Dorothy Dwan (born Dorothy Belle Ilgenfritz; April 26, 1906 – March 17, 1981) was an American film actress.

Early years

Born Dorothy Belle Ilgenfritz in

Sedalia, Missouri Sedalia is a city located approximately south of the Missouri River and, as the county seat of Pettis County, Missouri, Pettis County, Missouri, United States, it is the principal city of the Sedalia Micropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2020 ...

, Dwan was the daughter of Charles Melvin Ilgenfritz and Nancy Dorothy Wallace.Sassen, Claudia (2015).
Larry Semon, Daredevil Comedian of the Silent Screen: A Biography and Filmography
'. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. p. 140. . Shortly after her mother's divorce and remarriage in approximately 1915, Dorothy was legally adopted by her stepfather George Hughes Smith. Eventually, the family moved to

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, where Dorothy attended Miss Hill's School, specializing in English and music.

Career

Universal signed Dwan to a contract after she had been an extra in films. She was a WAMPAS Baby Star. She appeared in 40 films between 1922 and 1930, several of which were directed by her first husband,

Larry Semon Lawrence Semon (February 9, 1889 – October 8, 1928) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter during the silent film era. In his day, Semon was considered a major movie comedian, but he is now remembered mainly for working ...

. In 1928, Dwan moved from making films to acting on stage, signing with Henry Duffy to act in his Pacific Coast theaters. After she left acting, Dwan worked as a columnist for ''

Photoplay ''Photoplay'' was one of the first American film fan magazines, its title another word for screenplay. It was founded in Chicago in 1911. Under early editors Julian Johnson and James R. Quirk, in style and reach it became a pacesetter for fan m ...

'' magazine.

Personal life and death

Dwan married Semon on January 22, 1925. They were still wed when he died in 1928. She had one child, a son, Paul, from her second marriage to Paul Northcutt Boggs Jr. on May 23, 1930. They divorced in 1935. Dwan died in

Ventura, California Ventura, officially named San Buenaventura (Spanish for "Saint Bonaventure"), is a city in and the county seat of Ventura County, California, United States. It is a coastal city located northwest of Los Angeles. The population was 110,763 at the ...

from

lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma, is a malignant tumor that begins in the lung. Lung cancer is caused by genetic damage to the DNA of cells in the airways, often caused by cigarette smoking or inhaling damaging chemicals. Damaged ...

, aged 74.

Partial filmography

* ''

The Silent Vow ''The Silent Vow'' is a 1922 American silent Western film directed by William Duncan and starring Duncan, Edith Johnson and Dorothy Dwan.Rainey, p. 136. It is a Northern, following the activities of an officer of the Mounties. Cast * Willi ...

'' (1922) * ''

The Enemy Sex ''The Enemy Sex'' is a 1924 American silent drama film starring Betty Compson and directed by her husband James Cruze. It was produced by Famous Players–Lasky and released by Paramount Pictures. It is taken from the 1914 novel ''The Salamande ...

'' (1924) * '' Her Boy Friend'' (1924) * '' Breed of the Border'' (1924) * '' Kid Speed'' (1924) * '' The Parasite'' (1925) * '' Wizard of Oz'' (1925) * ''

The Perfect Clown ''The Perfect Clown'' is a 1925 American silent slapstick comedy film starring Larry Semon and Kate Price. It features an early screen appearance by Oliver Hardy. Directed by Fred C. Newmeyer, the screenplay was written by Thomas J. Crizer, w ...

'' (1925) * ''

Bashful Buccaneer ''Bashful Buccaneer'' is a 1925 American silent comedy film directed by Harry Joe Brown and starring Reed Howes, Dorothy Dwan and Sheldon Lewis.Rainey p.136 Plot Jerry Logan, a writer known for his sensational tales of sailors and the sea, l ...

'' (1925) * '' Stop, Look and Listen'' (1926) * ''

The Great K & A Train Robbery ''The Great K & A Train Robbery'' is a 1926 American silent film, silent Western (genre), Western film directed by Lewis Seiler and starring Tom Mix and Dorothy Dwan. The film is based on the actual foiling of a train robbery by Dick Gordon as ...

'' (1926) * ''

The Call of the Klondike ''The Call of the Klondike'' is a 1926 American silent Western film directed by Oscar Apfel and starring Gaston Glass, Dorothy Dwan and Earl Metcalfe. Cast * Gaston Glass as Dick Norton * Dorothy Dwan as Violet Winter * Earl Metcalfe as Mo ...

'' (1926) * '' A Captain's Courage'' (1926) * '' The Dangerous Dude'' (1926) * '' Spuds'' (1927) * ''

McFadden's Flats McFadden's Flats may refer to: * McFadden's Flats (1927 film), an American silent film * McFadden's Flats (1935 film), an American comedy film {{dab ...

'' (1927) * ''

Hills of Kentucky ''Hills of Kentucky'' is a 1927 American silent drama film directed by Howard Bretherton and written by Edward Clark. The film stars Rin Tin Tin, Jason Robards, Sr. and Dorothy Dwan. The silent film was released by Warner Bros. on February 1 ...

'' (1927) * '' The Princess on Broadway'' (1927) * '' The Land Beyond the Law'' (1927) * '' Tumbling River'' (1927) * '' Silver Valley'' (1927) * '' Riders of the Dark'' (1928) * '' Square Crooks'' (1928) * '' Out with the Tide'' (1928) * '' The Drifter'' (1929) * '' The Peacock Fan'' (1929) * ''

The California Mail ''The California Mail'' is a 1929 American silent film, silent Western (genre), Western film directed by Albert S. Rogell and written by Marion Jackson and Leslie Mason. The film stars Ken Maynard, Dorothy Dwan, Lafe McKee, Paul Hurst (actor), P ...

'' (1929) * '' The Fighting Legion'' (1930)

References

External links

*
Dorothy Dwan
at Virtual History {{DEFAULTSORT:Dwan, Dorothy 1906 births 1981 deaths American film actresses American silent film actresses People from Sedalia, Missouri Actresses from Missouri Deaths from lung cancer in California 20th-century American actresses Western (genre) film actresses