Edythe Chapman (October 8, 1863 – October 15, 1948) was an American stage and

silent film A silent film is a film without 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

Rochester, New York Rochester is a city in and the county seat, seat of government of Monroe County, New York, United States. It is the List of municipalities in New York, fourth-most populous city and 10th most-populated municipality in New York, with a populati ...

, Chapman began her stage career as early as 1898 when she appeared in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

in ''The Charity Ball''. Chapman played maternal roles in numerous silent motion pictures and became known in the 1920s as ''Hollywood's Mother''. She played ''Ma Jones'' in the film version of '' Lightnin''' (1925), a screen production that featured Will Rogers. Edythe was ''Grandmother Janeway'' in ''Man Crazy'' (1927). The film starred Dorothy Mackaill and Jack Mulhall. Edythe Chapman in The Ten Commandments

Chapman came to Hollywood around 1909 with her husband, screen and stage actor James Neill. The two met in

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...

when Chapman was working in Neill's stock company. The couple got married in 1897 and soon began making movies with Cecil B. DeMille and other noteworthy directors and producers. They had leading roles in '' The Ten Commandments'' (1923), ''

Manslaughter Manslaughter is a common law legal term for homicide considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is sometimes said to have first been made by the ancient Athenian lawmaker Draco in the 7th ce ...

'' (1922), ''

The Little American ''The Little American'' is a 1917 American silent romantic war drama film directed by Cecil B. DeMille. The film stars Mary Pickford (who also served as producer) as an American woman who is in love with both a German soldier and a French ...

'' (1917), and other silent motion pictures. Neill died in 1931. The final movie in which Edythe appeared was ''Double Crossroads'' in 1930. Prior to this, she had a large role in '' Navy Blues'' (1929).

Death

Chapman Neill died in

Glendale, California Glendale is a city located primarily in the Verdugo Mountains region, with a small portion in the San Fernando Valley, of Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is located about north of downtown Los Angeles. As of 2024, Glendale ha ...

after a brief illness, a week past her 85th birthday. She was interred alongside her husband at Bonaventure Cemetery.Wilson, Scott. ''Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons'', 3d ed.: 2 (Kindle Locations 25047-25048). McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. Kindle Edition.

Partial filmography

*'' Richelieu'' (1914) (a lost film) *'' The Pretty Sister of Jose'' (1915) (lost) *'' The Golden Chance'' (1915) (directed by Demille) *''

The Heir to the Hoorah ''The Heir to the Hoorah'' is a surviving 1916 silent film produced by Jesse Lasky and released through Paramount Pictures. It was directed by William C. deMille. A print survives in the Library of Congress. Cast *Thomas Meighan - Joe Lacy *Ani ...

'' (1916) *'' Oliver Twist'' (1916) (lost) *'' A Mormon Maid'' (1917) *''

'' (1917) *'' The Crystal Gazer'' (1917) *'' Tom Sawyer'' (1917) *'' A Modern Musketeer'' (1917) *'' Huck and Tom'' (1918) *''

The Whispering Chorus ''The Whispering Chorus'' is a 1918 American silent film, silent Psychological drama (film genre), psychological drama film directed by Cecil B. DeMille. It is the first and earliest film considered a Psychological drama (subgenre), psychologi ...

'' (1918) (produced and directed by Demille) *'' Old Wives for New'' (1918) (uncredited) *'' Rose o' Paradise'' (1918) *'' The Only Road'' (1918) *'' Say! Young Fellow'' (1918) (lost) *'' Bound in Morocco'' (1918) (lost) *'' The Gypsy Trail'' (1918) * '' Unexpected Places'' (1918) *''

Faith Faith is confidence or trust in a person, thing, or concept. In the context of religion, faith is " belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion". According to the Merriam-Webster's Dictionary, faith has multiple definitions, inc ...

'' (1919) *'' The Winning Girl'' (1919) *'' The Twin Pawns'' (1919) *uncredited role *'' The Knickerbocker Buckaroo'' (1919) (lost) *'' An Innocent Adventuress'' (1919) *'' Secret Service'' (1919) *'' Flame of the Desert'' (1919) *'' Everywoman'' (1919) *'' The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come'' (1920) *'' Huckleberry Finn (1920) *'' A Double-Dyed Deceiver'' (1920) * '' Pinto'' (1920) *'' The County Fair'' (1920) *'' Bunty Pulls the Strings'' (1921) *'' A Tale of Two Worlds'' (1921) *'' One Wild Week'' (1921) (lost) *'' Bits of Life'' (1921) (lost) * '' A Wife's Awakening'' (1921) *''

Dangerous Curve Ahead ''Dangerous Curve Ahead'' is a 1921 American silent film, silent comedy film, comedy starring Helene Chadwick and Richard Dix. The film is considered to be lost films, lost. Plot As described in a film magazine, Phoebe Mabee (Chadwick) is a muc ...

'' (1921) (lost) *'' Alias Ladyfingers'' (1921) *'' Voices of the City'' (1921) (lost) *'' Saturday Night'' (1922) (lost) *'' Her Husband's Trademark'' (1922) *'' Beyond the Rocks'' (1922) *'' North of the Rio Grande'' (1922) *''

'' (1922) (directed by Demille) *'' My American Wife'' (1922) (lost) * '' Youth to Youth'' (1922) *'' Hollywood'' (1923) (cameo in lost film) *'' The Ten Commandments'' (1923) * ''

Chastity Chastity, also known as purity, is a virtue related to temperance. Someone who is ''chaste'' refrains from sexual activity that is considered immoral or from any sexual activity, according to their state of life. In some contexts, for exampl ...

'' (1923) * ''

Divorce Divorce (also known as dissolution of marriage) is the process of terminating a marriage or marital union. Divorce usually entails the canceling or reorganising of the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage, thus dissolving the M ...

'' (1923) * '' The Miracle Makers'' (1923) *'' The Shadow of the Desert'' (1924) (lost) *'' Daughters of Pleasure'' (1924) *'' Broken Barriers'' (1924) *'' In the Name of Love'' (1925) *'' Learning to Love'' (1925) * '' The Pride of the Force'' (1925) *'' Lightnin''' (1925) *'' Classified'' (1925) * '' Havoc'' (1925) *'' Lazybones'' (1925) *'' Soul Mates'' (1925) *'' Three Faces East'' (1926) *'' The Runaway'' (1926) *'' The Boob'' (1926) *'' The King of Kings'' (1927) (uncredited in Demille-directed film) *'' Naughty but Nice'' (1927) *'' The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg'' (1927) (uncredited) *'' American Beauty'' (1927) *'' Man Crazy'' (1927) *'' Happiness Ahead'' (1928) *'' Heart Trouble'' (1928) *'' Three Weekends'' (1928) *'' The Count of Ten'' (1928) * '' The Shepherd of the Hills'' (1928) *'' Synthetic Sin'' (1929) *'' Twin Beds'' (1929) *'' The Idle Rich'' (1929) *'' Navy Blues'' (1929) * '' Take the Heir'' (1930)

References

External links

*
photo gallery, by the window with husband James Neill
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chapman, Edythe 1863 births 1948 deaths 19th-century American actresses 20th-century American actresses American film actresses American stage actresses Actresses from Rochester, New York burials in Georgia