Mae Charlotte Dahlberg (24 May 1888 – 1969), also known as Mae Laurel, was an Australian-born

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment which began in France in the middle of the 19th century. A ''vaudeville'' was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a drama ...

performer and actress. She was

Stan Laurel Stan Laurel ( ; born Arthur Stanley Jefferson; 16 June 1890 – 23 February 1965) was an English comic actor, director and writer who was in the comedy double act, duo Laurel and Hardy. He appeared with his comedy partner Oliver Hardy in 107 sh ...

's professional partner and

common-law wife Common-law marriage, also known as non-ceremonial marriage, marriage, informal marriage, de facto marriage, more uxorio or marriage by habit and repute, is a marriage that results from the parties' agreement to consider themselves married, follo ...

from 1917 to 1925.

Childhood and career in Australia

She was born May Dahlberg on 24 May 1888 in the inner

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

suburb of

Brunswick, Victoria Brunswick is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia, north of Melbourne's Melbourne city centre, Central Business District, located within the City of Merri-bek Local government areas of Victoria, local go ...

, Australia, to Mary Jane (née Gundry) and labourer Louis Dahlberg. By 1905, she had begun to earn a reputation performing as a singer and dancer on the Australian stage, with positive reviews. In 1906, she married baritone and fellow performer Rupert Cuthbert while in Hobart, Tasmania. A child, Rupert Clifton Saxe Cuthbert, was born of the union in 1908, in Melbourne. In about 1913, Dahlberg and Cuthbert sailed for the United States.

Career in the U.S.

Dahlberg and Cuthbert's personal and professional relationship apparently did not last. While performing in a "sister act" in California, Dahlberg met and formed a variety act with

. In 1917 she played in a comedy short, ''

Nuts in May Nuts in May may refer to: * "Nuts in May" (''Play for Today'') * "Nuts in May" (rhyme) * ''Nuts in May'' (film) * ''Nuts in May'' (novel) {{Disambiguation ...

'', notable as the screen debut of Stan Laurel (credited as Stan Jefferson). Mae Dahlberg is credited as "Mae Laurel" in several of her films. Though Stan and Mae never married, as professional partners they lived together as common-law husband and wife from 1917 to 1925. Mae maintained that it was she who suggested Stan change his name to Laurel. By 1924, Laurel had given up the stage for full-time film work under contract with

Joe Rock Joe Rock (born Joseph Simberg, December 25, 1893 – December 5, 1984) was an American film producer, director, actor,Obituary '' Variety'', December 12, 1984, page 63. and screenwriter. He produced a series of 12 two reel short subject comedies ...

for 12 two-reel comedies. The contract had one stipulation: Dahlberg was not to appear in any of the films. Rock thought her temperament was hindering Laurel's career. In 1925, when she started interfering with Laurel's work, Rock offered her a cash settlement and a one-way ticket back to her Australia, which she accepted. Her last film had been '' Wide Open Spaces'', made for

Hal Roach Harold Eugene "Hal" Roach Sr. Skretvedt, Randy (2016), ''Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies'', Bonaventure Press. p.608. (January 14, 1892 – November 2, 1992) was an American film and television producer, director and screenwriter, ...

in 1924 with Laurel and fellow Australian

Ena Gregory Ena Jessie Gregory (18 April 1907 – 13 June 1993), also known as Marian Douglas, was an Australian-American actress who achieved fame in Hollywood in the 1920s. Childhood Ena Gregory was born Ena Jessie Gregory to Arthur and Jessie Gregory in ...

in the leading roles. Dahlberg returned to the U.S. a few years later, and in November 1937, she sued the now successful Stan Laurel for financial support. The matter was settled out of court.''San Bernardino Sun'', Volume 44, 7 December 1937, Page 4, "Stan Laurels in Agreement"
Accessed 2017-4-15 She was described as a "relief project worker" by the court. Although Dahlberg appears to have lived in Melbourne again for some time during the 1940s, she returned to the United States again. She died in New York in 1969.

Filmography

Film

Television

References

Bibliography

* Bergan, Ronald. ''The Life and Times of Laurel and Hardy.'' New York: Smithmark, 1992. .

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Dahlberg, Mae 1888 births 1969 deaths 20th-century American actresses 20th-century Australian actresses 20th-century American comedians 20th-century Australian comedians Actresses from Melbourne American film actresses American silent film actresses American stage actresses Australian film actresses Australian silent film actresses Australian stage actresses Australian emigrants to the United States Silent film comedians American vaudeville performers Australian vaudeville performers People from Brunswick, Victoria Australian women comedians Comedians from Melbourne