Cow Hampshire

Lew Cody, from a vintage postcard

Lew Cody (as Louis Joseph Cote aka Lewis Joseph Cody) was born in Maine, and he died in California. So you are probably thinking, “what does he have to do with New Hampshire?” He grew up in Berlin, New Hampshire and called it home. His father moved to Berlin after Lew’s mother, Elizabeth, died, and while he was still young. His actor’s make-up kit can be found in the archives of the Berlin and Coös County Historical Society.

Unless you are a “senior” senior citizen, or an old movie fanatic, the name Lew Cody may not ring a bell.  During his movie career he was considered to be as famous as Clark Gable was in his time. He started in vaudeville, then appeared in some of the early silent films, graduating into movies with sound. He was described as suave, black haired, witty, and having a fairly strong Canadian accent (off screen). He most of all  enjoyed practical jokes. At first he played villains, and because of his popularity he moved on to leading man roles. He often put on corned beef and cabbage dinners, inviting his many Hollywood friends. If people became disruptive at his parties, they often ended up being thrown into his pool. An advertisement in 1921 called him “The Screen’s Most Perfect Lover, Best Dressed Man, and Most Polished Actor.”

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