Clara Blandick facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Clara Blandick
Blandick, c. 1903
Born	Clara Blanchard Dickey (1876-06-04)June 4, 1876 British Hong Kong
Died	April 15, 1962(1962-04-15) (aged 85) Hollywood, California, U.S.
Resting place	Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1901–1950
Spouse(s)	Harry Stanton Elliott ​ ​ (m. 1905; div. 1912)​

Clara Blandick (born Clara Blanchard Dickey; June 4, 1876 – April 15, 1962) was an American actress. She was famous for playing Aunt Em in the classic movie The Wizard of Oz (1939). Clara Blandick was known as a "character actress." This means she often played interesting older characters, like grandmothers or aunts, in many different films and plays.

Early Life and First Steps in Acting

Clara Blandick was born Clara Blanchard Dickey on June 4, 1876. She was born on a ship in Victoria Harbour, British Hong Kong. Her father was a ship captain. She was named after Captain William H. Blanchard and his wife, who helped with her birth. Later, when she became an actress, she combined parts of their names to create her stage name, "Clara Blandick."

Her family later settled in Quincy, Massachusetts. When she was young, Clara met a famous actor named E. H. Sothern. She even appeared with him in a play. By 1900, she moved to New York City to follow her dream of becoming a full-time actress.

Becoming a Star on Stage and Screen

Clara Blandick started her acting career in 1897. Her first stage performance was in a play in Boston. In 1901, she performed in the play If I Were King on Broadway, which is a famous theater district in New York City. She earned praise for her acting in many plays.

In 1908, Clara began acting in movies with the Kalem company. She appeared in films like The Maid's Double in 1911. She continued to act on Broadway, taking on lead roles in plays like Widow By Proxy and Madama Butterfly. By 1914, she was back in movies, starring in Mrs. Black is Back.

During World War I, Clara Blandick even volunteered overseas in France. She kept acting in both plays and silent films. In 1924, she received great reviews for her role in the play Hell-Bent Fer Heaven. This play even won a special award called the Pulitzer Prize.

In 1929, Clara moved to Hollywood, California. By the 1930s, she was a well-known supporting actress. This means she played important roles that helped the main characters. She played Aunt Polly in the 1930 film Tom Sawyer and again in Huckleberry Finn in 1931. She acted in many films, sometimes appearing in over ten movies in a single year!

Aunt Em in The Wizard of Oz and Later Career

In 1939, Clara Blandick got her most famous role: Aunt Em in MGM's classic film The Wizard of Oz. Even though she filmed all her scenes in just one week, her character was very important. Aunt Em represents Dorothy's loving home and her wish to return to Kansas. Aunt Em and Uncle Henry are the only characters from the black-and-white Kansas scenes who don't have magical alter egos in the colorful Land of Oz.

After The Wizard of Oz, Clara Blandick continued to act in many different movies. She played Mrs. Morton Pringle in Anne of Windy Poplars (1940) and a customer in the Marx Brothers film The Big Store (1941). She also appeared in musicals like Can't Help Singing (1944) and mysteries like Philo Vance Returns (1947).

Her last two roles were in 1950, playing a housekeeper and a landlady. She retired from acting at age 74.

Personal Life and Passing

Clara Blandick married a mining engineer named Harry Stanton Elliott in 1905. They had acted together before he changed careers. They later divorced in 1912 and did not have any children.

In her later years, Clara Blandick's health became worse. Her eyesight started to fail, and she suffered from severe arthritis, which caused a lot of pain. On April 15, 1962, she passed away at her home in Hollywood. She was laid to rest at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale. Interestingly, her on-screen husband from The Wizard of Oz, Charley Grapewin, is buried nearby.

Filmography

Images for kids

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  Blandick, c. 1903

See also

In Spanish: Clara Blandick para niños