Fern Andra facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Baroness Fern Andra von Weichs
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| Born |
Vernal Edna Andrews
November 24, 1893 Watseka, Illinois, U.S.
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| Died | February 8, 1974 (aged 80) Aiken, South Carolina, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actress, writer, film director/producer |
| Years active | 1913–1930 |
| Spouse(s) | Baron Friedrich von Weichs (m. 19??; died 1917) Kurt Prenzel (m. 1924; div. 19??) Ian Keith
(m. 1932; div. 1934)General Samuel Edge Dockrell
(m. 1938; died 1973) |
Fern Andra (born Vernal Edna Andrews, November 24, 1893 – February 8, 1974) was a talented American actress, film director, writer, and producer. She became very famous in Germany during the silent film era. Along with other stars like Henny Porten and Asta Nielsen, she was one of the most popular actresses of her time.
Contents
Early Life and Career
Vernal Edna Andrews was born in Watseka, Illinois, on November 24, 1893. Her father was William P. Andrews and her mother was Sarah Emily Evett.
When she was very young, her mother remarried Frank St. Clair. He was a performer in vaudeville shows and the circus. Fern Andra started performing early, even doing a tightrope act by age four. She also learned to sing and dance.
In 1899, she made her first film in New York. It was a version of Uncle Tom's Cabin.
Becoming a Star
Fern Andra continued to work with the circus, traveling across the United States, Canada, and Europe. She was even part of Bird Millman's famous group of wire artists.
While in Berlin, Germany, she met Max Reinhardt, a well-known theater director. He gave her acting lessons. In 1913, when she was 19, she appeared in her first German film, Das Ave Maria.
She made one film in Austria in 1915 called Zwei Freunde. From 1916 to 1918, she often acted alongside Alfred Abel. In 1920, she starred in the horror film Genuine, directed by Robert Wiene.
Filmmaker and Later Work
Fern Andra also became a film producer in Germany. Her company, managed by Georg Glen, made more than 80 films during World War I.
Later in her career, in the 1930s, she acted at the Hollywood Playhouse. She also started the Windsor Theater in Los Angeles. Her last stage performance was in 1936.
From 1928, she worked in the United Kingdom and the United States. She also expanded her career to include radio and television.
Personal Life
Fern Andra was married four times. She did not have any children.
- Baron Friedrich von und zu Weichs-Zur-Wenne (he died in 1917)
- Ian Keith (married 1934, divorced 1935)
- Gen. Samuel Edge Dockrell (married 1938, he died in 1973)
Death
Fern Andra passed away in Aiken, South Carolina, on February 8, 1974. She was 80 years old. She was buried at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Hartford, Connecticut.
See also
In Spanish: Fern Andra para niños
