▁actor , ▁director , ▁screen writer ▁and ▁producer . ▁He ▁appeared ▁in ▁ 1 6 7 ▁films ▁between ▁ 1 9 1 3 ▁and ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁and ▁also ▁directed ▁ 9 4 ▁films ▁between ▁ 1 9 1 1 ▁and ▁ 1 9 2 7 . ▁ ▁Biography ▁Ap fel ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Cleveland , ▁Ohio . ▁After ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁years ▁in ▁commerce , ▁he ▁decided ▁to ▁adopt ▁the ▁stage ▁as ▁a ▁profession . ▁He ▁secured ▁his ▁first ▁professional ▁eng agement ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 0 , ▁in ▁his ▁h omet own . ▁He ▁rose ▁rapidly ▁and ▁soon ▁held ▁a ▁position ▁as ▁director ▁and ▁producer ▁and ▁was ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁noted ▁as ▁being ▁the ▁young est ▁stage ▁director ▁in ▁America . ▁He ▁spent ▁eleven ▁years ▁on ▁the ▁stage ▁on ▁Broadway ▁then ▁joined ▁the ▁Ed ison ▁Man ufact uring ▁Company . ▁Ap fel ▁first ▁directed ▁for ▁Thomas ▁A . ▁Ed ison , ▁Inc . ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 1 – 1 2 , ▁where ▁he ▁made ▁the ▁innov ative ▁short ▁film ▁The ▁Pass er - By ▁( 1 9 1 2 ). ▁He ▁also ▁did ▁some ▁experimental ▁work ▁at ▁Ed ison ' s ▁labor atory ▁in ▁Orange , ▁on ▁the ▁Ed ison ▁T alk ing ▁Pictures ▁devices . ▁ ▁L ask y ▁When ▁Ap fel ▁left ▁the ▁Ed ison ▁company , ▁he ▁joined ▁Rel iance - M aj estic ▁Studios , ▁remaining ▁with ▁them ▁eigh teen ▁months . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 3 , ▁he ▁became