Actor. He will be best remembered for playing the role of 'Ezra - the Old Fogey' in the short film drama, "The Old Fogey" (1914). The film which also starred Nell Craig and Walter Hitchcock, tells the story of Ezra, a trusted bookkeeper, who receives an invitation to the circus from his employer. The invitation recalls to his mind the days of his youth when he first went to the circus, taking with him the girl he loved. It was a fateful pleasure trip for him. De Mauvais, the head ringmaster, a handsome but unscrupulous man, at once became an object of great attraction to Alva, Ezra's sweetheart. After the performance, the girl expressed a desire to meet the man and congratulate him on his skill. The next day Ezra received a note from Alva telling him that she is going away with the man she loves. With these recollections in his mind, Ezra sets out for the circus, taking with him the little daughter of his employer. To his great surprise, he recognizes in the woman lion tamer his sweetheart of the by-gone years, and feeling the call of the old love, makes himself known to her. De Mauvais has failed to marry the girl, and daily contact with his coarse nature has brought her to his level. In spite of his ill-treatment, Alva still loves the man and finds great unhappiness in the fact that she has occasion to suspect his fidelity to her. The day after her meeting with Ezra, De Mauvais tells Alva that he has a business engagement and leaves the circus to keep an appointment at a restaurant with another woman. Ezra, to renew old times, invites Alva to dine with him at the same restaurant. She accompanies him. Seeing De Mauvais there, she at once perceives the nature of his "business engagement." The next morning she reproaches him. He tells her that he must have ten thousand dollars at once and that if she secures it for him he will throw it over the other woman. Meanwhile, Ezra's mind is filled with dreams of a little home with Alva as his wife. Alva decides at once to use her old sweetheart as a means to regain her lover's affection. She writes a letter to herself, ostensibly from her attorney, stating that the mortgage on her late uncle's estate will be foreclosed at once unless ten thousand dollars is paid, also that the attorney has a client who will pay twice as much for the property two or three days later. Armed with this letter, she goes to Ezra's boarding house and proceeds to delude him into the belief that the little home and marriage to him are likewise much in her thoughts. When she judges that the time is ripe, she shows him the fake letter and asks for his financial aid. He tells her that his savings only amount to two thousand dollars, but she insists that it is only for a day that she needs the money, and Ezra is persuaded to make up the balance from a large sum belonging to his employer which he took home with him that day, as it was too late to bank it. The girl no sooner departs with the money than Ezra finds, from a note which she accidentally dropped, the depth of her perfidy. Half crazed by what he has done he leaves at once for the circus grounds. Meanwhile, De Mauvais receives a visit from his latest love in his office. Excited by her visit, he neglects to close the door of the lion's cage and one of them escapes and makes for the mountains. Into the car comes also Alva, and the other woman barely has time to hide. Alva gives the money to De Mauvais and in a few moments, the guilty pair are confronted by the excited Ezra. He demands the money and Alva denies that she has received any from him. Realizing the weakness of his case through the lack of witnesses, Ezra leaves broken-hearted. The other woman hears him departing and thinking that Alva is leaving, comes out of her hiding place. Enraged by this evidence of her lover's perfidy, Alva seeks to take a loaded revolver from De Mauvais' desk. De Mauvais tries to take it from her. The revolver is discharged and the other woman is stretched dying on the floor. Realizing that he will be accused of the crime, De Mauvais makes his escape to the mountains, followed by the police. As he climbs higher and higher among the rocks to escape his pursuers, fate leads him to the spot where the escaped lion has taken refuge. The lion becomes an instrument of the law's vengeance and leaping upon De Mauvais he hurls him to the ground, dead. A few moments later the police arrive and take his body back to the circus. There they find in his pocket the money which Alva gave him and they restore it to her. Overcome with remorse and feeling pity for the man whom she nearly ruined, she goes to Ezra and restores his money in time to save him from disgrace. He was born in Bethlehem, Connecticut, on November 17, 1872, to Joseph Sherman Coit (1849-1899), and his wife Sarah Bacon Isham Coit (1849-). He was educated locally and was primarily a stage actor before turning to films. He appeared on Broadway in New York City, New York, in several stage productions of such plays as, "The Education Of Mr. Pipp" (February 20, 1905, to April 1905), "Cape Cod Folks" (October 15, 1906, to November 1906), "The Aero Club" (January 28, 1907, to February 1907), "Rebecca Of Sunnybrook Farm" (October 03, 1910, to April 1911), and "The Rule Of Three" (February 16, 1914, to April 1914). He made his actual film debut playing the role of 'The American Consul' in the film drama, "Soldiers of Fortune" (1914). The film which was directed by William F. Haddock, which was based on the novel by Richard Harding Davis, and the play and scenario by Augustus Thomas, and which also starred Dustin Farnum, John St. Polis, and Jack Pratt, is the story of Robert Clay, an adventurous mining engineer, who disrupts the plans of a South American revolutionary. His other Broadway plays during this time include, "The Show Shop" (December 31, 1914, to May 1915), "Young America" (Aug 28, 1915 - ), and "The Lassoo" (August 13, 1917, to October 1917). His last film role was playing 'Robert Moody' in the comedy romance film, "The Honeymoon" (1917). The film which was directed by Charles Giblyn, which was written for the screen by E. Lloyd Sheldon, and which also starred Constance Talmadge, Earle Foxe, and Maude Turner Gordon, tells the story of Immediately after Susan Lane becomes Mrs. Richard Greer, she grows jealous when she sees her husband talking to Marion Starr, one of her bridesmaids. Susan's brother Phil wishes to marry Marion but is entangled with actress Maizie Middleton. Consequently, Dick Greer agrees to see Maizie, whose troupe is playing Niagara and attempts to buy her off. Susan follows Dick to Marion's dressing room, returns to the hotel, and wires her Uncle Jimmy to file for divorce. Uncle Jimmy, resolved to cure Susan of her jealousy, intends to allow Susan to believe that she has been divorced, without actually filing. His law partner rushes the case through the courts, however, and the divorce is granted. Susan suffers such despair at the news of her separation from Dick that Uncle Jimmy rushes out and secures a minister, the couple is remarried and begins their honeymoon again. His other Broadway plays during this time include, "as 'Nevin Blodgett' in "Lightnin" (August 26, 1918, to August 27, 1921), as 'Mr. Allen' in "Spite Corner" (September 25, 1922, to January 1923), as 'Amos Pendleton' in "Jack In The Pulpit" (January 06, 1925, to January 1925), as 'Bardou' in "The Stork" (January 26, 1925, to February 1925), as 'A Federal Inspector' in "Captain Jinks" (September 08, 1925, to January 30, 1926), as 'Ethan Malcom' in Wooden Kimono" (December 27, 1926, to June 1927), as 'Sowerby' in "Gods Of The Lightning" (October 24, 1928, to November 1928), and as 'Ezra Sliscomb' in "The Nut Farm" (October 14, 1929, to November 1929). He was also an Executive of the Actors' Equity Association. He passed away in New York, New York, on January 1, 1933, at the age of 60, he was cremated and his ashes were buried in Roxbury Center Cemetery in Roxbury, Connecticut. He was married to Estelle Headley Davis Coit (1868-), who worked as a teacher of English and drama at Columbia University.