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David Jerome Rollins (September 2, 1907 - May 25, 1997) was an extremely handsome, juvenile lead of the silent era. F.W. Murnau's first film for William Fox, Sunrise, was a tremendous critical success, and he was pretty much able to write his own ticket after that. Charmed by the young actor David Rollins, Murnau asked him to pose for nude photographs around his swimming pool. Rollins complied, and when he asked the studio later if this was usual procedure, he was told simply that he "should be nice to the director."

He was born on September 2, 1907 in Kansas City, Missouri.

He was discovered as an extra and given a contract with Fox Films in 1927. His first film was for Universal Studios in 1927, Win That Girl. He worked mostly in light comedies, frequently paired with Sue Carol (the future wife of Alan Ladd). While under contract to Fox he worked with many great directors just beginning their careers, including Howard Hawks, John Ford and George Stevens.

The first sound-on-film feature was Fox's The Air Circus (1928), with Louise Dresser and David Rollins, which opened at New York's Gaiety on 1 September 1928. The dialogue sequence lasted 15 minutes.

Few of his films survive today. The best-known is probably The Big Trail (1930) in the role of Marguerite Churchill's brother, a full-length talkie directed by Raoul Walsh featuring John Wayne in his first starring role. Though beautifully photographed, the sound is rather rickety and the film was seen by relatively few people due to the fact that it was shot in 70mm, which few theaters at the time were equipped to show.

When he felt he had not had the experience he wanted on the stage, David left Hollywood and went to New York for five years. There he was able to showcase his singing and dancing talents.

Rollins retired in the 1950s and spent the rest of his life traveling, raising dogs, volunteering at a local hospital and tending his citrus orchards in Encinitas, California. He was interviewed only once, by author Michael Ankerich, for his where-are-they-now-book, "Broken Silence" in 1993.

A longtime resident of Leucadia, CA, he died on May 25, 1997 in Encinitas, California.

My published books:

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• Behind the Screen: How Gays and Lesbians Shaped Hollywood, 1910-1969, William J. Mann, 2001