Mildred Harris

Mildred Harris
Mildred Harris

Harris, c. 1918-20
Born November 29, 1901(1901-11-29)
Cheyenne, Wyoming, U.S.
Died July 20, 1944(1944-07-20) (aged 42)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation Actress
Years active 1912–1944
Spouse Charlie Chaplin
(1918–1920)[1]
Everett Terrence McGovern
(1924–1929)
William P. Fleckenstein
(1934–1944)

Mildred Harris (November 29, 1901 – July 20, 1944) was an American film actress. Harris began her career in the film industry as a popular child actress at age eleven. At the age of fifteen, she was cast as a harem girl in D. W. Griffith's Intolerance (1916). She appeared as a leading lady through the 1920s but her career slowed with the advent of the "talkies". She was critically praised for No, No Nanette in 1930, had a few bit parts in the early 1940s, and made her last appearance in the posthumously released Having A Wonderful Crime of 1945.

Harris has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6307 Hollywood Blvd. in Los Angeles, California. In 1992, she was portrayed by Milla Jovovich in the biographical film Chaplin.

Contents

Career

Born in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Harris made her first screen appearance at the age of eleven in the 1912 Francis Ford and Thomas H. Ince-directed Western short The Post Telegrapher. She followed the film with various juvenile roles, often appearing opposite child actor Paul Willis. In 1914, she was hired by The Oz Film Manufacturing Company to portray Fluff in The Magic Cloak of Oz and Button-Bright in His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz. In 1916, at the age of 15, she appeared as a harem girl in Griffith's epic Intolerance.

Harris in Fool's Paradise (1921) with John Davidson (l) and Conrad Nagel (r)

In the 1920s, Harris graduated to leading lady roles opposite leading men such as Conrad Nagel, Milton Sills, Lionel Barrymore, Rod La Rocque and the Moore brothers, Owen and Tom. She appeared in Frank Capra's 1928 silent drama The Power of the Press with Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and Jobyna Ralston.

She found the transition to the "talkies" difficult and her career slowed dramatically. She performed in vaudeville and burlesque, and, at one point, toured with comedian Phil Silvers. She was critically praised for her performance in the 1930 film adaptation of the Broadway musical No, No Nanette. In the 1936 Three Stooges comedy Movie Maniacs, she portrayed a temperamental and demanding film starlet who, while receiving a pedicure, is startled by stooge Curly Howard striking a match on the sole of her foot.

Harris continued to work in film in the early 1940s, largely through the kindness of her former director, Cecil B. DeMille, who cast her in bit parts in 1942's Reap the Wild Wind, and 1944's The Story of Dr. Wassell. Her last film appearance was in the posthumously released 1945 film Having A Wonderful Crime.

Personal life

Mildred Harris c. 1920.

Sixteen-year-old Harris met actor Charlie Chaplin in mid-1918, dated, and came to believe she was pregnant by him. They married on October 23, 1918, in Los Angeles, California. The couple quarreled about her contract with Louis B. Mayer and her career. Chaplin felt she was not his intellectual equal, and, when their child died in July 1919 after three days of life,[2][3] they separated in the autumn of 1919. Chaplin moved to the Los Angeles Athletic Club. Harris tried to keep appearances up, believing a happy marriage was possible, but in 1920 she filed for divorce based on mental cruelty. Chaplin accused her of infidelity, and, though he would not name her lover publicly, Alla Nazimova was suspected.[4] Harris denied rumors Chaplin had been physically violent, and divorce was granted in November 1920 with Harris receiving $100,000 in settlement and some community property.[1]

Following the divorce, Harris had a highly publicized relationship of less than a year's duration with the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII).[5]

In 1924, Harris married Everett Terrence McGovern. The union lasted until November 26, 1929, when Harris filed for divorce in Los Angeles, California, on grounds of desertion. The couple had one child, Everett Terrence McGovern, Jr., in 1925. In 1934, she married William P. Fleckenstein in Asheville, North Carolina. The couple remained married until Harris' unexpected death in 1944 of pneumonia. She was laid to rest at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes
1912 The Post Telegrapher
The Triumph of Right Their Little Daughter
His Nemesis
The Frontier Child A Frontier Child
His Squaw
His Sense of Duty
1913 A Shadow of the Past
The Wheels of Destiny
The Way of a Mother
The Miser
The Drummer of the 8th
A Child of War
A True Believer
The Seal of Silence
Granddad Mildred
Borrowed Gold
1914 Romance of Sunshine Alley
O Mimi San
The Courtship of O San
Wolves of the Underworld
The Colonel's Orderly
The Social Ghost Ethel
Shadows of the Past
A Frontier Mother
The Sheriff of Bisbee
Shorty and the Fortune Teller
When America Was Young
Mildred's Doll Mildred
The Magic Cloak Princess Margaret 'Fluff' of Noland
His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz Button-Bright, who is lost and doesn't care
Jimmy Mary
1915 The Lone Cowboy
The Warrens of Virginia Betty Warren
Enoch Arden A Child (uncredited)
The Little Matchmaker Mildred
The Little Soldier Man Mildred
The Absentee Innocence
A Rightful Theft
The Old Batch First Adopted Daughter
The Choir Boys
The Little Lumberjack
The Indian Trapper's Vindication Dorothy King - their Daughter
1916 Hoodoo Ann Goldie
Intolerance Favorite of the Harem (uncredited)
The Old Folks at Home Marjorie
The Matrimaniac (uncredited)
The Americano Stenographer
1917 The Bad Boy Mary
A Love Sublime Eurydice
An Old Fashioned Young Man
Time Locks and Diamonds Lolita Mendoza
Golden Rule Kate Olive - Kate's sister
The Cold Deck Alice Leigh
The Price of a Good Time Linnie
1918 The Doctor and the Woman Sidney Page
Cupid by Proxy Jane Stewart
For Husbands Only Toni Wilde
Borrowed Clothes Mary Kirk
1919 When a Girl Loves Bess
Home Millicent Rankin
Forbidden 'Maddie' Irvin
1920 Old Dad Daphne Bretton
The Inferior Sex Allisa Randall as Mildred Harris Chaplin
Polly of the Storm Country Polly as Mildred Harris Chaplin
The Woman in His House Hilda as Mildred Harris Chaplin
1921 Habit Irene Fletcher
A Prince There Was Katherine Woods
Fool's Paradise Rosa Duchene
1922 The First Woman The Girl
1923 The Fog Madelaine Theddon
The Daring Years Susie LaMotte
1924 The Shadow of the East Gillian Locke
By Divine Right The Girl
Traffic in Hearts Alice Hamilton
One Law for the Woman Polly Barnes
In Fast Company Barbara Belden
Unmarried Wives Princess Sonya
Stepping Lively Evelyn Pendroy, the girl
The Desert Hawk Marie Nicholls
1925 Easy Money Blanche Amory
Flaming Love Chita
Beyond the Border Molly Smith
The Dressmaker from Paris Joan McGregor
Super Speed Claire Knight
Private Affairs Amy Lufkin
My Neighbor's Wife Inventor's Wife
A Man of Iron Claire Bowdoin
The Fighting Cub
The Unknown Lover Gale Norman
Soiled Pet Darling
1926 Mama Behave Lolita Chase, Charlie's Wife
The Isle of Retribution Lenore Hardenworth
The Self Starter
Dangerous Traffic Helen Leonard
The Wolf Hunters
The Mystery Club Mrs. Kate Vandeerveer
Cruise of the Jasper B Agatha Fairhaven
1927 The Show Girl Maizie Udell
One Hour of Love Gwen
Husband Hunters Cynthia Kane
Wandering Girls Maxine
Wolves of the Air Marceline Manning
Burning Gold
She's My Baby Claire Daltour
Rose of the Bowery
The Swell-Head Kitty
Sumuru Helen Graham
Out of the Past Dora Prentiss
The Adventurous Soul Miriam Martin
1928 The Last Lap
Hearts of Men Alice Weston
The Heart of a Follies Girl Florine
Lingerie Mary
The Speed Classic Sheila Van Hauten
Melody of Love Madelon
The Power of the Press Marie
1929 Side Street Bunny
Sea Fury
1930 No, No, Nanette Betty
Melody Man Martha
Ranch House Blues
1935 Lady Tubbs Society Woman (uncredited)
The quiero con locura
Never Too Late Mary Lloyd Hartley
1936 Movie Maniacs Leading Lady
Great Guy Bit Role (uncredited)
1942 Reap the Wild Wind Dancing Lady (uncredited)
Holiday Inn Woman (uncredited)
(unconfirmed)
1944 The Story of Dr. Wassell Dutch nurse (uncredited)
Fun Time Tillie (uincredited)
Hail the Conquering Hero Wife of Marine Colonel (uncredited)
1945 Having a Wonderful Crime Guest (uncredited)

Notes

  1. ^ a b Charles J. Maland. 1991. Chaplin and American Culture: The Evolution of a Star Image. Princeton University Press. pp.43-44.
  2. ^ The child was buried in the Inglewood Park Cemetery under a headstone with the inscription The Little Mouse.Beneath Los Angeles- Norman Spencer Chaplin at www.beneathlosangeles.com
  3. ^ Charlie Chaplin's Wives at www.ednapurviance.org
  4. ^ McLellan, Diana. 2000. The Girls: Sappho Goes to Hollywood London: Robson Books. 1-86105-381-9. p.28
  5. ^ Journal of San Diego History at www.sandiegohistory.org

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