Esther Ralston
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| Esther Ralston | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 2, 1902 Bar Harbor, Maine  |
| Died | January 14, 1994 (aged 91) Ventura, California  |
Esther Ralston (September 17, 1902 – January 14, 1994) was an American movie actress whose greatest popularity came during the silent era.
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[edit] Early life and career
Born in she started as a child actress in a family vaudeville act which was billed as "The Ralston Family with Baby Esther, America's Youngest Juliet." From this, she appeared in a few small silent film roles before gaining attention as Mrs. Darling in the 1924 version of Peter Pan.
In the late 1920s she appeared in many films for Paramount, at one point earning as much as $8000 a week, and garnering much popularity, especially in Britain. Displaying the sweet Charm that credited her as "The Blonde Beauty of the Silent Screen", and by Florenz Ziegfeld, "The American Venus", She was among Hollywood's great silent film actresses. She appeared mainly in comedies, often portraying spirited society girls, but she also received good reviews for her forays into dramatic roles.
[edit] Retirement
Despite making a successful transition to sound, she was reduced to appearing in B-movies by the mid-1930s, leading to her retirement. By the time she settled down in 1941, she had made over 150 movies. During the mid 1950's as Mrs. Esther Lloyd, a grandmother, she worked in the Seventh Church of Christ Scientist in New York, Lovely as ever and happy with her job of running the busy office single handedly. Unlike other film actresses of her time, Esther had no yen at all for a comeback, satisfied with just being a movie goer. Esther Ralston died in Ventura, California on January 14, 1994.
[edit] Trivia
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She is of no known relation to fellow silent film actress Jobyna Ralston.
Ms. Ralston is the aunt of television/stage/radio/recording artist Bob Ralston.
She was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (6664 Hollywood Boulevard) for her popular work in motion pictures.
[edit] Selected filmography
- The Kid (1921)
- The Lone Hand (1922)
- The Prisoner (1923)
- The Phantom Fortune (1923)
- Blinky (1923)
- The Marriage Circle (1924)
- Wolves of the North (1924)
- Peter Pan (1924)
- Old Ironsides (1926) with Wallace Beery and Charles Farrell
- The American Venus (1926)
- Children of Divorce (1927)
- The Case of Lena Smith (1929)
- Rome Express (1932; made in the UK)
- Sadie McKee (1934)
- Reunion (1936)
[edit] References
Drew, William H. Speaking of Silents: First Ladies of the Screen. Vestal: New York, 1989.
