After a distinguished career of more than 30 years on stage, Charles Kent entered the film industry in its earliest stages--his debut, as far as is known, was in 1908 in _Macbeth . He was not only an actor but a director, and guided many upper-echelon films for Vitagraph, often starring in them. He was one of the first directors to use close-ups creatively, for which he was savaged by contemporary critics. He retired from directing in 1913, but continued acting until shortly before his death.
