Nola Luxford (born Adelaide Minola Pratt; 23 December 1895 – 10 October 1994) was a New Zealand-born American film actress, spanning from the

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...

era to the 1930s. During the

1932 Summer Olympics The 1932 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the X Olympiad and also known as Los Angeles 1932) were an international multi-sport event held from July 30 to August 14, 1932 in Los Angeles, California, United States. The Games were held duri ...

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...

, she was also a writer and pioneer broadcaster, providing a daily radio programme for audiences in Australia and New Zealand.

Early life

Born Adelaide Minola Pratt in

Hunterville Hunterville is a small community on State Highway 1, in the Rangitikei district of the North Island of New Zealand. It is located halfway between Taupo and Wellington and has a population (2018 census) of 411, a decrease of 18 people from 2013 ...

, New Zealand, on 23 December 1895,Adelaide Minola Pratt, New Zealand, Birth Index, 1840-1950; Birth Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1896, Hunterville, New Zealand, Folio #420
accessed 21 December 2016. and raised in

Hastings Hastings () is a large seaside town and borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east to the county town of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to the north-west ...

, Luxford was the eldest of three children of Adelaide Agnes McGonagle, a schoolteacher, and Ernest Augustus Pratt, a draper.

Self-adjustments

She would later: * Reverse her forename and middle name * Change her birthdate to coincide with that of her father (who was born 24 December) * Shave six years off her age * Change her birthplace to Auckland (on her U.S. citizenship petition)

Career

She left in 1919 for Hollywood to pursue a career in film acting. She was 23 years old and determined to distinguish herself after a family scandal in New Zealand. Her first film appearance was in the 1920 film ''The Tiger's Coat''. From 1920 through 1927 she would appear in thirteen films, starring opposite and alongside such actors as

Bill Cody William Frederick Cody (February 26, 1846January 10, 1917), known as "Buffalo Bill", was an American soldier, bison hunter, and showman. He was born in Le Claire, Iowa Territory (now the U.S. state of Iowa), but he lived for several years in ...

, Jack Holt, and

Carmel Myers Carmel Myers (April 9, 1899 – November 9, 1980) was an American actress who achieved her greatest successes in silent film. Early life Myers was born in San Francisco, the daughter of Isidore Myers, a Russian-Jewish rabbi who was born in ...

. In 1932 she gave a daily one-hour radio report on the

Olympics The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a vari ...

at Los Angeles for New Zealand and Australia, relayed "down under" by short-wave radio. She made six film appearances between 1932–1935, with the only credited ones of any notability being ''The Iron Master'' (starring Reginald Denny) and ''Lost in Limehouse'' (starring Laura La Plante), both in 1933. She retired after 1935, and settled in

Pasadena, California Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commercial district. ...

Recording career

She founded the Anzac Club of New York, and through her wartime radio broadcasts she became known as the "Angel of the Anzacs". She was awarded the OBE for her services.Biodata
teara.govt.nz; accessed 21 December 2016.

Personal life

Her first husband, Maurice George "Maurie" Luxford, whom she wed in 1919, died. She married, secondly, to William Bauernschmidt. She married her third husband, Glenn Russell Dolberg, in 1959; he died in 1977. She became a naturalized United States citizen on 12 November 1928. She continued to live in

, where she died on 10 October 1994, aged 98. She was survived by five nieces and one nephew.Nola Luxford profile
IMDb.com; accessed 19 December 2016.

Partial filmography

* '' The Tiger's Coat'' (1920) as Clare Bagsby * '' The Mad Marriage'' (1921) as Bob * ''

Opened Shutters ''Opened Shutters'' is a 1921 American silent drama film directed by William Worthington and starring Edith Roberts, Josef Swickard and Joseph Singleton.Connelly p.392 It is a remake of the 1914 film ''The Opened Shutters'', based on a novel b ...

'' (1921) as Edna Derwent * '' The Flying Dutchman'' (1923) as Melissa * ''

Rouged Lips ''Rouged Lips'' is a 1923 American silent drama film directed by Harold M. Shaw and starring Viola Dana, Tom Moore, and Nola Luxford. It is based in the story ''Upstage'' by Rita Weiman which appeared in ''Cosmopolitan Magazine ''Cosmopoli ...

'' (1923) as Mamie Dugan * ''

The House of Youth ''The House of Youth'' is a 1924 American silent drama film directed by Ralph Ince and starring Jacqueline Logan, Malcolm McGregor and Gloria Grey.Munden p.366 Cast * Jacqueline Logan as Corinna Endicott * Malcolm McGregor as Spike Blaine * Vern ...

'' (1924) as Society Girl * '' Girl Shy'' (1924) as Vamp girl (uncredited) * ''

The Prince of Pep ''The Prince of Pep'' is a 1925 American silent romantic drama film directed by Jack Nelson and starring Richard Talmadge. Plot As described in a film magazine review, a young doctor is struck on the head by his secretary and the injury caus ...

'' (1925) as Marion Ward * ''Border Justice'' (1925) as Mary Maitland * ''

That Devil Quemado ''That Devil Quemado'' is a 1925 American silent Western film directed by Del Andrews and starring Fred Thomson, Albert Prisco, and Nola Luxford. Plot As described in a film magazine review, Quemado is a daring, mysterious character who kidna ...

'' (1925) as Conchita Rameriz * '' Forlorn River'' (1926) as Magda Lee * ''

The Meddlin' Stranger ''The Meddlin' Stranger'' is a lost 1927 American silent Western film directed by Richard Thorpe and featuring Boris Karloff. Cast * Wally Wales as Wally Fraser * Nola Luxford as Mildred Crawford * Charles K. French as Her Father * Mabel Van ...

'' (1927) as Mildred Crawford * ''

Ladies Beware ''Ladies Beware'' is a 1927 American silent crime film directed by Charles Giblyn and starring George O'Hara, Nola Luxford and Kathleen Myers.Munden p.412 Synopsis Jack, a jewel thief, is advised to leave town by the police. Before he does so ...

'' (1927) as Jeannie * ''

King of the Herd ''King of the Herd'' is a 1927 American silent Western film directed by Frank S. Mattison and starring Raymond McKee, Nola Luxford and Bud Osborne. Given an initial release in 1927, it went on a more general release in 1929. Cast * White Sta ...

'' (1927) as Nancy Dorance * ''Lost in Limehouse'' (Short) (1933) as Diana * ''The Iron Master'' (1933) as Diana * '' Kind Lady'' (1935) as Rose

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Luxford, Nola 1895 births 1994 deaths 20th-century New Zealand actresses People from Hunterville New Zealand silent film actresses New Zealand film actresses New Zealand emigrants to the United States New Zealand expatriate actresses in the United States New Zealand broadcasters Honorary Officers of the Order of the British Empire People with acquired American citizenship People educated at Whanganui Girls' College