In his book, The King of the Movies: Film Pioneer Siegmund Lubin, Joseph P. Eckhardt wrote that Aitken was "trained as a
Shakespearean actor, with many years of experience under his belt."[3] His film debut came in 1911.[4] He eventually appeared in 81 feature films between 1914 and 1927.[5]
Aitken was one of the first actors to settle in
Los Angeles when the
film industry was still at its strongest in
New York. He invested most of his earnings in
real estate, buying up orange groves around what would become
Hollywood.
Personal life
Aitken was involved in a controversy in 1922 when, after suing his wife Marion Dana Jones for divorce for alleged infidelity, she countersued. A
United Press news story reported that she was "alleging her husband had coerced her into living with Hay Weinstein, wealthy
Santa Barbaran, so that he could extort money from Weinstein."[6]
The couple had three children: Francis Spottiswoode Aitken Jr., Frances Aitken and Margaret Shirley Aitken.[7]
Death
Aitken died 24 February 1933 in Los Angeles, California. He was 64 years old.[2] He is buried in the
Hollywood Forever Cemetery.[8]
In his book, The King of the Movies: Film Pioneer Siegmund Lubin, Joseph P. Eckhardt wrote that Aitken was "trained as a
Shakespearean actor, with many years of experience under his belt."[3] His film debut came in 1911.[4] He eventually appeared in 81 feature films between 1914 and 1927.[5]
Aitken was one of the first actors to settle in
Los Angeles when the
film industry was still at its strongest in
New York. He invested most of his earnings in
real estate, buying up orange groves around what would become
Hollywood.
Personal life
Aitken was involved in a controversy in 1922 when, after suing his wife Marion Dana Jones for divorce for alleged infidelity, she countersued. A
United Press news story reported that she was "alleging her husband had coerced her into living with Hay Weinstein, wealthy
Santa Barbaran, so that he could extort money from Weinstein."[6]
The couple had three children: Francis Spottiswoode Aitken Jr., Frances Aitken and Margaret Shirley Aitken.[7]
Death
Aitken died 24 February 1933 in Los Angeles, California. He was 64 years old.[2] He is buried in the
Hollywood Forever Cemetery.[8]