Beatrice Prentice
Encyclopedia
Beatrice Prentice was a stage actress of the early 20th century.
family whose members were listed in the "blue book" social register
. The other Prentices objected when she entered the acting profession. She married the silent film actor Harrison Ford
on March 29, 1909. Because of her family's objection to her marriage, the union was not discovered by newspapers until late August 1910. Prentice was independently wealthy, she owned a lily farm in Bermuda
. She met Ford when both were in the Soldiers of Fortune company.
She had a brother, Edward H. Prentice and a sister, Helen Prentice Frost. Edward Prentice was vice president and treasurer of the insurance firm of Fox & Pier, Inc. He died following a long illness in San Marino, California
, on April 27, 1944 at the age of 67. His funeral was held at the Church of the Incarnation in New York City
.
in The Rangers, an American play produced by Charles Frohman
. Written by August Thomas,
Mary Boland
was the leading lady
. The production was presented at Wallack's Theatre
on Fireman's Night at Luna Park
, July 15, 1908,
Prentice acted with Robert Edeson
in The Call of the North. Proceeds from the entertainment benefited the Fireman's Memorial Fund. As Julie Bagneau, Prentice plays a young Indian girl whose father has been sent to his death. The Hudson Theatre
audience on Broadway applauded
enthusiastically to her skill in depicting her character. The show changed venues, moving to the Montauk Theatre in Brooklyn, New York, in December. The Call of the North was written by George Broadhurst. Charles Darnton, dramatic editor of the New York World
, commented, Miss Prentice is all naturalness.
In October 1910 Prentice was in the debut of Ambition with Elsie Ferguson
, in New Haven, Connecticut
. The drama dealt with the theory that
a woman's place was in the home, despite the temptations of a career. The play moved to the Bijou Theatre
in early December.
Maggie Pepper, written by Charles Klein
, began rehearsals in January 1911. Produced by Henry B. Harris, the play starred Rose Stahl
, with Prentice, as Zaza, among the supporting actors. Performances began at the Harris Theatre,
formerly the Hackett Theatre. The interior had been entirely done over, with a new facade accompanying the widening of 42nd Street (Manhattan)
. The foyer of the refurbished venue had a bronze bust of William Harris
, father of Henry B. Harris(who perished in the Titanic sinking), to whom the theatre was dedicated. Maggie Pepper dealt with department store life.
The Hartfords, a three-act drama by Rachel Crothers
, featured Viola Allen
with Prentice in the part of her daughter. A January 1912 Lyceum Theatre (New York)
audience was moved by a scene between the two women, in which Allen realizes her error in placing art before parental obligation. R.A. Roberts put on The Passing of the Idle Rich in 1913. Taken from a book by Frederick Townsend Martin
, with a screenplay by Margaret Townsend, the theatrical presentation debuted at the Garden Theatre on April 28. Prentice was in the cast together with Beverley Sitgreaves, Marie Burke, Victoria Montgomery, and Escamillo Fernandez.
The Candler Theatre presented Making Dick Over, a comedy in three-acts, in December 1915. With Norman Tnarp as the leading man
, the plot involves an individual whose family and friends attempt to make a business man out of him. Prentice was a player in this humorous show pertaining to a male Dora.
She acted the role of Chow Wan, the maid to Due Jung Fah, in a
1916 revival of The Yellow Jacket, staged in ten matinee shows at the Cort Theatre
. The Chinese play was written by George C. Hazelton. The theme of the entertainment had a ubiquitous appeal, concentrating on mother love, rake's progress, young romance, and retribution.
acted in the first theatrical effort of Eleanor Robson Belmont
. Co-written with Harriet Ford, In The Next Room was an adaptation of a short story by Burton E. Stevenson. Winthrop Ames
and Guthrie McClintic
produced the play in Atlantic City, New Jersey
.
Prentice performed the lead in the annual entertainment for the Garden School
Alumnae Association on February 13, 1925. The benefit assisted the Alice Chapin Adoption Nursery and was held at the Ritz-Carlton in New York City.
Following many years on the New York stage and tours of the Orient with the Frawley company, she opted for domestic life for several years in California
. She returned to the theater in an Arthur Freed
production of Loving Ladies written by Margaret Mayo
and Aubrey Kennedy. Performances began at the Orange Grove Theater in Los Angeles, California
. The show entertained with continuous action covering a story which lasted three hours. After the Orange Grove engagement Prentice was offered a chance to make a motion picture series of farces. One studio was confirmed to have made her an offer.
She played the title role, a petite Chinese princess, in Turandot, which opened at the Pasadena Playhouse
in January 1927. The tale of old China was one of a succession of oriental parts she had depicted. Her cruel nature as the character turns warm-hearted only when she finds a lover who can solve her three riddles. Prentice's costumes are lovely. In Amber, she acted the role of the nautch
dancer only a short time before.
In March 1927 Ruth Helen Davis produced Smilin Thru at the Belmont Theater at Vermont and First Street Playhouse, in Los Angeles. Prentice played the dual roles of Kathleen Dungannon and Moonyeen opposite English actor Wyndham Standing
. Prentice was praised by a critic for her radiant presence and skill in performing two characters and a difficult and emotional third act.
Harrison Ford died in Los Angeles on December 2, 1957. Beatrice Prentice survived her husband by 20 years passing away in Los Angeles on May 30, 1977 aged 92.
Family
Prentice was probably born in Sac County Iowa but had ties to a prominent New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
family whose members were listed in the "blue book" social register
Social Register
Specific to the United States, the Social Register is a directory of names and addresses of prominent American families who form the social elite, . The "Directory" automatically includes the President of the United States and the First Family, and in the past always included the U.S. Senators and...
. The other Prentices objected when she entered the acting profession. She married the silent film actor Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford (silent film actor)
Harrison Ford was an American stage and film actor. He was a leading Broadway theatre performer and a star of the silent film era.-Career:...
on March 29, 1909. Because of her family's objection to her marriage, the union was not discovered by newspapers until late August 1910. Prentice was independently wealthy, she owned a lily farm in Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
. She met Ford when both were in the Soldiers of Fortune company.
She had a brother, Edward H. Prentice and a sister, Helen Prentice Frost. Edward Prentice was vice president and treasurer of the insurance firm of Fox & Pier, Inc. He died following a long illness in San Marino, California
San Marino, California
San Marino is a small, affluent city in Los Angeles County, California. Incorporated in 1913, the City founders designed the community to be uniquely residential, with expansive properties surrounded by beautiful gardens, wide streets, and well maintained parkways...
, on April 27, 1944 at the age of 67. His funeral was held at the Church of the Incarnation in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Broadway Actress
Prentice performed in support of Dustin FarnumDustin Farnum
Dustin Lancy Farnum was an American singer, dancer and an actor in silent movies during the early days of motion pictures. After a great success in a number of stage roles, in 1914 he landed his first film role in the movie 'Soldiers of Fortune', and later in Cecil B. DeMille's The Squaw Man...
in The Rangers, an American play produced by Charles Frohman
Charles Frohman
Charles Frohman was an American theatrical producer. Frohman was producing plays by 1889 and acquired his first Broadway theatre by 1892. He discovered and promoted many stars of the American theatre....
. Written by August Thomas,
Mary Boland
Mary Boland
-Career:Born Marie Anne Boland in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she was the daughter of William Boland, an actor, and his wife Mary Cecilia Hatton. She had an older sister named Sara....
was the leading lady
Leading lady
Leading lady is an informal term for the actress who plays a secondary lead or supporting role, usually a love interest, to the leading actor in a film or play. It is not usually applied to the leading actress in the performance if her character is the protagonist.A leading lady can also be an...
. The production was presented at Wallack's Theatre
Wallack's Theatre
Wallack’s Theatre , located on 254 West 42nd Street in New York, United States, was opened on December 5, 1904 by Oscar Hammerstein I. Wallack’s was Hammerstein’s 8th production theatre and was originally known as the "Lew Fields'", a name that Hammerstein gave it in recognition of his favourite...
on Fireman's Night at Luna Park
Luna Park, Coney Island
Luna Park was an amusement park at Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City from 1903 to 1944. A second Luna Park was opened on the former site of the nearby Astroland amusement park...
, July 15, 1908,
Prentice acted with Robert Edeson
Robert Edeson
Robert Edeson was an American movie and stage actor of the silent era. Edeson got his first boost in movies in 1914 when he starred in the Cecil B...
in The Call of the North. Proceeds from the entertainment benefited the Fireman's Memorial Fund. As Julie Bagneau, Prentice plays a young Indian girl whose father has been sent to his death. The Hudson Theatre
Hudson Theatre
The Hudson Theatre is a former Broadway theater located at 141 West 44th Street, in midtown Manhattan, New York. Today the Hudson functions as a conference center and television studio. It is owned by Millennium & Copthorne Hotels.-History:...
audience on Broadway applauded
enthusiastically to her skill in depicting her character. The show changed venues, moving to the Montauk Theatre in Brooklyn, New York, in December. The Call of the North was written by George Broadhurst. Charles Darnton, dramatic editor of the New York World
New York World
The New York World was a newspaper published in New York City from 1860 until 1931. The paper played a major role in the history of American newspapers...
, commented, Miss Prentice is all naturalness.
In October 1910 Prentice was in the debut of Ambition with Elsie Ferguson
Elsie Ferguson
Elsie Louise Ferguson was an American stage and film actress.-Early life:Born in New York City, Elsie Ferguson was the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Hiram Benson Ferguson, a successful attorney...
, in New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
. The drama dealt with the theory that
a woman's place was in the home, despite the temptations of a career. The play moved to the Bijou Theatre
Bijou Theatre
Two Broadway theatres have been named the Bijou Theatre.The first was converted into a theatre in 1878 and rebuilt in 1883. It was often called the Bijou Opera House and was located at 1239 Broadway. It was also sometimes called The Brighton Theatre. It became a popular venue for operettas in...
in early December.
Maggie Pepper, written by Charles Klein
Charles Klein
Charles Klein was an English-born playwright and actor who emigrated to America in 1883. Among his works was the libretto of John Philip Sousa's operetta, El Capitan. Klein's talented siblings included the composer Manuel and the critic Herman Klein...
, began rehearsals in January 1911. Produced by Henry B. Harris, the play starred Rose Stahl
Rose Stahl
Rose Stahl was a Canadian/American stage actress, born in Montreal. Her father was Col. Ernest Charles Stahl, a newspaperman who was drama and music critic for a newspaper called the Chicago InterOcean and her mother was French-Canadian. The Col in front her father's name suggests he was a veteran...
, with Prentice, as Zaza, among the supporting actors. Performances began at the Harris Theatre,
formerly the Hackett Theatre. The interior had been entirely done over, with a new facade accompanying the widening of 42nd Street (Manhattan)
42nd Street (Manhattan)
42nd Street is a major crosstown street in the New York City borough of Manhattan, known for its theaters, especially near the intersection with Broadway at Times Square. It is also the name of the region of the theater district near that intersection...
. The foyer of the refurbished venue had a bronze bust of William Harris
William Harris
William or Will or Willie Harris may refer to:*William Harris , past president of Columbia University*William Harris , NFL player...
, father of Henry B. Harris(who perished in the Titanic sinking), to whom the theatre was dedicated. Maggie Pepper dealt with department store life.
The Hartfords, a three-act drama by Rachel Crothers
Rachel Crothers
Rachel Crothers was a prolific and successful American playwright and theater director, known for her well-crafted plays. One of the most famous was Susan and God , which was made into a film by MGM in 1940 starring Joan Crawford and Frederic March.Crothers was born in Bloomington, Illinois, USA...
, featured Viola Allen
Viola Allen
Viola Emily Allen was an American stage actress who played leading roles in Shakespere and other plays, including many original plays. She starred in over two dozen Broadway productions from 1885 to 1916...
with Prentice in the part of her daughter. A January 1912 Lyceum Theatre (New York)
Lyceum Theatre (New York)
The Lyceum Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 149 West 45th Street in midtown-Manhattan.It has the distinction of being the oldest surviving Broadway venue , the oldest continuously operating legitimate theatre in New York City, and the first Broadway theatre ever to be granted landmark status...
audience was moved by a scene between the two women, in which Allen realizes her error in placing art before parental obligation. R.A. Roberts put on The Passing of the Idle Rich in 1913. Taken from a book by Frederick Townsend Martin
Frederick Townsend Martin
Frederick Townsend Martin was a New York City writer and advocate for the poor.-Biography:He was born in Albany, New York on December 6, 1849 to Henry Hull Martin and Anna Townsend...
, with a screenplay by Margaret Townsend, the theatrical presentation debuted at the Garden Theatre on April 28. Prentice was in the cast together with Beverley Sitgreaves, Marie Burke, Victoria Montgomery, and Escamillo Fernandez.
The Candler Theatre presented Making Dick Over, a comedy in three-acts, in December 1915. With Norman Tnarp as the leading man
Leading man
Leading man or leading gentleman is an informal term for the actor who plays a love interest to the leading actress in a film or play. A leading man is usually an all rounder; capable of singing, dancing, and acting at a professional level, but never outshining his female co-star...
, the plot involves an individual whose family and friends attempt to make a business man out of him. Prentice was a player in this humorous show pertaining to a male Dora.
She acted the role of Chow Wan, the maid to Due Jung Fah, in a
1916 revival of The Yellow Jacket, staged in ten matinee shows at the Cort Theatre
Cort Theatre
The Cort Theatre is a legitimate Broadway theatre located at 138 West 48th Street in the Theatre District of midtown Manhattan in New York City...
. The Chinese play was written by George C. Hazelton. The theme of the entertainment had a ubiquitous appeal, concentrating on mother love, rake's progress, young romance, and retribution.
Later career
In May 1923 Prentice and Cornelia Otis SkinnerCornelia Otis Skinner
Cornelia Otis Skinner was an American author and actress.-Biography:Skinner was the daughter of the actor Otis Skinner and his wife Maud Skinner. After attending the all-girls' Baldwin School and Bryn Mawr College and studying theatre at the Sorbonne in Paris, she began her career on the stage...
acted in the first theatrical effort of Eleanor Robson Belmont
Eleanor Robson Belmont
Eleanor Robson Belmont was an English actress and prominent public figure in the United States. George Bernard Shaw wrote Major Barbara for her, but contractual problems prevented her from playing the role. Mrs...
. Co-written with Harriet Ford, In The Next Room was an adaptation of a short story by Burton E. Stevenson. Winthrop Ames
Winthrop Ames
Winthrop Ames was an American theatre director and producer, playwright and screenwriter.For three decades at the beginning of the 20th century, Ames was an important force on Broadway, whose repertoire included directing and producing Shakespeare and classic plays, new plays, and revivals of...
and Guthrie McClintic
Guthrie McClintic
Guthrie McClintic was a successful theatre director, film director and producer based in New York. -Life and career:...
produced the play in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
.
Prentice performed the lead in the annual entertainment for the Garden School
Garden School
The Garden School is an independent school located in Queens, New York, founded in 1923.-Curriculum:The Garden School course of study emphasizes strong basic skills, with challenge and discovery as part of the educational process...
Alumnae Association on February 13, 1925. The benefit assisted the Alice Chapin Adoption Nursery and was held at the Ritz-Carlton in New York City.
Following many years on the New York stage and tours of the Orient with the Frawley company, she opted for domestic life for several years in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. She returned to the theater in an Arthur Freed
Arthur Freed
Arthur Freed was born Arthur Grossman in Charleston, South Carolina. He was a Jewish American lyricist and a Hollywood film producer.- Biography :Freed began his career as a song-plugger and pianist in Chicago...
production of Loving Ladies written by Margaret Mayo
Margaret Mayo
Margaret Mayo may refer to:*Margaret Mayo , American playwright and actress*Margaret Mayo , , an English children's literature and folktales writer...
and Aubrey Kennedy. Performances began at the Orange Grove Theater in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. The show entertained with continuous action covering a story which lasted three hours. After the Orange Grove engagement Prentice was offered a chance to make a motion picture series of farces. One studio was confirmed to have made her an offer.
She played the title role, a petite Chinese princess, in Turandot, which opened at the Pasadena Playhouse
Pasadena Playhouse
The Pasadena Playhouse is a historic performing arts venue located 39 S El Molino Avenue in Pasadena, California. The 686-seat auditorium produces a variety of cultural and artistic events, professional shows, and community engagements each year.-History:...
in January 1927. The tale of old China was one of a succession of oriental parts she had depicted. Her cruel nature as the character turns warm-hearted only when she finds a lover who can solve her three riddles. Prentice's costumes are lovely. In Amber, she acted the role of the nautch
Nautch
In North India, Nautch is one of several styles of popular dance, performed by girls known as "Nautch girls". The word Nautch is an anglicized version of नाच , a word found in Hindi and Urdu , and several other languages of North India, derived from the Sanskrit, Nritya, via the Prakrit, Nachcha...
dancer only a short time before.
In March 1927 Ruth Helen Davis produced Smilin Thru at the Belmont Theater at Vermont and First Street Playhouse, in Los Angeles. Prentice played the dual roles of Kathleen Dungannon and Moonyeen opposite English actor Wyndham Standing
Wyndham Standing
Wyndham Standing was an English film actor. He appeared in 131 films between 1915 and 1948. A popular and much beloved leading man in the silent film era, he starred and costarred along many famous names of the day, both men and women. He and Ronald Colman were the stars of the now lost classic...
. Prentice was praised by a critic for her radiant presence and skill in performing two characters and a difficult and emotional third act.
Harrison Ford died in Los Angeles on December 2, 1957. Beatrice Prentice survived her husband by 20 years passing away in Los Angeles on May 30, 1977 aged 92.
External links
- Beatrice Prentice at the IMDb.com
- Beatrice Prentice Sarony portrait Univ. of Washington
- early portrait of Beatrice Pentrice in costume
- Beatrice Prentice portrait early 1900s
