Justus D. Barnes (October 2, 1862 â€" February 6, 1946) was an
American stage and film actor. He is best known for his role in the
1903 silent short The Great Train Robbery, which the American Film
Institute and many film historians and critics recognize as the first
Western, as the production that established that genre or "narrative
standard" in motion picture history.Justus Barnes was born in Little
Falls, New York. His father was an immigrant from Scotland, while his
mother was born in New York. He was a veteran stage actor before he
made his screen debut in 1903 in The Great Train Robbery. In that
film's memorable ending, Barnes points his pistol at the camera and
slowly fires all six shots at the viewer. The Great Train Robbery
became one of the most successful and best known commercial films of
the early silent era.In July 1908, Barnes was hired as an actor in the
stock company of the Edison Manufacturing Company, the film production
company owned by Thomas Edison. In 1910, he signed on with the
Thanhouser Company in New Rochelle, New York. Between 1910 and 1917,
Justus appeared in more than seventy films for the Thanhouser, usually
in the role of a villain. He played Ham Peggotty in David Copperfield,
the earliest known film adaption of the 1850 novel by Charles Dickens.
He also played supporting roles in Nicholas Nickleby (1912), Aurora
Floyd (1912), and A Dog of Flanders (1914).
American stage and film actor. He is best known for his role in the
1903 silent short The Great Train Robbery, which the American Film
Institute and many film historians and critics recognize as the first
Western, as the production that established that genre or "narrative
standard" in motion picture history.Justus Barnes was born in Little
Falls, New York. His father was an immigrant from Scotland, while his
mother was born in New York. He was a veteran stage actor before he
made his screen debut in 1903 in The Great Train Robbery. In that
film's memorable ending, Barnes points his pistol at the camera and
slowly fires all six shots at the viewer. The Great Train Robbery
became one of the most successful and best known commercial films of
the early silent era.In July 1908, Barnes was hired as an actor in the
stock company of the Edison Manufacturing Company, the film production
company owned by Thomas Edison. In 1910, he signed on with the
Thanhouser Company in New Rochelle, New York. Between 1910 and 1917,
Justus appeared in more than seventy films for the Thanhouser, usually
in the role of a villain. He played Ham Peggotty in David Copperfield,
the earliest known film adaption of the 1850 novel by Charles Dickens.
He also played supporting roles in Nicholas Nickleby (1912), Aurora
Floyd (1912), and A Dog of Flanders (1914).
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