Lillian Harmer (September 8, 1883 – May 14, 1946) was an American

character actress A character actor is an actor known for playing unusual, eccentric, or interesting characters in supporting roles, rather than leading ones.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014 ...

Biography

Born in

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 ...

in 1883, Harmer had a brief film career during the 1930s. During her short career she would appear in over 60 films, mostly in uncredited roles. She would occasionally be cast in a featured supporting role, as in ''

A Shriek in the Night ''A Shriek in the Night'' is a 1933 American pre-Code mystery crime film with elements of romance directed by Albert Ray and starring Ginger Rogers, Lyle Talbot, and Harvey Clark. It was produced by the independent studio Allied Pictures, and ...

'' (1933) and '' The Bowery'' (1933), in which she played the historical character of

Carrie Nation Caroline Amelia Nation (November 25, 1846June 9, 1911), often referred to as Carrie, Carry Nation, Carrie A. Nation, or Hatchet Granny, was an American who was a radical member of the temperance movement, which opposed alcohol before the advent ...

. Other notable films in which she appeared include: ''

Huckleberry Finn Huckleberry "Huck" Finn is a fictional character created by Mark Twain who first appeared in the book ''The Adventures of Tom Sawyer'' (1876) and is the protagonist and narrator of its sequel, '' Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'' (1884). He is 12 ...

'' (1931), starring

Jackie Coogan John Leslie Coogan (October 26, 1914 – March 1, 1984) was an American actor and comedian who began his film career as a child actor in silent films. Coogan's role in Charlie Chaplin's film ''The Kid (1921 film), The Kid'' (1921) made him one o ...

Tom Sawyer Thomas "Tom" Sawyer () is the title character of the Mark Twain novel '' The Adventures of Tom Sawyer'' (1876). He appears in three other novels by Twain: '' Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'' (1884), '' Tom Sawyer Abroad'' (1894), and '' Tom Sawy ...

; the 1933 version of ''

Alice in Wonderland ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (also known as ''Alice in Wonderland'') is an 1865 English Children's literature, children's novel by Lewis Carroll, a mathematics university don, don at the University of Oxford. It details the story of a ...

'';

William Wellman William Augustus Wellman (February 29, 1896 – December 9, 1975) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, actor and military pilot. He was known for his work in Crime film, crime, Adventure film, adventure, and Action film, a ...

's 1937 version of '' A Star is Born'', starring

Janet Gaynor Janet Gaynor (born Laura Augusta Gainor; October 6, 1906 – September 14, 1984) was an American actress. She began her career as an extra in shorts and silent films. After signing with Fox Film Corporation (later 20th Century-Fox) in 1926, she ...

Fredric March Fredric March (born Ernest Frederick McIntyre Bickel; August 31, 1897 – April 14, 1975) was an American actor, regarded as one of Hollywood's most celebrated stars of the 1930s and 1940s.Obituary '' Variety'', April 16, 1975, page 95. As ...

, and

Adolphe Menjou Adolphe Jean Menjou (February 18, 1890 – October 29, 1963) was an American actor whose career spanned both silent films and talkies. He became a leading man during the 1920s, known for his debonair and sophisticated screen presence. He was no ...

; the

Ronald Colman Ronald Charles Colman (9 February 1891 – 19 May 1958) was an English-born actor who started his career in theatre and silent film in his native country, then emigrated to the United States where he had a highly successful Cinema of the United ...

vehicle, ''

The Prisoner of Zenda ''The Prisoner of Zenda'' is an 1894 adventure novel by Anthony Hope, in which the King of Ruritania is drugged on the eve of his coronation and thus is unable to attend the ceremony. Political forces within the realm are such that, in o ...

''; and the 1938

Cecil B. DeMille Cecil Blount DeMille (; August 12, 1881January 21, 1959) was an American filmmaker and actor. Between 1914 and 1958, he made 70 features, both silent and sound films. He is acknowledged as a founding father of American cinema and the most co ...

historical drama, '' The Buccaneer'', starring

. Her final film appearance would be in a small role in 1938's ''Gateway'', starring

Don Ameche Don Ameche (; born Dominic Felix Amici; May 31, 1908 – December 6, 1993) was an American actor, comedian and vaudevillian. After playing in college shows, repertory theatre, and vaudeville, he became a major radio star in the early 19 ...

and

Arleen Whelan Arleen Whelan (September 1, 1916 – April 7, 1993) was an American film actress. Early years Whelan was a native of Salt Lake City, Utah. Before she became an actress, she worked in Southern California as a manicurist, contributing her ea ...

. Harmer, who was married to Albert Frederick Kaeber, died on May 14, 1946, and was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.''Resting Places''
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Filmography

(Per AFI database) * ''

A Harp in Hock ''A Harp in Hock'', also known as ''The Samaritan'', is a lost 1927 American silent melodrama film directed by Renaud Hoffman, produced by DeMille Pictures, and distributed by Pathé Exchange. The film starred Rudolph Schildkraut, Junior Cogh ...

'' (1927) * ''

'' (1931) * '' Smart Woman'' (1931) * '' The She-Wolf'' (1931) * '' Guilty as Hell'' (1932) * '' No Man of Her Own'' (1932) as Mattie, the Librarian (uncredited) * ''

New Morals for Old ''New Morals for Old'' is a 1932 American pre-Code romance-drama film produced and distributed by MGM. It is based on the 1931 Broadway play '' After All'', in which Humphrey Bogart had a significant role. Bogart's stage role is portrayed by Da ...

'' (1932) * ''

If I Had a Million ''If I Had a Million'' is a 1932 American pre-Code Paramount Studios anthology film starring Gary Cooper, George Raft, Charles Laughton, W. C. Fields, Jack Oakie, Frances Dee and Charlie Ruggles, among others. There were seven directors: ...

'' (1932) * '' Ann Vickers'' (1933) * ''

'' (1933) * ''

Jennie Gerhardt ''Jennie Gerhardt'' is a 1911 novel by Theodore Dreiser. Plot summary Jennie Gerhardt is a destitute young woman. While working in a hotel in Columbus, Ohio, Jennie meets George Brander, a United States Senator, who becomes infatuated with her ...

'' (1933) * '' Lone Cowboy'' (1933) * ''

'' (1933) * '' The Bowery'' (1933) * '' Hold Your Man'' (1933) as Miss Allen (uncredited) * ''

Mandalay Mandalay is the second-largest city in Myanmar, after Yangon. It is located on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, 631 km (392 mi) north of Yangon. In 2014, the city had a population of 1,225,553. Mandalay was founded in 1857 by Ki ...

'' (1934) * ''

College Rhythm ''College Rhythm'' is a 1934 American musical comedy film directed by Norman Taurog and starring Jack Oakie, Mary Brian, and Joe Penner. The film's budget was $537,000. Plot Cocky college football star Francis Finnegan has his eye on the att ...

'' (1934) * ''

Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. It was the only British fighter produced continuously throughout the ...

'' (1934) * ''

Housewife A housewife (also known as a homemaker or a stay-at-home mother/mom/mum) is a woman whose role is running or managing her family's home—housekeeping, which may include Parenting, caring for her children; cleaning and maintaining the home; Sew ...

'' (1934) * '' Lady by Choice'' (1934) * '' Desirable'' (1934) * ''

You Can't Buy Everything ''You Can't Buy Everything'' is a 1934 American Pre-Code Hollywood, pre-Code romantic drama film directed by Charles Reisner and Sandy Roth and starring May Robson, Jean Parker and Lewis Stone. It was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Working titl ...

'' (1934) * '' Romance in Manhattan'' (1935) * '' Without Children'' (1935) * ''

The Big Broadcast of 1936 ''The Big Broadcast of 1936'' is a 1935 American comedy film directed by Norman Taurog, and is the second in the series of ''Big Broadcast'' movies. The musical comedy starred Jack Oakie, Bing Crosby, George Burns, Gracie Allen, Ethel Merman, The ...

'' (1935) * ''Personal Maid's Secret'' (1935) * '' Party Wire'' (1935) * '' Whipsaw'' (1935) * '' Public Hero No. 1'' (1935) * '' Three Kids and a Queen'' (1935) * '' Rainbow on the River'' (1936) * '' The Captain's Kid'' (1936) * '' Sworn Enemy'' (1936) * '' Riffraff'' (1936) * '' Little Miss Nobody'' (1936) * '' Fugitive in the Sky'' (1936) * '' Don't Get Personal'' (1936) * '' Dancing Feet'' (1936) * '' We Went to College'' (1936) * '' Internes Can't Take Money'' (1937) * '' Make a Wish'' (1937) * '' A Star Is Born'' (1937) as Wardrobe Woman (uncredited) * '' The Great O'Malley'' (1937) as Miss Taylor * ''

'' (1937) * '' The Buccaneer'' (1938) * ''Gateway'' (1938)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Harmer, Lillian 20th-century American actresses 1883 births 1946 deaths Actresses from Philadelphia American film actresses Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)