Motion picture actor, director, writer, and producer. He was born in Marietta, Ohio, on August 11, 1867, to Daniel and Clara Bosworth. Hobart had one sibling, his brother William. In 1879, when Hobart was 12 years old, he ran away, joining a whaling expedition as a cabin boy. At age 18, Hobart was on shore leave in San Francisco and began working on the stage. This was the beginning of Hobart's theatrical career. Hobart worked in San Francisco performing Shakespeare and in Utah as a magician's assistant.

In 1888, Hobart went to New York and worked in Augustine Daly's theatrical company for ten years as a writer and performer. During that time, the company performed in New York, Berlin, London, Paris and many other European cities. Around this time, Hobart developed tuberculosis and he had to give up performing on the stage. Hobart's tuberculosis went into remission and he went back to the stage. Hobart had become a popular star on Broadway but for the rest of his career, he had to balance performing and rest to keep the disease at bay.

Hobart moved to Arizona, hoping the climate would improve his health. Eventually, Hobart would lose his voice due to the tuberculosis preventing him from working on the stage. Thankfully though, there was a new venue for actors, silent motion pictures.

In 1908, Hobart moved to Southern California and began working for the Selig Polyscope Company. Here, Hobart starred in the first motion picture to be filmed in the Los Angeles area, "The Count of Monte Cristo."

In 1913, Hobart started his own company, the Hobart Bosworth Production Company (Hobart Bosworth Inc.) in order to produce a series of Jack London movies. He produced and directed the first film, "The Sea Wolf," also playing the lead. The series finished with "Burning Daylight" in which Hobart starred, wrote, directed, and produced.

Hobart was able to transition to the new "talkies" motion pictures as his tuberculosis has once again gone into remission. Hobart had a deep, melodic voice that was perfect for the new medium. Hobart starred in both A-list films, working for Warner Brothers and Vitaphone as well as B-list films working for studios like Monogram and Republic. His last film before retiring was "Sin Town" in 1942.

Hobart was married twice. His first wife was Adele Farrington whom he married in 1902. Hobart's second wife was Cecile Kibre, marrying her in 1920. Cecile had a child (a boy) from a previous marriage. He was George Percival and Hobart adopted him in 1921.

Hobart died of pneumonia on December 30, 1943 in Glendale, California and was inurned in Glendale's Forest Lawn Memorial Park. His remains are in the Grand Mausoleum's Utility Columbarium (not open to the public.)

Hobart's legacy in the entertainment industry is one of persistence, a variety of talents, a love of the arts and a willingness to be involved in all aspects of stage and screen entertainment.

Because of Hobart's early involvement in the silent and then sound motion picture industry including acting, writing, directing, and producing, he was known as "The Dean of Hollywood."

Hobart is credited as starring in almost 300 films, directing 59, writing 41 and producing 14.

Hobart was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 8, 1960.