Biography in: John Wakeman, editor. "World Film Directors, Volume One, 1890-1945". Pages 66-71. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1987.
First wife, Amy Louise Stevens, was William Collier Jr.'s aunt.
Former circus contortionist.
Grew up in Louisville with his cousin, "Old" Pete Browning, a 3 time batting champ, who stole 103 bases in 1887. Pete's commissioning of a bat provided the start of the Hillerich & Bradsby bat company, famous for their Louisville Slugger model. The eccentric Pete drank heavily, apparently due to a chronic mastoid infection, and his catchphrase was "I can't hit the ball, unless I hit the bottle."
Mentioned in David Bowie's song "Diamond Dogs", which was re-recorded by Beck and Timbaland for Moulin Rouge! (2001).