Lule Warrenton

Lule Warrenton
Warrenton autographed photo (1915)
Born	(1862-07-22)July 22, 1862 Flint, Michigan, USA
Died	May 14, 1932(1932-05-14) (aged 69) Laguna Beach, California, USA
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1913-1922

Lule Warrenton (June 22, 1862 – May 14, 1932) was an American actress, director, and producer during the silent film era. She appeared in 81 films between 1913 and 1922. She was born in Flint, Michigan and died in Laguna Beach, California and was the mother of cinematographer Gilbert Warrenton.

Early life

She was born to a production manager father.^[1] Under the supervision of her uncle, Sheridan Corbyn, Warrenton had been playing child parts and been on stage and in motion pictures for most of her life.^[2]

Warrenton attended St. Rose's Convent and later studied at the University of Michigan. Following her time at Michigan, Warrenton began her stage career as an elocutionist at the University of Notre Dame.^[3] She later progressed into a Shakespearian reader, performing her first show at Victoria Rifle's Armory in Montreal, Canada.^[4]

Actress

Warrenton appeared in 81 films over the course of her career. She was generally used in supporting roles, usually in either comedies or westerns, but she did have lead roles from time to time.^[5] Warrenton had the reputation of being a versatile actress, and played an assortment of diverse roles including a black woman in "The Queen of Jungleland"^[6] and a male role as a Chinese Mandarin, complete with a mustache, under director Henry McRae.^[7]

In a review of one of her performances in the Pittsburgh Press, Warrenton was described as "playing different parts, the more difficult the better, is the work and pastime of Lule Warrenton".^[8]

Director

Better known for her career as a director, Warrenton became the only woman director in the world at the time to have her own studio during her time at Universal.^[9] Warrenton did some of the writing for her films, but her assistant Allen Watt took responsibility for the majority of the writing.^[10] Warrenton's son, Gilbert Warrenton, was often in charge of photography for many of his mother's motion pictures.^[11]

Warrenton began her directing career by filming mostly comedies, but later made the previously unprecedented move to making films specifically designed for children, which she called "Film for Little Ones".^[12] "Calling Linda" was her first Film for Little Ones in 1916. Warrenton directed and produced "The Bird's Christmas Carol" in 1917, which featured four-year-old child acting prodigy Mary Louise. "The Bird's Christmas Carol" was an on screen adaptation of Kate Douglas Wiggin's novel of the same name that sold over 1.5 million copies.^[13] Warrenton and Louise did multiple films together.

Due to her reputation as a great handler of "child players," Warrenton became known in Hollywood circles as simply, "mother," and it has been stated that she "has no peers in the handling of child players.".^[14]

Social influence

Warrenton was somewhat of a pioneer for the progression of women in the professional workplace, and especially in Hollywood. On top of being the only woman director in the world to have her own studio, Warrenton converted her own private home into a social center for Hollywood women, and was a key contributor for the movement within the Hollywood Film Company to establish a permanent home for these countless extra girls working in Hollywood.^[15]

Warrenton also was one of four founders of the Hollywood Studio Club, for which any woman connected to a motion picture studio in any capacity is eligible to join. This drama club originated in the basement of the Hollywood Public Library, but eventually Y.W.C.A. got involved and the group flourished, growing in size all the way up to the 175 members it contained in 1917.^[16]

Post Universal Studios career

Warrenton began her career at Universal Studios in 1912, but severed ties with the film giant in 1917 and continued to produce juvenile films independently.^[17]

Following the split with Universal, Warrenton eventually left Hollywood and joined the San Diego Conservatory of Music while simultaneously becoming the head of an all women film company, also located in San Diego.^[18]

Personal life

Warrenton had two children, although most people only know about her son Gilbert. She also had a daughter, Mrs. Virginia Zimmerman, who married a doctor in Los Angeles.^[19]

While still in her time at Universal, Warrenton contracted pneumonia in 1915, causing her six weeks of being bed ridden, unable to work. Upon her return to work from the disease, she was back in bed a day later, causing her to miss more time.^[20]

Warrenton stood at a height of five feet, six inches tall, weighed 150 pounds, and had long brown hair with blue eyes.^[21] She died in 1932 at Laguna Hospital.^[22]

References

External links

• Lule Warrenton at the Internet Movie Database
• Lule Warrenton at the Women Film Pioneers Project