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Fern Andra, Dowager Baroness von Weichs (born Vernal Edna Andrews, November 24, 1893 – February 8, 1974) was an American actress, film director, script writer, and producer. Next to
Henny Porten Frieda Ulricke "Henny" Porten (7 January 1890 – 15 October 1960) was a German actress and film producer of the silent era, and Germany's first major film star. She appeared in more than 170 films between 1906 and 1955. Biography Frieda Ulrick ...
and
Asta Nielsen The General Students' Committee (German: Allgemeiner Studierendenausschuss) or AStA, is the acting executive board and the external representing agency of the (constituted) student body at universities in most German states. It is therefore consid ...
, she was one of the most popular and well-known actresses in German silent film.


Biography

Vernal Edna Andrews was born in Watseka, Illinois, on November 24, 1893, the daughter of William P. Andrews and Sarah Emily Evett, also known as Sadie. Vernal was of English and Scottish descent on her father's side, while she was of English and German on her mother's. When William died in 1898, Sadie remarried Frank St. Clair, a vaudeville actor, circus performer and tight-rope walker. Andra was already appearing in public in a tightrope act by the age of four. She later trained in song and dance. As early as 1899, in New York, she made her first film, a version of '' Uncle Tom's Cabin''. However, she remained with the circus, with which she embarked on an extensive tour across the United States, Canada and Europe. For a time, she was a member of
Bird Millman Bird Millman O’Day (born Jennadean Engleman; October 20, 1890 – August 5, 1940“Bird Millman O'Day... Succumbs Here Monday Night after Long Illness”, ''Cañon City Daily Record'', August 6, 1940) was one of the most celebrated high-wire pe ...
's acclaimed troupe of wire artists. In Berlin she met Max Reinhardt, who gave her acting lessons. In 1913, aged 19, she appeared in her first German film, ''Das Ave Maria''. Still only moderately well known, she made her only Austrian film in 1915: ''Zwei Freunde''. From 1916 to 1918 she appeared almost exclusively on camera with Alfred Abel. In 1920 she starred in
Robert Wiene Robert Wiene (; 27 April 1873 – 17 July 1938) was a film director of the silent era of German cinema. He is particularly known for directing the German silent film ''The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari'' and a succession of other German Expressionism, ...
's expressionist
horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, apoca ...
''
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''. In the mid-1920s she lost her public appeal in Germany. Andra became a producer in Germany with Georg Glen as manager. The company produced more than 80 films during World War I. That effort ended after Nazis took control in the country. On July 4, 1922, she was involved in the Hamburg-Berlin mail plane accident. The pilot, Lothar von Richthofen, younger brother of World War I flying ace Manfred von Richthofen (the "Red Baron"), was killed. Andra was initially misreported as dead, but survived. Her companion, director
Georg Bluen Georg may refer to: * ''Georg'' (film), 1997 *Georg (musical), Estonian musical * Georg (given name) * Georg (surname) * , a Kriegsmarine coastal tanker See also * George (disambiguation) George may refer to: People * George (given name) * G ...
, also survived and continued working with her until 1925. Andra's activities on stage included acting at the Hollywood Playhouse in the 1930s. She also founded the Windsor Theater in Los Angeles. Her final stage appearance came in 1936. From 1928 she worked in the UK and the US, later expanding her range to include radio and television.


Marriages

Fern Andra was married four times; all of the unions were childless: * Baron Friedrich von und zu Weichs-Zur-Wenne (died in 1917) *
Ian Keith Ian Keith (born Keith Ross; February 27, 1899 – March 26, 1960) was an American actor. Early years Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Keith grew up in Chicago. He was educated at the Francis Parker School there and played Hamlet in a school p ...
(February 15, 1934 - May 18, 1935, divorce) * Gen. Samuel Edge Dockrell (1938–1973; his death)


Death

Fern Andra died in Aiken, South Carolina, on February 8, 1974, aged 80. She was interred at Cedar Hill Cemetery in
Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since the ...
.


Selected filmography

* ''
Spring Storms ''Spring Storms'' or ''Spring Storms in the Autumn of Life'' (German: ''Frühlingsstürme im Herbste des Lebens'') is a 1918 German silent drama film directed by and starring Fern Andra. It also features Josef Peterhans and Reinhold Schünzel.Bo ...
'' (1918) * ''
Crown and Whip ''Crown and Whip'' (German: ''Um Krone und Peitsche'') is a 1919 German silent film directed by Fern Andra and Georg Bluen and starring Andra, Olga Engl and Reinhold Schünzel.Bock & Bergfelder p.433 It premiered at the Marmorhaus in Berlin. Ca ...
'' (1919) * ''
Genuine Genuine may refer to: Companies *Genuine Parts Company, a Fortune 1000 company that was founded in 1928 *Genuine Scooters, a Chicago-based scooter manufacturer *Genuine Games, a video game company founded in early 2002 Music * ''Genuine'' (S ...
'' (1920) * '' Madame Récamier'' (1920) * '' The Night of Queen Isabeau'' (1920) * ''
The Dancer of Jaipur ''The Dancer of Jaipur'' (german: Saferndri, die Tänzerin von Dschiapu) is a 1920 German silent film directed by Georg Bluen and starring Fern Andra, Ernst Rückert and Paul Rehkopf.Caneppele p. 176 Cast * Fern Andra as Schlangentänzerin Safe ...
'' (1920) * '' Waves of Life and Love'' (1921) * '' Driving Force'' (1921) * ''
Prashna's Secret ''Prashna's Secret'' (german: Praschnas Geheimnis) is a 1922 German silent adventure film directed by Ludwig Baetz and starring Hermann Leffler, Fern Andra, and Leopold von Ledebur. The film's sets were designed by the art director Jacek Rotm ...
'' (1922) * ''
The Red Rider ''The Red Rider'' is a 1934 American Western film serial from Universal Pictures and starring Buck Jones. It has 15 chapters based on the short story "The Redhead from Sun Dog" by W. C. Tuttle, and is a remake of Buck Jones' earlier 1931 film ...
'' (1923) * ''
Love Is the Power of Women ''Love Is the Power of Women'' (german: Die Liebe ist der Frauen Macht) is a 1924 German silent drama film directed by Erich Engel and Georg Bluen and starring Fern Andra, Henri Peters-Arnolds, and Fred Immler. The film's sets were designed b ...
'' (1924) * ''
Za La Mort Za La Mort (also written as Za-La-Mort) is a fictional character who featured in a number of Italian films. Along with characters such as Maciste and Saetta, he was a pulp hero of the silent era. Ze La Mort was noted as a gentleman thief with an ...
'' (1924) * ''
Women of Passion ''Women of Passion'' (german: Frauen der Leidenschaft) is a 1926 German silent film directed by Rolf Randolf and starring Fern Andra, Ágnes Esterházy, and Henry Bender. The film's sets were designed by Robert A. Dietrich Robert A. Dietrich ( ...
'' (1926) * '' Radio Magic'' (1927) * '' Spangles'' (1928) * '' The Warning'' (1928) * ''
The Burgomaster of Stilemonde ''The Burgomaster of Stilemonde'' is a 1929 British silent drama film directed by George Banfield and starring John Martin Harvey, Fern Andra and Robert Andrews. It was made at Walthamstow Studios and on location in Belgium. It was based on ...
'' (1929) * ''
The Eyes of the World The Eyes of the World or Eyes of the World may refer to: Film *''The Eyes of the World'', 1917 American silent drama co-starring Jack Livingston, based on Harold Bell Wright's 1914 novel * ''The Eyes of the World'' (1920 film), German silent starri ...
'' (1930) * '' Lotus Lady'' (1930) * '' Waves of Life and Love'' (1921)


References


External links

*
Fern Andra's photos
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Andra, Fern 1893 births 1974 deaths 20th-century American actresses Burials at Cedar Hill Cemetery (Hartford, Connecticut) People from Watseka, Illinois Actresses from Illinois American expatriate actresses in Germany American film actresses American radio actresses American silent film actresses American stage actresses American television actresses American women film directors Women film pioneers