Henry Christeen Warnack

Henry Christeen Warnack
Image Los Angeles Times
Born	(1877-10-01)October 1, 1877 Campbell, Tennessee
Died	November 2, 1927(1927-11-02) (aged 50) Los Angeles, California
Other names	Henry C Warnack Henry Christian Warnack
Occupations	Author Essayist Movie stories and Scenario Poet
Known for	Life's New Psalm The Honor System

Henry Christeen Warnack (1877 – 1927) was a film and theater critic in the United States. He released novels and works of poetry. He crafted essays on a range of topics. Besides being a talented speaker, he got involved in the early film industry, scripting stories and Scenarios for various silent films.

Early years

Warnack was born in Campbell Tennessee, on October 1, 1877.[1] He attended the Military Academy - Tennessee Military Institute. After graduation, he taught school in Maryville, Tennessee. Later, he moved to Knoxville, Tennessee. He started his newspaper career as a cub reporter for The Knoxville Journal and Tribune and the Knoxville News Sentinel. Because of health concerns, he moved to Colorado becoming a reporter for Colorado Springs Gazette and the Rocky Mountain News in Denver.[2]

Career

Warnack moved to Los Angeles in 1907 when he was 29 years of age. He worked for the Los Angeles Times as a drama critic[3] and became the dramatic department editor. [4] He also wrote stories for Fox movies.[5][6] Warnack lauded the works of John Steven McGroarty.[7]

He wrote articles for many trade journals and magazines, including:

• Out West.[8]
• West Coast Magazine.[9]
• Photoplay Magazine.[10]

He also wrote "The Story of the Union Printers' Home," an essay for the 52nd convention of the International Typographical Union's pamphlet.[11] A writeup in Motography described his story for The Conqueror as virile and engrossing.[12] He reviewed Eloise Bibb Thompson's first screenplay, "A Reply to the Clansman,"[13] which responded to Thomas Dixon Jr.'s novel The Clansman: A Historical Romance of the Ku Klux Klan.

According to Warnack, two of his greatest achievements were:

• The publication of the book–"Life's New Psalm" in 1922[14][a]
• The Honor System was a 1917 silent film about prison reforms in Arizona and directed by Raoul Walsh. Warnack's involvement in the film varies depending on the account. Some articles claim it was based on a Warnack novel, others a story he sold to Fox. Controversies aside, he was proud of his involvement.[15]

Death

The front page November 3, 1927 article in the Los Angeles Times reads:

Henry, Christine Warnock, nationally known newspaper, man, and formally editor of the dramatic department of the times, died yesterday morning at the family residence, 328 North Marengo St., Alhambra, following in illness of three days. Pneumonia was assigned as a cause of death.[2]

Filmography

• Fires of Conscience, directed by Oscar C. Apfel[16]
• The Honor System, directed by Raoul Walsh[16]
• The Morals of Hilda, directed by Lloyd B. Carleton[17]
• The Conqueror (1917), directed by Raoul Walsh[18]
• The Eagle (1918), directed by Elmer Clifton[19]
• Are You Legally Married? (1919)

Notes

1. The final copyright listing for "Life's New Psalm" was entered into the record as shown:

   Warnack, (Henry Christian)* Alham-
   bra, Calif. Life's new psalm. Los
   Angeles, Calif., New era press, 1922
   2 p. 1., p. 16mo. (7811
   © Feb 23, 1922; 2 c and aff. Mar
   13, 1922 A 659091.[14]

References

1. Multiple Authors 1913, p. 381.
2. "H. C. Warnack, Writer, Dies". The Los Angeles Times. November 3, 1927. Retrieved June 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Nationally known newspaperman, Poet, and Author Formerly Was Editor of "Times" Dramatic Department
3. Gallen & Stern 2014, p. 283.
4. Moving Picture Exhibitors' Association 1916, p. 1696.
5. Moss 2011, p. 424.
6. Warren 2011, p. 320.
7. McGroarty 1912, p. 728.
8. Lummis & Sequoya League 1910, p. 409.
9. McGroarty & Coffin 1910, p. 372.
10. Waterbury 1915, p. 2-PA15.
11. The Inland Printer. Maclean-Hunter Publishing Corporation. 1907. p. 108. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
12. Nickelodeon 1917, p. 444.
13. Johnson, Carter & National Urban League 1923, p. 63.
14. Library of Congress. Copyright Office (1922). Catalogue of Copyright Entries 1922. Washington Government Printing Office 1923. p. 329. Retrieved March 2, 2023. Part 1: Books, Group 2 New Series, Volume 19, Part 1 - First half of 1922 - Nos. 1-9
15. Moss 2011, p. 47.
16. Library of Congress. Copyright Office (1916). Catalogue of Copyright Entries 1916. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 1027. Retrieved March 2, 2023. Part 1, Group 2: Pamphlets, Leaflets, Contributions to Newspapers or periodicals, Etc; Lectures, sermons, address for oral delivery; dramatic compositions; maps; motion pictures
17. The Morals of Hilda at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
18. Library of Congress. Copyright Office (1917). Catalog of Copyright Entries 1917. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 1044. Retrieved March 2, 2023. Part 1, Group 2: Pamphlets, Leaflets, Contributions to Newspapers or periodicals, Etc; Lectures, sermons, address for oral delivery; dramatic compositions; maps; motion pictures
19. Dramatic Mirror of Motion Pictures and the Stage. Dramatic Mirror Company. 1918. Retrieved March 2, 2023.

Bibliography

• Multiple Authors (1913). Who's who in the Pacific Southwest. Times-mirror Printing & Binding House. Retrieved March 2, 2023. A Compilation of Authentic Biographical Sketches of Citizens of Southern California and Arizona
• Gallen, I.H.; Stern, S. (2014). D.W. Griffith's 100th Anniversary The Birth of a Nation. FriesenPress. ISBN 978-1-4602-3654-3. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
• Moving Picture Exhibitors' Association (1916). The Moving Picture World. World Photographic Publishing Company. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
• Moss, M.A. (2011). Raoul Walsh: The True Adventures of Hollywood's Legendary Director. Screen Classics. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 978-0-8131-3990-6. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
• Warren, B.G. (2011). Artful Lives: Edward Weston, Margrethe Mather, and the Bohemians of Los Angeles. J. Paul Getty Museum. ISBN 978-1-60606-070-4. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
• McGroarty, J.S. (1912). The West Coast: An Illustrated Monthly, a Magazine of Today and Tomorrow. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
• Lummis, C.F.; Sequoya League (1910). Out West: A Magazine of the Old Pacific and the New. Out West Company. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
• McGroarty, J.S.; Coffin, E.M. (1910). West Coast Magazine (in Italian). Grafton. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
• Waterbury, R. (1915). Photoplay: The Aristocrat of Motion Picture Magazines. Photoplay Magazine Publishing Company. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
• Nickelodeon. 1917. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
• Johnson, C.S.; Carter, E.A.; National Urban League (1923). Opportunity (in German). National Urban League. Retrieved March 1, 2023.