Gertrude Olmstead (November 13, 1897 – January 18, 1975) was an American actress of the silent film, silent era. She appeared in 56 films between 1920 and 1929. Her last name was sometimes seen as Olmsted.

Career

Olmstead was born in Chicago, Illinois, and was noticed after winning a 5,900-entrant contest to represent "The Spirit of America" at the 1920 Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Elks Club national convention. The victory included an opportunity to receive a $10,000 one-year contract to appear in films. Olmstead initially was signed by Universal Pictures, Universal Motion Picture company. Her first film was ''Tipped Off (1920 film), Tipped Off'' (1920), following which she became the leading lady in western films that starred Hoot Gibson. She appeared in her first credited film role in the 1921 film ''The Fox (1921 film), The Fox''. She obtained several more roles that same year, appearing in nine films in 1921, and another five in 1922. She appeared in 17 more films by the time she received what is today her best-known role, opposite Rudolph Valentino in the 1925 film ''Cobra (1925 film), Cobra''. Throughout the silent film era her career thrived. From 1925 through 1929 she appeared in twenty eight films, most often portraying the heroine. With the advent of sound film her career stalled, and she retired from acting in 1929.

Personal life and death

In 1926 she met Metro Goldwyn Mayer, MGM director Robert Z. Leonard and they were married in Santa Barbara on June 8 of that year. Leonard and Olmstead remained married until his death in 1968. After Leonard's death, Olmstead remained in the Los Angeles, California, Los Angeles area, and died in Beverly Hills on January 18, 1975. She is interred at Glendale, California, Glendale's Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale), Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, near her husband.

Partial filmography

* ''Tipped Off (1920 film), Tipped Off'' (1920, Short) - Marion Ross * ''The Driftin' Kid (1921 film), The Driftin' Kid'' (1921, Short) * ''Sweet Revenge (1921 film), Sweet Revenge'' (1921, Short) * ''Kickaroo'' (1921, Short) * ''The Fightin' Fury'' (1921, Short) * ''Out o' Luck'' (1921, Short) * ''The Big Adventure (1921 film), The Big Adventure'' (1921) - Sally * ''The Fighting Lover'' (1921) - Jean Forsdale * ''The Fox (1921 film), The Fox'' (1921) - Stella Fraser * ''Shadows of Conscience'' (1921) - Winifred Coburn * ''The Scrapper (1922 film), The Scrapper'' (1922) - Eileen McCarthy * ''The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe (serial), The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe'' (1922, Serial) * ''The Loaded Door'' (1922) - Molly Grainger * ''Fighting Blood'' (1923) - Minor Role (uncredited) * ''Trilby (1923 film), Trilby'' (1923) - Miss Bagot * ''Cameo Kirby (1923 film), Cameo Kirby'' (1923) - Adele Randall * ''George Washington Jr. (film), George Washington Jr.'' (1924) - Dolly Johnson * ''Ladies to Board'' (1924) * ''A Girl of the Limberlost (1924 film), A Girl of the Limberlost'' (1924) - Edith Carr * ''Babbitt (1924 film), Babbitt'' (1924) - Eunice Littlefield * ''Lovers' Lane (1924 film), Lovers' Lane'' (1924) - Mary Larkin * ''Empty Hands'' (1924) - Typsy * ''Life's Greatest Game'' (1924) - Nora Malone * ''The Monster (1925 film), The Monster'' (1925) - Betty Watson * ''California Straight Ahead (1925 film), California Straight Ahead'' (1925) - Betty Browne * ''Time, the Comedian'' (1925) - Ruth Dakon * ''Cobra (1925 film), Cobra'' (1925) - Mary Drake * ''Sweet Adeline (1926 film), Sweet Adeline'' (1926) - Adeline * ''Torrent (1926 film), Torrent'' (1926) - Remedios * ''Monte Carlo (1926 film), Monte Carlo'' (1926) - Sally Roxford * ''The Boob'' (1926) - Amy * ''Puppets (1926 film), Puppets'' (1926) - Angela * ''The Cheerful Fraud'' (1926) - Ann Kent * ''Mr. Wu (1927 film), Mr. Wu'' (1927) - Hilda Gregory * ''The Callahans and the Murphys'' (1927) - Monica Murphy * ''Becky (1927 film), Becky'' (1927) - Nan Estabrook * ''Buttons (film), Buttons'' (1927) - Ruth Stratton * ''A Woman Against the World'' (1928) - Bernice Crane, Bride * ''The Cheer Leader'' (1928) - Jean Howard * ''Sporting Goods'' (1928) - Alice Elliott * ''Bringing Up Father (1928 film), Bringing Up Father'' (1928) - Ellen * ''Green Grass Widows'' (1928) - Betty Worthing * ''Hit of the Show'' (1928) - Kathlyn Carson * ''Midnight Life (film), Midnight Life'' (1928) - Betty Brown * ''Sweet Sixteen (1928 film), Sweet Sixteen'' (1928) - Patricia Perry * ''The Passion Song'' (1928) - Elaine Van Ryn * ''Hey Rube!'' (1928) - Lutie * ''The Lone Wolf's Daughter (1929 film), The Lone Wolf's Daughter'' (1929) - Helen Fairchild * ''Sonny Boy (1929 film), Sonny Boy'' (1929) - Mary * ''The Time, the Place and the Girl (1929 film), The Time, the Place and the Girl'' (1929) - Mae Ellis * ''The Show of Shows (film), The Show of Shows'' (1929) - Performer in 'Bicycle Built for Two' Number

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Olmstead, Gertrude 1904 births 1975 deaths Actresses from Chicago American film actresses American silent film actresses 20th-century American actresses Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)