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John R Cumpson was born in Buffalo, New York, one of the youngest in a large family. His father was a blacksmith. In 1887, John R Cumpson was listed in a Buffalo City Directory as a bank clerk, and in the 1890 census as a bookkeeper. He apparently soon set aside ledgers and took up a career in acting. By 1901, he had moved to New York City and had a role on in a drama at the 14th Street Theater, "Upstate New York." By 1905 he was acting in silent film shorts, and by 1908 he was working with D.W. Griffith (who was then just at the beginning of his own career). He most often worked as a comedic character. He played Mr. Jones opposite Florence Lawrence in a series about a hapless couple. He created the role of "Bumptious" for the Edison Studios, and was under contract to Carl Laemmle's company when he died of cardiac dilatation at the age of 46.
