Paul Mahlon Powell

On Tuesday January 31, 1922 Wm D. Taylor was at Mr. Lowe for the upcoming film "The Ordeal" where Higham (p19) said Taylor had undertaken an hour-long, snow swept streetcar ride up the mountain in order to scout locations for the film. On Wednesday February 1, 1922 Taylor went to the Lasky studio and saw Barrett Kiesling, the publicity director, and the talked about Taylor's upcoming film "The Ordeal". Taylor left the studio at 4:30pm. Filming for the movie "The Ordeal" was to begin on Monday February 6, 1922.

This movie was W Somerset Maugham's first original story for the screen. Paul M Powell assumed the director role for the movie.

Paul Mahlon Powell was born on 6 September 1881 in Peoria, Illinois to Charles & Anna C Von Schoenheider Powell.
1900: Peoria, IL- Powell: Charles H (age 46 married 19 yrs b. IL editor of newspaper); Anna C (wife age 40 had 7 children & all still living b. NY parents born in Germany); Paul MF (son b. Sept 1881 IL newspaper reporter): Anna L (daughter age 15); Barbara F (daughter age 13); Charles HB (son age 10); Margaret R (daughter age 7); William R (son age 3); Harold F (son age 9 months);
1903: Paul Powell married Valerie McDonald (b.30 Aug 1876 Peoria, IL & d. 1 Dec 1949 Pasadena, CA)
Abt 1904: Paul was a reporter for the Chicago Tribune and broke a story on the business practices of gangsters in Chicago. After the story came out, Paul was put into hiding for a month and soon left Chicago for the safety of Pasadena.
Abt 1905: Paul became a reporter for the Los Angeles Express.
16 Jan 1907: Daughter Janice was born in Pasadena.
1910:1955 Milan Ave, Los Angeles- Powell: Paul M (age 28 m6 years Newspaper Reporter); Valarie (wife age 28 born in IL & parents were born in Ireland); Janice M (daughter age 3 b. CA & parents were born in Illinois); Anna C (age 50 widowed); Anna L (age 25 hair dresser); Charles S (age 20 solicitor for newspaper); Marguerite R (age 17); Wm R (age 13); (Harold L 10) 1910: Paul quit his job at the LA Express and looked for work in the film industry.
1911: Paul became assistant to Wilbert Melville at Lubin Company.
1914: DW Griffith hired Paul as the director general for the Mutual Film Corporation.
1915: Paul made nine films starring Dorothy Gish.
1916: Paul was asked to be one of the directors at Griffith's Triangle-Fine Arts Film Corporation.
1920: 1957 Leman St, Pasadena, CA- Powell: Paul (age 39 director of moving pictures);Valerie (age 38);Janice(age 13)
1920: Lasky hired Paul by Famous-Players Lasky and Lasky sent Paul and his family to London to establish a British division of the studio. It has been said that Lasky ordered Powell to return home because Paul had been spending too much money on films. Paul's daughter Janice was quoted as saying that her father never saved the studio's any money but rather he spent it whenever he had the chance.


July 1921: Paul Powell and Mary O'Connor were on location in England while Wm D Taylor was also there.
Aug 1921: 1957 Leman St, Pasadena, CA- Powell: Paul M, Valerie,and Janice when they returned home from Europe.
24 Aug 1921: Paul Powell, director with Famous Players-Lasky British Corporation, gave an interview to the LA Times saying that he was in favor of Hollywood and that Europe scenery could be reproduced better in the US than the original of Europe ("Films. Boost Hollywood. Director says Europe has too many handicaps").
1929 Voter Registration: 1955 Milan Ave, Pasadena- Powell, Paul (director); Mrs. Valerie (housewife); Miss Janice (actress)
2 July 1944: Paul Powell died in Pasadena