Edna Purviance
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| Edna Purviance | |
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| Born | Olga Edna Purviance 21 October 1895 Paradise Valley, Nevada, United States |
| Died | 11 January 1958 (aged 62) Hollywood, California, United States |
| Years active | 1915 - 1927 |
| Spouse(s) | John P. Squire (1938-1945) |
Edna Purviance (October 21, 1895 – January 11, 1958) was an American actress during the silent movie era. She was the leading lady in many Charlie Chaplin movies. In a span of eight years, she appeared in over 30 films with Chaplin.
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[edit] Early life
Edna Purviance (pronounced Purr-VYE-ance) was born in Paradise Valley, Nevada, to Louis and Madison Gates Purviance. When she was three, the family moved to Lovelock, Nevada, where they assumed ownership of a hotel property. Her parents divorced in 1902, and her mother later married Robert Nurnberger, a German plumber. Growing up, Purviance was a talented pianist. She left Lovelock in 1913, and attended business college in San Francisco.
[edit] Career
In 1915, Chaplin was working on his second film with Essanay Studios, working out of Niles, California, one hour southeast of San Francisco. He was looking for a leading lady for A Night Out, and one of his associates noticed Purviance at a Tate's Café in San Francisco and thought she should be cast in the role. Chaplin arranged a meeting with her, and although he was concerned that she might be too serious for comedic roles, she won the job.
Chaplin and Purviance were romantically involved during the making of his Essanay, Mutual, and First National films of 1915-1917. Purviance appeared in 33 of Chaplin's productions, including the 1921 classic The Kid. Her last film with him, A Woman of Paris, was also her first lead role. She went on to appear in two more films: The Sea Gull, also known as A Woman of the Sea — which Chaplin never released — and Education de Prince, a French film released in 1927, just before she retired as an actress. Chaplin kept her on his payroll until her death.
[edit] Personal life
Although she was romantically involved with Chaplin for several years, Purviance eventually married John Squire, a Pan-American Airlines pilot, whom she wed in 1938 and who died in 1945. Recently, silent black-and-white and colour films have been discovered; these show a glimpse into their life together from the late 1930s and early 1940s, and over 50 production stills from her unreleased film The Sea Gull have also come to light. These stills have been published with the original title list from the film.
She died of cancer on January 13, 1958, at the age of 62 (as per her official California death certificate). She is interred in the Grand View Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.
[edit] In other media
She was portrayed by Penelope Ann Miller in the film Chaplin.
[edit] Legacy
Despite her being Chaplin's leading lady in dozens of films, and more so than any other actress, she does not have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame[1]. However, there exists a petition with hundreds of signatures to get her a star.[2]
[edit] Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1915 | A Night Out | The Headwaiter's Wife | |
| The Champion | Trainer's Daughter | ||
| In the Park | Nursemaid | ||
| A Jitney Elopement | Edna | ||
| The Tramp | Farmer's Daughter | ||
| By the Sea | Man in Top Hat's Sweetheart | ||
| Work | Maid | ||
| A Woman | Daughter of the House | ||
| The Bank | Edna, a Secretary | ||
| Shanghaied | Daughter of the Shipowner | ||
| A Night in the Show | Lady in the Stalls with Beads | ||
| Burlesque on Carmen | Carmen | ||
| 1916 | The Floorwalker | Manager's secretary | |
| Police! | Daughter of the House | ||
| The Fireman | Girl | ||
| The Vagabond | Girl Stolen by Gypsies | ||
| The Count | Miss Moneybags | ||
| The Pawnshop | Daughter | ||
| Behind the Screen | The Girl | ||
| The Rink | The Girl | ||
| 1917 | Easy Street | The Mission Worker | |
| The Cure | The Girl | ||
| The Immigrant | Immigrant | ||
| The Adventurer | The Girl | ||
| 1918 | A Dog’s Life | Bar Singer | |
| Triple Trouble | Maid | created by Essanay after Chaplin left from outtakes of Police and unfinished film Life | |
| Shoulder Arms | French Girl | ||
| The Bond | Charlie's Wife | ||
| 1919 | Sunnyside | Village Belle | |
| A Day’s Pleasure | Mother | ||
| 1921 | The Kid | Mother | feature |
| The Idle Class | Neglected Wife | ||
| 1922 | Pay Day | Foreman's Daughter | |
| 1923 | The Pilgrim | Miss Brown | |
| A Woman of Paris | Marie St. Clair | feature | |
| 1926 | A Woman of the Sea | Joan | Unreleased film, considered lost. |
| 1927 | Education de Prince | feature |
[edit] External links
- [1] Edna Purviance -- tribute and research site
- [2] Edna Purviance at Then & Now
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