Martha Mansfield
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| Martha Mansfield | |
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| Born | Martha Ehrlich July 14, 1899 Mansfield, Ohio, United States |
| Died | November 30, 1923 (aged 24) San Antonio, Texas, United States |
| Other name(s) | Martha Early |
Martha Mansfield (July 14, 1899 - November 30, 1923) was an American actress in silent films and vaudeville stage plays.
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[edit] Biography
[edit] Early life and career
Born Martha Ehrlich in Mansfield, Ohio in 1899, Mansfield was raised in New York. In 1912, she was left in her mother's care after her father deserted the family. At the age of 18, she showed an aptitude for acting and began a stage career. Her advancement as a performer came quickly. For a time she was a dancer performing with the Ziegfeld Follies.
Before she relocated to the west coast, Mansfield played leads in films produced by Famous Players-Lasky. Her first Hollywood movie was Civilian Clothes (1920) directed by Hugh Ford. She gained prominence as Millicent Carew in the film adaptation of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, which starred John Barrymore and Charles Lane. She appeared with Eugene O'Brien in The Perfect Lover (1919). The final completed features in her short film career were Potash and Permutter and The Leavenworth Case, both from 1923.
[edit] Death
On November 30, 1923, while working on the film The Warrens of Virginia, Mansfield was severely burned when a smoker's match, tossed by a cast member, ignited her Civil War costume of hoopskirts and flimsy ruffles. Mansfield was playing the role of Agatha Warren, and had just finished her scenes and retired to a car, when her clothing burst into flames. Her neck and face were saved when leading man, Wilfred Lytell, threw his heavy overcoat over her. The chauffeur of Mansfield's car was burned badly on his hands while trying to remove the burning clothing from the actress. The fire was put out but she sustained heavy burns to her body.
She was rushed to a hospital where she died in less than twenty-four hours. Mansfield was 24 years old. Accompanied by actor Phillip Shorey, Mansfield's body was flown to her home in New York City. Her mother resided there at 142 West Fifty-seventh Street. She was interred at the Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, New York, United States.
[edit] Estate
Mansfield left an estate valued at only $2,473. However, she gave $22,000 in Liberty bonds to her mother, Harriet G. Ehrlich. Ehrlich said her daughter saved $40,000 in the last three years of her life which was invested in the bonds. Her estate included a platinum solitaire ring, cash, and $600 due from the Fox Film Company on her contract.
[edit] Filmography
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[edit] References
- Los Angeles Times, "Follies Beauty Coming", January 24, 1920, Page II7.
- Los Angeles Times, "Burns Fatal To Actress", December 1, 1923, Page II1.
- New York Times, "Martha Mansfield, Film Star, Dies of Burns Caused by Costume Fired by Smoker's Match", December 1, 1923, Page 1.
- New York Times, "Martha Mansfield Left All To Her Mother In Partial Return for Care Given Her", September 26, 1924, Page 1.
[edit] External link
- Martha Mansfield at the Internet Movie Database
- Martha Mansfield at the Internet Broadway Database
- Martha Mansfield at Find A Grave
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Mansfield, Martha |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Ehrlich, Martha; Early, Martha |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | Actor |
| DATE OF BIRTH | July 14, 1899 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Mansfield, Ohio, United States |
| DATE OF DEATH | November 30, 1923 |
| PLACE OF DEATH | San Antonio, Texas, United States |
