed at the Belasco Theatre.
He appeared in 126 films between 1914 and 1943. In all of his early roles, the actor is billed as John Sainpolis. His best-known performances are as Etienne Laurier in The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921), and as Comte Phillipe de Chagny in The Phantom of the Opera (1925).
St. Polis successfully made the transition from silent cinema to "talkies" with one of his most praised performances as Dr. John M. Besant, the father of Norma Besant (played by Mary Pickford) in Coquette (1929).
Known For
The Phantom of the Opera
(1925)
Comte Philip de Chagny
The Unknown
(1927)
Surgeon (uncredited)
A Night at the Opera
(1935)
Opera Conductor (uncredited)
Jungle Menace
(1937)
Chandler Elliott
Full Filmography
Acting
Joseph and His Coat of Many Colors
(1914)
Wormwood
(1915)
The Salamander
(1916)
The Love That Lives
(1917)
Harvey Brooks
Sapho
(1917)
Dejoie
The Fortunes of Fifi
(1917)
Duvernet
The Public Defender
(1917)
Laughing Bill Hyde
(1918)
Black Jack Burg
All Woman
(1918)
Sam Tupper
Stake Uncle Sam to Play Your Hand
(1918)
Kaiser
The Great Lover
(1920)
Jean Paurel
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
(1921)
Etienne Laurier
Cappy Ricks
(1921)
Skinner (as John Sainpolis)
Shadows
(1922)
Nate Snow
Three Wise Fools
(1923)
John Crawshay
Souls for Sale
(1923)
Self - Celebrity Actor in Commissary
The Untameable
(1923)
Dr. Copin
Woman-Proof
(1923)
Milo Bleech (as John Sainpolis)
The Social Code
(1923)
Held to Answer
(1923)
Hiram Burbeck
Mademoiselle Midnight
(1924)
Colonel de Gontran (Prologue)
Three Weeks
(1924)
The King
The Alaskan
(1924)
Rossland (as John Sainpolis)
The Rose of Paris
(1924)
André du Vallois
Folly of Vanity
(1924)
Ridgeway (modern sequence)
The Dixie Handicap
(1924)
Dexter
Those Who Dance
(1924)
Monahan
The Phantom of the Opera
(1925)
Comte Philip de Chagny
My Lady's Lips
(1925)
Inspector
Paint and Powder
(1925)
Mark Kelsey (as John Sainpolis)
The Greater Glory
(1926)
Prof. Leopold Eberhardt (as John Sainpolis)
The Lily
(1926)
Comte de Maigny
The Unknown
(1927)
Surgeon (uncredited)
Too Many Crooks
(1927)
Erastus Mason
The Power of Silence
(1928)
Defense Attorney
A Woman's Way
(1928)
Mouvet
Coquette
(1929)
Dr. John M. Besant
Why Be Good?
(1929)
Pa Kelly
Fast Life
(1929)
Andrew Stratton
Party Girl
(1930)
John Rountree
Kismet
(1930)
The Imam Mahmud
A Devil with Women
(1930)
Don Diego
Captain Thunder
(1930)
Pedro
The Melody Man
(1930)
Von Kemper
The Bad One
(1930)
Judge
The Three Sisters
(1930)
Judge
The Criminal Code
(1931)
Dr. Rinewulf
The Gay Diplomat
(1931)
General
Transgression
(1931)
Serafin, Arturo's Butler
The Yellow Ticket
(1931)
Passport Official at Airport
Beau Ideal
(1931)
Judge Advocate (as John M. St. Polis)
Their Mad Moment
(1931)
Hotel Manager
Men of the Sky
(1931)
Madeleine's Father
Doctors' Wives
(1931)
Dr. Mark Wyndram
Heartbreak
(1931)
U.S. Ambassador
Symphony of Six Million
(1932)
Dr. Schifflen
The Match King
(1932)
Banker (uncredited)
Lena Rivers
(1932)
John Nichols
The Crusader
(1932)
Robert Henley
False Faces
(1932)
Dr. McDonald
Alias the Doctor
(1932)
Dr. Niergardt
The Gambling Sex
(1932)
John Tracy
Call Her Savage
(1932)
Doctor Consoling Nasa (Uncredited)
If I Had a Million
(1932)
Glidden Associate (uncredited)
The World Gone Mad
(1933)
Grover Cromwell
Notorious But Nice
(1933)
John J. Martin
King of the Arena
(1933)
Governor
Terror Trail
(1933)
Colonel Charles Ormsby
The President Vanishes
(1934)
Attorney General Davis (uncredited)
Guilty Parents
(1934)
Defense attorney
Death from a Distance
(1935)
Prof. Trowbridge
The Lady in Scarlet
(1935)
Jerome T. Shelby
A Night at the Opera
(1935)
Opera Conductor (uncredited)
The Dark Hour
(1936)
Dr. Munro
Below the Deadline
(1936)
Mr. Abrams
Call of the Prairie
(1936)
Jim
Three on the Trail
(1936)
Sheriff Sam Corwin
The Shadow Strikes
(1937)
Caleb Delthern
Paradise Isle
(1937)
Coxon
Jungle Menace
(1937)
Chandler Elliott
Borderland
(1937)
Doctor
Mr. Wong, Detective
(1938)
Carl Roemer
Saleslady
(1938)
Crane
International Crime
(1938)
Roger Morton
Phantom Ranger
(1938)
Pat Doyle
The Mysterious Rider
(1938)
Townsman
Boys' Reformatory
(1939)
Superintendent Keene
They Shall Have Music
(1939)
Davis
On the Spot
(1940)
Doc Hunter
Abe Lincoln in Illinois
(1940)
Minor Role (uncredited)
Haunted House
(1940)
Simkins
Rocky Mountain Rangers
(1940)
Joseph Manners
Crossroads
(1942)
Professor (uncredited)