Camera Workers, 1858-1950

The British Columbia, Alaska and Yukon Photographic Directory, 1858-1950

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Kean, Arthur David[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

Male 1882 - 1961  (78 years)


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  • Name Kean, Arthur David 
    • VARIANT NAME: Kean, Cowboy.
    Nickname Cowboy Kean 
    Born 26 Feb 1882  Emerson, MB Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Business Address/Year 1913-1927  Vancouver, BC Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Died 1961  ON Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Association British Columbia Patriotic and Educational Picture Service (Relationship: Cinematographer) 
    Person ID I1026  Camera Workers | K, vol. 2, 1901-1950
    Last Modified 4 Aug 2020 

  • Notes 
    • STATUS: Commercial; Cinematographer.
    • BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY: A retired bronco buster, A.D. Kean last rode professionally in the 1912 Calgary Stampede on "Gray Silvers." He moved to Vancouver the next year where he quickly established a reputation as a filmmaker. He filmed such events as troop departures for the European front during the first world war, whaling activities on the high seas and at shore stations, and numerous short industrial and travel subjects for a provincial government agency to which he was contracted in the early 1920s. Much of his cinematic output, including an epic melodrama titled Policing the Plains (1924-1927), was lost over the years. His trademark logo was a cowboy roping a bull whose lariat spelled "Kean's Canada Films". Following the commercial failure of Policing the Plains, Kean parlayed his creative talents into radio and writing. He continued to photograph until his death.
    • IDENTIFYING MARKS: Print or postcard surface may be titled, dated and captioned "A D Kean Cowboy Photo" (source: real photo postcard, private collection).

  • Sources 
    1. [S46] COLLECTION: BVIPA.
      A.D. Kean fonds (PR-0755)

    2. [S152] COLLECTION: OOA.
      Films and videos

    3. [S339] Voters List, (Victoria, B.C.: Province of British Columbia, 1874-), Ref. NW 324.1 B862., 1916, 1920, 1924.
      Vancouver

    4. [S222] Browne (1979), Browne, Colin, (Victoria: British Columbia Provincial Museum, 1979).

    5. [S272] Duffy (1986), Dennis J. Duffy, (Victoria: Sound and Moving Image Division, Provincial Archives of British Columbia, 1986).

    6. [S273] Duffy and Mattison (1989), Dennis J. Duffy and David Mattison, (The Beaver 69, no. 1 (February/March 1989): 28-41).