Mabel Ballin

Summary

Mabel Ballin (née Croft; January 1, 1885 – July 24, 1958),[2][3][4][5] was an American motion-picture actress of the silent film era.

Mabel Ballin
Stars of the Photoplay, 1924
Born
Mabel Croft

(1885-01-01)January 1, 1885
DiedJuly 24, 1958(1958-07-24) (aged 73)
Resting placeWoodlawn Memorial Cemetery
Years active1917–1925
Spouse
(m. 1909; died 1956)
[1]

Early life and career edit

Mabel Croft was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on January 1, 1885. Some sources give 1887 as her birthdate.[6] Both of Croft's parents died when she was 2 years old, which resulted in her being raised by her grandfather and social worker grandmother.

Mabel Croft's first stage experience was at Salvation Army hall, where she played the tambourine to bring in donations. Raised in poverty, Croft was working as a dressmaker when a customer paid for her tuition to an industrial arts school. Croft never graduated, instead moving to New York to pursue a career in acting.[7]

She married painter and director Hugo Ballin on October 24, 1909, in Westport, Connecticut, and together they founded Ballin Independent Company.[8][9]

Ballin appeared in 28 films between 1917 and 1925. She achieved popularity during World War I. She is best known for her role in Riders of the Purple Sage (1925). Other notable films she appeared in include The Glorious Adventure (1918), Jane Eyre (1921), and Vanity Fair (1923), in which she portrayed Becky Sharp.

Death edit

Mabel Ballin died on July 24, 1958, in Santa Monica, California. She was interred in Woodlawn Memorial Cemetery in Santa Monica with her husband.[10]

Filmography edit

 
Ballin, 1923

References edit

  1. ^ Dearinger, David Bernard; Design (U.S.), National Academy of (July 19, 2004). Paintings and Sculpture in the Collection of the National Academy of Design: 1826-1925. Hudson Hills. ISBN 9781555950293 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ Katchmer, George A. (May 20, 2015). A Biographical Dictionary of Silent Film Western Actors and Actresses. McFarland. ISBN 9781476609058 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ Doyle, Billy H.; Slide, Anthony (July 19, 1995). The Ultimate Directory of the Silent Screen Performers: A Necrology of Births and Deaths and Essays on 50 Lost Players. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810829589 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ Vazzana, Eugene Michael (July 19, 1995). Silent Film Necrology: Births and Deaths of Over 9000 Performers, Directors, Producers, and Other Filmmakers of the Silent Era, Through 1993. McFarland. ISBN 9780786401321 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ Liebman, Roy (July 19, 1996). Silent Film Performers: An Annotated Bibliography of Published, Unpublished and Archival Sources for Over 350 Actors and Actresses. McFarland. ISBN 9780786401000 – via Google Books.
  6. ^ Wlaschin, Ken (July 19, 2009). The Silent Cinema in Song, 1896-1929: An Illustrated History and Catalog of Songs Inspired by the Movies and Stars, with a List of Recordings. McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers. ISBN 9780786438044 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ Lowe, Denise (January 27, 2014). An Encyclopedic Dictionary of Women in Early American Films: 1895-1930. Routledge. ISBN 9781317718970 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ Lowe, Denise (2005). Encyclopedic dictionary of women in early American films: 1895-1930. Routledge. ISBN 9781317718970. OCLC 869641660.
  9. ^ "WEB: Connecticut Marriage Records, 1897-1968 - Ancestry.com". Ancestry.com.
  10. ^ Wilson, Scott (2016). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons (3rd ed.). McFarland & Company. p. 39. ISBN 9780786479924.
  11. ^ "The Spreading Dawn (silent film)". allmovie.com. Retrieved 2014-09-12.
  12. ^ Workman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). "Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era". Midnight Marquee Press. p. 238.ISBN 978-1936168-68-2.
  13. ^ Hischak, Thomas S. (2012). American Literature on Stage and Screen: 525 Works and Their Adaptations. Jefferson, N.C: McFarland. p. 19. ISBN 9780786492794.

External links edit

  • Mabel Ballin at IMDb
  • Mabel Ballin at AllMovie
  • Mabel Ballin at Virtual History
  • A Biographical Dictionary of Silent Film Western Actors and Actresses