Edward Neumann, later known as Snitz Edwards, was born in Hungary and went on to lead a fascinating life filled with marriage, children, and a successful career in the entertainment industry.
Edwards' first marriage was to his first wife in 1889, although the couple eventually divorced. He then married Eleanor Taylor, an actress from Boston, in 1906, when he was almost 20 years older than his new bride. The couple had three daughters, Cricket, Evelyn, and Marian, who were all born between 1906 and 1917.
As a family, the Edwards' were put into a series of two-reel films by Universal in the late 1920s, with the entire family playing the roles of a theatrical family with three daughters. By this time, Edwards was earning a staggering $5,000 a week.
Cricket, the eldest of the Edwards' daughters, grew up to become a secretary for the Jaffe Agency and later married famous Los Angeles attorney Newt Kendall. She also went on to become a movie producer, working on films such as The Guns of Navarone (1961) and The Victors (1963).
Marian, the middle child, became an actress and later married writer Irwin Shaw, who is best known for his work on the popular miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man (1976).
Evelyn, the youngest of the Edwards' daughters, worked as a writer for RKO for many years.
Edwards' final film was the 1931 classic The Public Enemy, in which he played the role of "Miller." However, by the time filming was complete, Edwards was already very ill with cirrhosis of the liver and rheumatoid arthritis. He spent the remainder of his life bedridden, passing away at home in 1937.
Despite his illness and eventual passing, Edwards left behind a legacy in the entertainment industry, and his daughters went on to achieve great things in their respective careers.
