Enid Bennett

Enid Bennett
Born Enid Bennett
(1893-07-15)15 July 1893
York, Western Australia
Died 14 May 1969(1969-05-14) (aged 75)
Malibu, California, U.S.
Occupation Actress
Years active 1916-1941
Spouse(s) Fred Niblo (1918–1948)
Sidney Franklin (1963–1969)

Enid Bennett (15 July 1893 – 14 May 1969) was an Australian-born silent film actress, mostly active in American film[1]

Upbringing and Early Career in Australia

She was born Enid Eulalie Bennett in York, Western Australia, the second of three children born to Frank Bennett and Nellie Mary Louise (née Walker). Her older sibling was Francis Reginald, called "Reg," born 1891, her younger sibling was Marjorie, born 1896.[2]

After an unsuccessful attempt to start his own school Frank took up the role of Headmaster at the newly established Guildford Grammar School in 1896. Frank died in tragic circumstances in 1898,[3] after which Nellie married the new Headmaster, Alexander Gillespie in 1899, with whom she had two more children, Catherine in 1901 and Alexander in 1903.[4]Following Gillespie's death in 1903 Nellie supported her five children by acting as School Matron. Enid attended Lionel Logue's acting and elocution classes in Perth and after receiving encouragement from a visiting actress in 1910, joined a touring company.[5][6] By 1912, Enid had joined the Fred Niblo-Josephine Cohan touring company, performing comedies around Australia and understudying for Cohan herself, receiving consistently positive reviews. Her family had moved across the continent to Sydney by this time.

In the early part of 1915, theatre agents J. C. Williamson's decided to make short films of some of their popular plays, to forestall the release of imported American filmed versions. They used Niblo as director, and members of his troupe appeared in Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford and Officer 666. Enid Bennett appeared in both. Three reels of Officer 666 survive today in the National Film and Sound Archive. Film historians Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper describe it as "a crude production doggedly faithful to the stage."[7] Both films were released in Australia after Bennett left for the United States in June 1915, travelling with Niblo and Cohan.

Film Career in the US

Stage and Screen 1920

Her first appearance in the US was in Henry Arthur Jones's play "Cock o' the Walk," at George M. Cohan's Theatre on Broadway in late 1915.[8] Roles of increasing importance in films followed soon after. One of her most important early films was The Little Brother made in 1917, where she appeared opposite William Garwood. This brought her to the attention of studios, in particular Thomas H. Ince, who signed her up with the Triangle Film Corporation. From 1918 to 1921, she starred in twenty-three films, becoming well established as an actress and attracting great publicity and consistently positive reviews. In 1922, she starred in three films, one of which became her most famous role, the female lead of "Maid Marian" in Robin Hood with Douglas Fairbanks. Interviewed in the 1960s by Kevin Brownlow, Bennett said "I had a wonderful time playing Maid Marian. Of course, the part was not too demanding , I just walked through it in a queenly manner. Douglas Fairbanks was wonderful, inspiring."[9]

Following Josephine Cohan's death she had married Fred Niblo, in 1918. In 1922 she and Niblo had their first child, Loris. In 1924 she played opposite Ramon Novarro in Niblo's film Red Lily. A son, Peter, was born later that year and another daughter, Judith in 1928.[10]

Between 1923 and 1928 her career had slowed and she appeared in leading roles in fewer films. She made a transition to sound, appearing in two 1931 Jackie Cooper-Robert Coogan films; Skippy (which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture) and its sequel Sooky. Later at the end of the decade she appeared in a few minor roles, the last being the Marx Brothers 1941 film, The Big Store. Niblo had retired in 1933, and it appears she did too.

In later life, sister Marjorie Bennett explained that, somewhat against her will, she had been encouraged by the family to join Enid to keep her company in the US.[11] But by the mid 1920s, her mother Nellie Gillespie, both her sisters, and her surviving brother were living in the US.[12] In 1934 her brother Alexander Bennett[13] married actress Frances Lee. The wedding was attended by some of Hollywood's biggest names, including Gloria Swanson and Greta Garbo.

Later years

Fred Niblo and Enid Bennett, c.1926.

Fred Niblo died in 1948.[14] In 1963 Bennett married American director Sidney Franklin. In later life she resided in Malibu, California, where she died in 1969, aged 75. She is interred at Glendale's Forest Lawn Memorial Park near her husband, Fred Niblo.[15][16]

Bennett's sisters Marjorie (1896-1982) and Catherine (1901–1978)[17] were also Hollywood film actresses.

Her sister Marjorie is also interred at Forest Lawn.[18]

Partial filmography

Fuss and Feathers (1918)

References

  1. ↑ Enid Bennett, allmovie- summary biography article
  2. ↑ Western Australian Births, Deaths and Marriages records. See
  3. ↑ Eastern Districts Chronicle (York, WA : 1877 - 1927), "The Late Mr. F. Bennett," Saturday 15 October 1898 Accessed 29/12/15
  4. ↑ Guildford Grammar Archives, "NELLIE MARY LOUISE WALKER," By Rosemary Waller, 11 September, 2013 Accessed 28/12/2015
  5. ↑ The Daily News (Perth, WA : 1882 - 1950) "Mainly About People," 10 August, 1910, P.3 Accessed 28/12/2015
  6. ↑ Desley Deacon, 2013. Australasian Journal of Victorian Studies."From Victorian Accomplishment to Modern Profession: Elocution Takes Judith Anderson, Sylvia Bremer and Dorothy Cumming to Hollywood, 1912-1918." National Library of Australia. Vol 18, No.1 Accessed 13/12/2015
  7. ↑ Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper(1980) Australian Film 1900-1977, Oxford University Press, P.80 ISBN 0 19 554213 4
  8. ↑ Internet Broadway Database Accessed 30/12/15
  9. ↑ Kevin Brownlow (1968) The Parade's Gone By. P.254, University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-03068-0
  10. ↑ Remembering My Father, Fred Niblo. Peter Niblo, 2006 Accessed 28/12/2015
  11. ↑ The Tuscaloosa News, "Cheerful little old lady long active as an actress." Aug 24, 1977 Accessed 28/12/2015.
  12. ↑ Lieut Francis Reginald Bennett was killed in action at Ypres in 1917. Nellie Gillespie's correspondence with the Australian Army shows she resided at 805 Crescent Drive Beverly Hills in early 1923. See his service record online at National Archives of Australia Accessed 28/12/2015
  13. ↑ Born Alexander David Gillespie
  14. ↑ The Pittsburg Press November 1948 "Fred Niblo Dies" 12 November 1948 Accessed 28/12/2015
  15. ↑ "Enid Bennett (1893 - 1969) - Find A Grave Memorial". www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 2016-06-28.
  16. ↑ "Fred Niblo, Sr (1874 - 1948) - Find A Grave Memorial". www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 2016-06-28.
  17. ↑ Catherine Bennett, entry at the Internet Movie Database, retrieved 13 May 2013
  18. ↑ "Marjorie Bennett (1896 - 1982) - Find A Grave Memorial". www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 2016-06-28.
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