Helen Dunbar (born Katheryn Burke Lackey; October 10, 1863 – August 28, 1933) was an American theatrical performer and

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 ...

actress.

Career

Born in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

,BFI
/ref> Dunbar first appeared with the Weber & Fields Stock Company, when it began its career on the New York stage. In 1899 she appeared in ''Whirl-i-gig'' and ''The Other Way'' at the Weber and Fields Broadway Music Hall. She also worked with the Charles Dillingham Company and the

Boston Opera Company The Boston Opera Company (BOC) was an American opera company located in Boston, Massachusetts, that was active from 1909 to 1915. History The company was founded in 1908 by Bostonian millionaire Eben Dyer Jordan, Jr. and impresario Henry Russel ...

. She appeared in motion pictures beginning in 1912 and continued until 1926. Her stage and screen career extended over thirty-five years. Dunbar's film career started with ''Out of the Depths'' (1912). The production starred Francis X. Bushman. She became a leading lady for the old

Essanay Studios The Essanay Film Manufacturing Company was an early American motion picture studio. The studio was founded in 1907 in Chicago, and later developed an additional film lot in Niles Canyon, California. Its various stars included Francis X. Bushma ...

. For a number of years she was under contract to

Famous Players-Lasky Famous Players-Lasky Corporation was an American motion picture and distribution company formed on June 28, 1916, from the merger of Adolph Zukor's Famous Players Film Company—originally formed by Zukor as Famous Players in Famous Plays—and ...

. Aside from Bushman, Dunbar made films with stars like Harry Cashman, Richard Carroll, Ruth Stonehouse,

Beverly Bayne Beverly Bayne (born Pearl Beverly Van Name; November 11, 1894 – August 18, 1982) was an American actress who appeared in silent films beginning in 1910 in Chicago, Illinois, where she worked for Essanay Studios. Early life Born in Minneapoli ...

Frank Keenan Frank Keenan (born James Francis Keenan; April 8, 1858 – February 24, 1929) was an American stage and film actor and stage director and manager during the silent-film era. He was among the first stage actors to star in Hollywood, and he purs ...

, John Gilbert, Mary Astor,

Phyllis Haver Phyllis Maude Haver (January 6, 1899 – November 19, 1960) was an American actress of the silent film era. Early life Haver was born in Douglass, Kansas to James Hiram Haver (1872–1936) and Minnie Shanks Malone (1879–1949). When ...

, Norma Talmadge, and Noah Beery. Her final movie was ''

Stranded in Paris Stranded may refer to: Music Albums and EPs * ''Stranded'' (album), a 1973 album by Roxy Music * ''Stranded'', a 1990 album by Tangier * ''Stranded'', a 1992 EP by Konkhra * '' (I'm) Stranded'', a 1977 album by Australian rock group The Saints ...

'' (1926), which featured Bebe Daniels and Tom Ricketts.

Death

Dunbar died of complications of

arthritis Arthritis is a term often used to mean any disorder that affects joints. Symptoms generally include joint pain and stiffness. Other symptoms may include redness, warmth, swelling, and decreased range of motion of the affected joints. In som ...

in 1933 at the home of her daughter, 1203 Poinsettia Place,

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 ...

, California. Her funeral was conducted from Pierce Brothers' Mortuary with interment at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Partial filmography

* '' Dear Old Girl'' (1913) * '' One Wonderful Night'' (1914) * '' The Ambition of the Baron'' (1915) * ''

Graustark Graustark is a fictional country in Eastern Europe used as a setting for several novels by George Barr McCutcheon. Graustark's neighbors, which also figure in the stories, are Axphain to the north and Dawsbergen to the south. Description Gra ...

'' (1915) * '' The Second in Command'' (1915) * '' The Silent Voice'' (1915) * '' Man and His Soul'' (1916) * '' A Corner in Cotton'' (1916) * '' A Million A Minute'' (1916) * '' A Virginia Romance'' (1916) * ''

Molly Entangled ''Molly Entangled'' is a 1917 American silent drama film directed by Robert Thornby and written by Edith M. Kennedy. The film stars Vivian Martin, Harrison Ford, Noah Beery, Sr., G.S. Spaulding, Helen Dunbar, and Gibson Gowland. The film was ...

'' (1917) * '' The Shuttle'' (1918) * ''

Blindfolded A blindfold (from Middle English ') is a garment, usually of cloth, tied to one's head to cover the eyes to disable the wearer's sight. While a properly fitted blindfold prevents sight even if the eyes are open, a poorly tied or trick blindfol ...

'' (1918) * '' Cyclone Higgins, D.D.'' (1918) *'' Maid o' the Storm'' (1918) * '' Inside the Lines'' (1918) * ''

Hitting the High Spots ''Hitting the High Spots'' is a 1918 American silent comedy-drama film, directed by Charles Swickard. It stars Bert Lytell, Eileen Percy, and Winter Hall, and was released on December 9, 1918. Cast list *Bert Lytell as Bob Durland *Eileen Percy ...

'' (1918) * '' The Squaw Man'' (1918) * ''

Jane Goes A-Wooing ''Jane Goes A-Wooing'' is a lostProgressive Silent Fil ...

'' (1919) * '' All Wrong'' (1919) * ''

Venus in the East ''Venus in the East'' is a 1919 American silent comedy film directed by Donald Crisp, written by Gardner Hunting and Wallace Irwin, and starring Bryant Washburn, Margery Wilson, Anna Q. Nilsson, Guy Oliver, Clarence Burton, and Julia Faye. It ...

'' (1919) * ''

The Winning Girl ''The Winning Girl'' is a lost 1919 silent film comedy drama directed by Robert G. Vignola and starring Shirley Mason. Cast * Shirley Mason - Jemmy Milligan * Theodore Roberts - Major Milligan * Harold Goodwin - Jack Milligan * Lincoln Stedman ...

'' (1919) * '' Common Clay'' (1919) * '' Josselyn's Wife'' (1919) * '' Fires of Faith'' (1919) * '' Men, Women, and Money'' (1919) * '' Fighting Through'' (1919) * '' God's Outlaw'' (1919) * ''

Young Mrs. Winthrop ''Young Mrs. Winthrop'' is a lost 1920 American silent drama film starring Ethel Clayton. It is based on the 1882 Victorian era Broadway play by Bronson Howard. The film was produced by Famous Players–Lasky and distributed by Paramount Pictur ...

'' (1920) * '' The City of Masks'' (1920) * '' You Never Can Tell'' (1920) * ''

Behold My Wife! Behold is an American brand of furniture polish produced by Nakoma Products, LLC. Behold furniture polish and Endust dusting aid were previously produced by Sara Lee. When Drackett was sold to S. C. Johnson & Son in 1992, these two products, End ...

'' (1920) * '' The Furnace'' (1920) * '' Sham'' (1921) * ''

Sacred and Profane Love ''Sacred and Profane Love'' ( it, Amor Sacro e Amor Profano) is an oil painting by Titian, probably painted in 1514, early in his career. The painting is presumed to have been commissioned by Niccolò Aurelio, a secretary to the Venetian Counci ...

'' (1921) * '' The Great Moment'' (1921) * '' Her Winning Way'' (1921) * ''

The Law and the Woman ''The Law and the Woman'' is a lost 1922 American silent drama film directed by Penrhyn Stanlaws and starring Betty Compson. This film is a version of Clyde Fitch's play '' The Woman in the Case'' and a remake of a 1916 silent version '' The Wom ...

'' (1922) * '' The Man of Courage'' (1922) * ''

The World's Champion ''The World's Champion'' is a 1922 American silent drama film produced by Famous Players-Lasky and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The movie is based on the play ''The Champion'' by Thomas Louden and A.E. Thomas that was produced on Broadw ...

'' (1922) * '' Beyond the Rocks'' (1922) * ''

The Impossible Mrs. Bellew ''The Impossible Mrs. Bellew'' is a 1922 American silent drama film directed by Sam Wood and starring Gloria Swanson. The film is based on the 1916 novel of the same name by David Lisle. Plot As described in a film magazine review, Lance Bel ...

'' (1922) * '' Thirty Days'' (1922) * '' The Cheat'' (1923) * ''

The Call of the Canyon ''The Call of the Canyon'' is a 1923 American silent Western film directed by Victor Fleming and starring Richard Dix, Lois Wilson, and Marjorie Daw. Based on the novel ''The Call of the Canyon'' by Zane Grey, the film is about a returning wa ...

'' (1923) * '' Three Weeks'' (1924) * '' The Fighting Coward'' (1924) * ''

Changing Husbands ''Changing Husbands'' is a 1924 American silent comedy film starring Leatrice Joy and Victor Varconi, directed by Paul Iribe and Frank Urson, and written by Sada Cowan and Howard Higgin. The runtime of the film is 70 minutes. Cast Preservat ...

'' (1924) * ''

New Lives for Old ''New Lives for Old'' is a 1925 American silent drama film that was produced by Famous Players–Lasky, directed by Clarence G. Badger, and starred Betty Compson. Plot As described in a film magazine review, Olympe (Compson), a famous dancer, t ...

'' (1925) * ''

She Wolves ''She Wolves'' is a 1925 American silent drama film directed by Maurice Elvey and written by Dorothy Yost. It is based on the 1924 play ''The Man in Evening Clothes'' by André Picard and Yves Mirande. The film stars Alma Rubens, Jack Mulhall, ...

'' (1925) * ''

Siege A siege is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or a well-prepared assault. This derives from la, sedere, lit=to sit. Siege warfare is a form of constant, low-intensity conflict characteriz ...

'' (1925) * '' His Majesty, Bunker Bean'' (1925) * '' Compromise'' (1925) * '' Lady Windermere's Fan'' (1925) * '' Rose of the World'' (1925) * ''

The Reckless Sex ''The Reckless Sex'' is a 1925 American melodrama film directed by Alan James from a screenplay by Travers Wells. The film stars Madge Bellamy, William Collier Jr., and Wyndham Standing. Plot Robert Lanning Jr. is sent by his father in Boston ...

'' (1925) * '' His Jazz Bride'' (1926) * '' The Beautiful Cheat'' (1926) * '' The Man Upstairs'' (1926) * '' Fine Manners'' (1926) * ''

Meet the Prince ''Meet the Prince'' is a lost 1926 American comedy-drama silent film directed by Joseph Henabery and starring Joseph Schildkraut and Marguerite De La Motte. It was produced by Metropolitan Pictures Corporation and distributed by Producers Distri ...

'' (1926) * ''

'' (1926)

References

* ''The Los Angeles Times'', "Helen Dunbar's Funeral Rites Will Be Today", August 30, 1933, Page A8. * ''The New York Times'', "Helen Dunbar", August 30, 1933, Page 19.

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Dunbar, Helen American film actresses American silent film actresses Deaths from arthritis Actresses from Philadelphia 19th-century American actresses American stage actresses 20th-century American actresses 1863 births 1933 deaths Burials at Hollywood Forever Cemetery