Ruth Hiatt was born Ruth Redfern on January 6, 1906 in Cripple Creek, Colorado. I am not sure of her father's name, but I do know that her mother's name was Donna and that she had a brother named Don. I'm sensing a theme...
When she was still a child, her family moved to San Diego and it was here that the ball really got rolling for Ruth's future. She soon began acting on stage and made her film debut at age nine in 1915. She took a break from acting to return to school and graduate. She was soon snatched up by actor Lloyd Hamilton who became her frequent costar.
In 1923 she won a Venice Beach bathing beauties contest and the following year she was named a WAMPAS Baby Star. She modeled fur for a Los Angeles furrier and once told a magazine that she maintained her figure by adhering to a rigorous exercise regimen and strict diet of lamp chops and pineapple. Busy and determined girl, eh?
Besides being eye candy and a Bathing Beauty, she was also well known for appearing in the "Smith Family" serials from 1926-1928 with Raymond McKee and Mary Ann Jackson.
Her film career lasted until 1941 with 106 film credits. After she retired she opened up and ran her own make-up business. She would eventually marry three times but the only information I have on her husbands is that one was a rancher and one had the surname of French.
Ruth passed away on April 21, 1994 in Montrose, California. She is buried at Forest Lawn in Glendale.
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Marion McDonald was born on May 14, 1904 in St. Louis, Missouri. Now, if I have all the census records aligned and correct, she was one of eight children born to Robert McDonald, a salesman, and his wife Lois Burger. Eventually her family moved to Boston and then from there they (or at least Marion) headed out to California.
Her career lasted from 1920 until 1927, averaging about a film a year. She was married at least once, to Stephen Quinerly in 1925. The couple had two children, Sally in 1928 and Bobby in 1929. The couple remained married until his death in 1945.
Marion passed away from cancer on October 20, 1956 in Miami Beach, Florida. She was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Miami.
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Edith Roberts was born Edith Josephine Roberts on September 17, 1899 in New York City.
Her family history is a wee bit confusing. I read that her sister was actress Leona Roberts (famous for playing Mrs. Meade in Gone with the Wind) but Leona's birth name is listed as being Leona Harneteaux on IMDb.com. And Leona was quite a bit older than Edith, which isn't unusual, but still...However, I have also read that her father's name was Dr. John Armstrong, who was killed either in an African expedition or in a train crash. As far as her mother goes, all I know is that Edith once told a magazine that her mother had prayed for a talented daughter before Edith's birth. I'm sure the truth is in there somewhere!
Reportedly she grew up on the same street as King Baggot and remembered seeing him drive up and down the street in his nice car. During this same time she began acting and dancing on the vaudeville stage. She had been bitten by the acting bug!
Edith's film career lasted from 1915 until 1929 with over 150 film credits. She took a break from the screen to appear briefly with Ziegfeld's Midnight Frolic.
Edith was married twice. Her first marriage was to M. Kenneth Snookes in 1923, but not sure until when. Her second husband was Harold Carter who she remained married to until her death. The couple had one son, Robert in 1935 and I can only hope that Edith at least had a chance to see and hold him...
Edith passed away on August 20, 1935 from septicimia after giving birth to her son. She was interred at Hollywood Forever.
Her death was a classic example of the Hollywood tale that celebrities die in groups of three. Will Rogers had been killed in a plane crash five days before Edith's death, and actress Marjorie White died in a car accident the day after. Edith believed in the supernatural and the after life (she told a magazine that she frequently got messages from her father from beyond the grave) so I wonder what she would say about this group of deaths.
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Sybil Seely was born Sybil Travilla on January 2, 1900 in Los Angeles. She was the second youngest born to Harry Travilla and Lucie Ellen Boyker. In the 1900 census, her older siblings were listed as Edith, Guy, Elaine, John and Ford while Sybil was simply listed as "NOT NAMED YET." Younger sister Connie came along four years after Sybil.
Besides being a Bathing Beauty, Sybil is most well known for being a frequent leading lady of Buster Keaton's. She starred with him in five films: One Week (1920), Convict 13 (1920), The Scarecrow (1921), The Boat (1921), and her final feature, The Frozen North (1922). She really stood out among Keaton's other leading ladies because Sybil was not afraid to perform her own stunts.
Sybil only married once, to writer Jules Furthman from 1920 until his death in 1966. They had one son, Jules Jr. in 1921.
Sybil passed away on June 26, 1984 in Culver City, California. She was buried at Forest Lawn in Glendale.
Oh these are so great.The poor lass who died after child birth. I am certain, if it was now, she would not have died. That is quite the picture of Marion McDonald portraying Hamletta?? What is that thing sticking out of the back of her head??:) I once looked liked I had horns so i always try to make sure the background looks ok
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