Cold steel lobby card

John Paterson McGowan was born at Terowie, South Australia, in 1880. He joined the film industry in 1909, working on locations in Italy, Ireland, Egypt and Palestine. His prolific career in Hollywood as an actor, director, producer, and screenwriter began in 1913. It is estimated that he worked on over 600 productions, often westerns or adventure movies, as a filmmaker. He directed over 150 films including the popular Hazards of Helen series, which starred his wife Helen Holmes, and several films with John Wayne.
Among the numerous films with which he was associated was the 1921 silent movie action melodrama Cold Steel. McGowan had the lead role as Steele Weir, who promises his dying father to hunt down the men who robbed him of valuable land. With the help of his girlfriend (played by Kathleen Clifford), Steele manages to triumph.

'Lobby cards' were strategically placed in theatre foyers to advertise upcoming attractions to theatre goers.