Florence Roberts (Stage actress)
Encyclopedia
Florence Roberts was an early twentieth century stage actress. She was born in New York but raised in California and had early success in the San Francisco area beginning in 1889. She performed at the Baldwin Theatre and the Alcazar Theatre often playing Shakespearean parts. In 1905 she toured a play called Ana La Mont under the management of John Cort
. She toured plays in the Western United States but seldom to New York. After WW1 she toured South Africa in Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
before returning to the United States where she appeared in a few silent films then retired. She died in Los Angeles 1927 after emergency surgery.
She was the second wife of actor Lewis Morrison, who was the father of actress Adrienne Morrison
and grandfather of Joan Bennett
, Constance Bennett
and Barbara Bennett
, thus making Roberts a step-mother to Adrienne and step grandmother to Joan, Constance and Barbara. Roberts was a cousin to character actor Theodore Roberts
with whom she had appeared on the stage. Roberts greatest stage success was a play called The Strength of the Weak performed on Broadway in 1906. That same year Louis Morrison died and she later married an actor named Frederick Vogeding. In 1912 she was one of the first famous stage stars to appear in a film version of a famous play, in this case an independent production of Sapho
which had made actress Olga Nethersole
famous in the early 1900s. Roberts appeared in four more silent pictures up to 1925 before dying in 1927.
This Florence Roberts is too often confused with another stage and screen actress of the same name
who did not start her screen career until 1930 with Mack Sennett
.
John Cort (impresario)
John Cort was an American impresario; his Cort Circuit was one of the first national theater circuits. Along with John Considine and Alexander Pantages, Cort was one of the Seattle-based entrepreneurs who parlayed their success in the years following the Klondike Gold Rush into an impact on...
. She toured plays in the Western United States but seldom to New York. After WW1 she toured South Africa in Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
Alice Hegan Rice
Alice Hegan Rice, also known as Alice Caldwell Hegan, was an American novelist.Born in Shelbyville, Kentucky, she wrote over two dozen books, the most famous of which is Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch. The book was a best seller in 1902 and is set in Louisville, Kentucky where she then lived...
before returning to the United States where she appeared in a few silent films then retired. She died in Los Angeles 1927 after emergency surgery.
She was the second wife of actor Lewis Morrison, who was the father of actress Adrienne Morrison
Adrienne Morrison
Mabel Adrienne Morrison was a semi-successful stage actress of the early 20th century. She married actor Richard Bennett, with whom she had three daughters who later would become actresses. She was the daughter of actress and actor Lewis Morrison. She appeared as Nat-u-ritch, the Indian squaw, in...
and grandfather of Joan Bennett
Joan Bennett
Joan Geraldine Bennett was an American stage, film and television actress. Besides acting on the stage, Bennett appeared in more than 70 motion pictures from the era of silent movies well into the sound era...
, Constance Bennett
Constance Bennett
-Early life:She was born in New York City, the daughter of actor Richard Bennett and actress Adrienne Morrison, whose father was the stage actor Lewis Morrison , a wealthy performer of English and Spanish ancestry...
and Barbara Bennett
Barbara Bennett
Barbara Jane Bennett was an American silent film actress.Born into an acting family, she was the daughter of actor Richard Bennett and actress Adrienne Morrison, whose father was the stage actor Lewis Morrison. Her sisters were actresses Constance and Joan Bennett.Bennett would never succeed to...
, thus making Roberts a step-mother to Adrienne and step grandmother to Joan, Constance and Barbara. Roberts was a cousin to character actor Theodore Roberts
Theodore Roberts
Theodore Roberts the actor is not to be confused with author Theodore Goodridge Roberts, 1877–1953, who wrote "The Harbor Master". Please see discussion page....
with whom she had appeared on the stage. Roberts greatest stage success was a play called The Strength of the Weak performed on Broadway in 1906. That same year Louis Morrison died and she later married an actor named Frederick Vogeding. In 1912 she was one of the first famous stage stars to appear in a film version of a famous play, in this case an independent production of Sapho
Sapho
Sapho may refer to:*Sapho , a French singer*Sapho , novel by Alphonse Daudet*Sapho , 1897 opera by Jules Massenet, based on Daudet's novel*Sapho , 1851 opera by Charles Gounod...
which had made actress Olga Nethersole
Olga Nethersole
Olga Isabella Nethersole, CBE, RRC was an English actress, theatre producer, and wartime nurse/health educator.-Biography:...
famous in the early 1900s. Roberts appeared in four more silent pictures up to 1925 before dying in 1927.
This Florence Roberts is too often confused with another stage and screen actress of the same name
Florence Roberts
Florence Roberts was an actress of the stage and in motion pictures.-Stock Company Actress:Born in Frederick, Maryland, she began acting on the stage in New York, New York at the age of 19. Her career began at the Brooklyn, New York Opera House in Hoop of Gold...
who did not start her screen career until 1930 with Mack Sennett
Mack Sennett
Mack Sennett was a Canadian-born American director and was known as the innovator of slapstick comedy in film. During his lifetime he was known at times as the "King of Comedy"...
.
External Links
- Florence Roberts at IMDb.com
- Florence Roberts at IBDb.com]
- Florence Roberts portraits(Univ. of Washington, Sayre collection)
- PeriodPaper article ; Florence Roberts
- later photo; Florence Roberts(Utah State History)
