Bessie Barriscale facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bessie Barriscale
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Barriscale in 1918
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| Born |
Elizabeth Barry Scale
June 9, 1884 Hoboken, New Jersey, U.S.
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| Died | June 30, 1965 (aged 81) Kentfield, California, U.S.
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| Resting place | Mount Tamalpais Cemetery |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1906–1934 |
| Spouse(s) |
Sumner Gard
(m. 1902)Howard C. Hickman
(m. 1907; died 1949) |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Mabel Taliaferro Edith Taliaferro (cousins) |
Bessie Barriscale (born Elizabeth Barry Scale, June 9, 1884–June 30, 1965) was a famous American actress. She became well-known for her work on stage and in early silent films. Silent films were movies without spoken dialogue, where actors used their expressions and body language to tell stories.
Contents
Bessie Barriscale's Early Life
Bessie Barriscale was born Elizabeth Barry Scale in Hoboken, New Jersey. Her parents were immigrants from County Cork, Ireland. Her father came to the United States with a theater group from London.
Family of Performers
Bessie had two cousins, Edith and Mabel Taliaferro, who were also actresses. This shows that acting talent ran in her family! Bessie herself started performing on stage at a very young age. She made her first stage appearance when she was just five years old.
Bessie Barriscale's Acting Career
As a young woman, Bessie became a popular actress with the Proctor Stock Company in New York. She then spent two years playing the character Madge in a play called In Old Kentucky.
Stage Successes
In 1902, Bessie married actor Sumner Gard. She kept her marriage a secret from her parents for a while. After that, she played Lovey Mary in Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch for two years. She also became a lead actress with the Belasco Stock Company in Los Angeles. She starred in plays like Rose of the Rancho, The Bird of Paradise, and We Are Seven. In the early 1900s, Bessie mostly worked in live theater because movies were not yet popular for stage actors.
Moving to Silent Films
Bessie Barriscale started her film career in 1913. Her first movie was Rose of the Rancho, made by Lasky Picture Company. She worked very hard for several film studios, including New York Motion Picture Company and Triangle Film Corporation. She continued making movies until she announced her retirement in the early 1930s.
Starting Her Own Film Company
In 1917, Bessie decided to create her own film company, the Bessie Barriscale Feature Company. She announced this exciting news on May 1, 1917. Her plan was to produce six to eight movies each year. Another new company, Paralta Plays, was chosen to distribute her films. James Young was one of the directors hired for Bessie's new company.
Big Film Deals
In 1918, Bessie signed a contract to make 16 more films. These movies were to be finished by January 21, 1921. Her managers even insured her life for a huge amount of money, half a million dollars! The total cost of these films was more than $1,000,000.
Unique Roles and Interests
Bessie Barriscale loved the plays of William Shakespeare. She even wanted to bring one of his famous plays to the big screen. She was also an excellent swimmer. In her 1919 movie The Woman Michael Married, she had many swimming scenes. To prepare, Bessie hired a swimming and diving instructor and took lessons in Venice, California. A special 90-foot pool was built at the studio just for these scenes. Henry Kolker directed the film.
World Travels and Return to Stage
In 1919, Bessie traveled around the world with her husband, Howard C. Hickman, who was also an actor and director, and their young son. They hoped to make movies during their trip and even brought a cameraman with them.
In 1921, Bessie returned to the East Coast to perform in a play called The Skirt. This play traveled to cities like Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., and New York City. In earlier years, Bessie also performed in vaudeville shows. These shows often had many performances in one day.
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A New Home for a Child Star
In February 1922, the famous child actor Jackie Coogan and his parents bought Bessie Barriscale's home in Los Angeles. The house was valued at $45,000.
Back to Broadway
Bessie returned to the stage in 1928 in a play called Women Go On Forever. At this time, she had been married for 21 years and had a 20-year-old son. The play opened in Hollywood in March 1928. Bessie played a "housewife type" character. She even said she rehearsed for the role in a simple gingham dress from her own closet at home in Santa Monica, California. She mentioned that she had been working at home for several years and had just learned to cook!
Later Life and Death
Bessie Barriscale passed away in Kentfield, California, on June 30, 1965. She is buried next to her husband, Howard C. Hickman, at the Mount Tamalpais Cemetery in San Rafael, California.
Honors and Legacy
Bessie Barriscale was honored for her important contributions to the film industry. In 1960, she received a special motion pictures star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame. Her star can be found at 6652 Hollywood Boulevard.
Filmography
- The Gambler's Pal (1913), short film
- Eileen of Erin (1913), short film
- The Bells of Austi (1914), short film
- The Making of Bobby Burnit (1914), short film
- Ready Money (1914)
- Rose of the Rancho (1914)
- The Devil (1915)
- The Cup of Life (1915)
- The Reward (1915)
- The Mating (1915)
- The Golden Claw (1915)
- The Painted Soul (1915)
- The Green Swamp (1916)
- Honor's Altar (1916)
- Bullets and Brown Eyes (1916)
- The Last Act (1916)
- Not My Sister (1916)
- The Sorrows of Love (1916)
- The Payment (1916)
- Home (1916)
- Plain Jane (1916)
- A Corner in Colleens (1916)
- The Snarl (1917)
- Bawbs o' the Blue Ridge (1917)
- The Hater of Men (1917)
- Borrowed Plumage (1917)
- Wooden Shoes (1917)
- Those Who Pay (1917)
- Madam Who? (1918)
- The Cast-Off (1918)
- Within the Cup (1918)
- Blindfolded (1918)
- Rose o' Paradise (1918)
- Patriotism (1918)
- Maid o' the Storm (1918)
- The White Lie (1918)
- The Heart of Rachael (1918)
- Two-Gun Betty (1918)
- All of a Sudden Norma (1919)
- A Trick of Fate (1919)
- Hearts Asleep (1919)
- Josselyn's Wife (1919)
- Tangled Threads (1919)
- The Woman Michael Married (1919)
- Her Purchase Price (1919)
- Kitty Kelly, M.D. (1919)
- Beckoning Roads (1919)
- The Luck of Geraldine Laird (1920)
- A Woman Who Understood (1920)
- The Notorious Mrs. Sands (1920)
- Life's Twist (1920)
- The Broken Gate (1920)
- The Breaking Point (1921)
- Show Folks (1928)
- Secrets (1933)
- Bondage (1933)
- Above the Clouds (1933)
- Beloved (1934)
- The Man Who Reclaimed His Head (1934)
See also
In Spanish: Bessie Barriscale para niños
