Esther Ralston Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Esther Ralston
Ralston in Photoplay Magazine, 1930
Born	Esther Louise Worth (1902-09-17)September 17, 1902 Bar Harbor, Maine, U.S.
Died	January 14, 1994(1994-01-14) (aged 91) Ventura, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1915–1962
Spouse(s)	George Webb (m. 1926; div. 1934) Will Morgan (m. 1935; div. 1938) Ted Lloyd (m. 1939; div. 1954)
Children	3
Relatives	Bob Ralston (nephew)

Esther Ralston (born Esther Louise Worth, September 17, 1902 – January 14, 1994) was a famous American actress. She was especially well-known during the silent film era. Her most notable movie with sound was To the Last Man in 1933.

Early Life and Career
Later Career and Retirement
Family Life
Death and Legacy
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Career

Esther Louise Worth was born in Bar Harbor, Maine. She was one of five children. Her younger brother, Howard Ralston, also became an actor.

Esther started acting when she was a child. She performed with her family in a vaudeville act, which was a type of live stage show with different acts like singing, dancing, and comedy. Their act was called "The Ralston Family with Baby Esther, America's Youngest Juliet."

With Cyril Chadwick in Peter Pan (1924)

From her stage performances, she got small roles in silent films. One of her early roles was with her brother in the 1920 movie Huckleberry Finn. Esther Ralston became more widely known for playing Mrs. Darling in the 1924 film version of Peter Pan.

Ralston in 1925

In the late 1920s, Esther Ralston starred in many movies for Paramount Pictures. She became very popular, especially in the United Kingdom. She often played lively young women in comedies. She also received good reviews for her serious acting roles.

With Raymond Hatton in Fashions for Women (1927)

Besides movies, Ralston also acted on the radio. She played Kathy Marsh in a show called Portia Faces Life. She also played Marcella Hudnall in Our Gal Sunday.

Later Career and Retirement

Ralston in 1934

Even though Esther Ralston successfully moved from silent films to movies with sound, she mostly got supporting roles by the mid-1930s. Her last main role was in To the Last Man in 1933. This movie was directed by Henry Hathaway. It also starred Randolph Scott and featured young Shirley Temple.

Ralston in 1941

Esther Ralston made her final film, Tin Pan Alley, in 1940. After this, she decided to stop making movies. However, she continued to work on stage and in radio shows throughout the 1940s.

Ralston, 1930s

In the early 1950s, she returned to acting with guest roles on television shows. She appeared in an episode of Kraft Television Theatre. She also appeared in an episode of Tales of Tomorrow. In 1962, she had a main role in a TV show called Our Five Daughters. This was her very last acting role on screen.

Ralston (seated, left) in Our Five Daughters (1961)

In 1985, Esther Ralston wrote a book about her life called Some Day We'll Laugh. In her book, she shared that her career faced challenges. She said that her opportunities in Hollywood changed after she had disagreements with a powerful studio head. This explained why her career slowed down, even though she was a talented actress with a great voice.

Family Life

Esther Ralston was married three times and had three children.

On December 25, 1925, she married her manager, George Webb Frey. They had a daughter named Mary Esther. They divorced in 1934.
On June 16, 1935, Ralston married actor Will Morgan. They divorced in 1938.
On August 6, 1939, Ralston married radio announcer and writer Ted Lloyd. They had two children, Judy and Ted Jr. Ted and Esther divorced in 1954.