Etta Lee Frost (September 12, 1906 – October 27, 1956) was an American

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, known for supporting roles.

Early life

Etta Lee Frost was born on September 12, 1906, in

Kauai Kauai (), anglicized as Kauai ( or ), is one of the main Hawaiian Islands. It has an area of 562.3 square miles (1,456.4 km2), making it the fourth-largest of the islands and the 21st-largest island in the United States. Kauai lies 73 m ...

, Territory of Hawaii (now

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...

), as the daughter of Martin B. Frost. Her father was a Chinese medical doctor and her mother was of French ancestry. She had a sister, Ella Deverill, and grew up in California and went on to get her degree in education at

Occidental College Occidental College (informally Oxy) is a private liberal arts college in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1887 as a coeducational college by clergy and members of the Presbyterian Church, it became non-sectarian in 1910. It is ...

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

. Lee moved back to Hawaii to be a teacher, before returning to Los Angeles to begin her career as an actress.

Career

Lee's first film was ''

A Tale of Two Worlds ''A Tale of Two Worlds'' is a 1921 American silent drama film produced and distributed by Goldwyn Pictures and directed by Frank Lloyd. The film stars several well-known actors including Leatrice Joy, Wallace Beery, Edythe Chapman, and J. Frank ...

'' in 1921, where she played Ah Fah, a Chinese maid. She played another Chinese maid named Liu in the 1923 film ''

The Remittance Woman ''The Remittance Woman'' is a 1923 American silent drama film directed by Wesley Ruggles and starring Ethel Clayton, Rockliffe Fellowes, and Mario Carillo. A remittance man (or woman) was one sent away from home (usually Britain) to avoid shame ...

'', a maid in ''

The Untameable ''The Untameable'' is a 1923 American silent drama film directed by Herbert Blaché and starring Gladys Walton, Malcolm McGregor, and John St. Polis. It is based on the 1907 novel ''The White Cat'' by Gelett Burgess. Plot As described in the ...

'' (1923), ''

A Thief in Paradise A Thief in Paradise may refer to: * ''A Thief in Paradise'' (1925 film), an American silent drama film * ''A Thief in Paradise'' (1952 film), an Italian comedy film {{DEFAULTSORT:Thief in Paradise, A ...

'' (1925), '' The Trouble with Wives'' (1925), and '' International House'' (1933). Other so-called exotic roles she was cast in included The Slave of the Sand Board in '' The Thief of Bagdad'' (1924). In 1923, she was called the only Eurasian girl in films. Lee directly commented on the lack of diversity in her roles in an article in 1924. She noted that "I am equipped…to show oriental impulse and emotional complexities. But in this field I have not yet had opportunity." She went on to discuss that even in terms of getting roles meant for Chinese women, she was often turned down because she was of mixed race and did not look Chinese enough. She made her first stage debut in the summer of 1927, with a production of ''The Scarlet Virgin'' in Los Angeles.

Personal life

In 1932, Lee married Frank Robinson Brown, a Welsh-born radio announcer and columnist, and retired from acting afterward. She became active in her community following retirement, becoming chairwoman of the Eureka Woman's Club. She was also an active member of the Episcopal Church. Lee died at her residence in

Eureka, California Eureka ( ; Wiyot: ; Hupa: ; ) is a city and the county seat of Humboldt County, located on the North Coast of California. The city is located on U.S. Route 101 on the shores of Humboldt Bay, north of San Francisco and south of the Oreg ...

, on October 27, 1956, at the age of 50. She was survived by her husband, sister, and two nephews.

Filmography

Film

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Etta 1906 births 1956 deaths Occidental College alumni American silent film actresses 20th-century American actresses Actresses from Hawaii Actresses from Los Angeles American actresses of Chinese descent American people of French descent Episcopalians from California People from the Territory of Hawaii Protestants from Hawaii