Ruth E. Hart (August 1886"United States Census, 1900", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSV1-LRT : Thu Apr 11 21:06:51 UTC 2024), Entry for Laura Hart and Ruth Hart, 1900."New York State Census, 1905", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SPXG-ZM2 : Fri Jul 26 14:33:21 UTC 2024), Entry for Louise F Hart and Ruth Hart, 1905."United States Census, 1910", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M593-ZNB : Mon Mar 11 00:13:58 UTC 2024), Entry for Laura Hart and Ruth Hart, 1910. – 2 May 1952), was an American film and stage actress. She appeared in over 30 films between

1909 Events January–February * January 4 – Explorer Aeneas Mackintosh of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition escapes death by fleeing across ice floes. * January 7 – Colombia recognizes the independence of Panama. * Janu ...

and

1914 This year saw the beginning of what became known as the First World War, after Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir to the Austrian throne was Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, assassinated by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip ...

, as well as the original

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

production of Thomas Dixon Jr.'s ''

The Clansman ''The Clansman: A Historical Romance of the Ku Klux Klan'' is a novel published in 1905, the second work in the Ku Klux Klan trilogy by Thomas Dixon Jr. (the others are '' The Leopard's Spots'' and '' The Traitor''). Chronicling the American Ci ...

''.

Biography

Born in

Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville ( ) is the most populous city proper in the U.S. state of Florida, located on the Atlantic coast of North Florida, northeastern Florida. It is the county seat of Duval County, Florida, Duval County, with which the City of Jacksonv ...

, Hart was the daughter of Robert Hart and Laura Swan. She began her career as a secretary to producer A. H. Woods. In 1906, she appeared on

in ''The Clansman'', adapted from the like-named novel by its author, Thomas Dixon Jr."Southern Girl in Dixie Role"
''The Philadelphia Inquirer''. May 13, 1906. p. 41. Retrieved December 4, 2024. Making what would prove to be her sole Broadway appearance, Hart was cast as the female lead, Nellie Stoneman. Aside from famously being the basis, almost a decade later, for

D. W. Griffith David Wark Griffith (January 22, 1875 – July 23, 1948) was an American film director. Considered one of the most influential figures in the history of the motion picture, he pioneered many aspects of film editing and expanded the art of the n ...

's ''

Birth of a Nation ''The Birth of a Nation'' is a 1915 American silent epic drama film directed by D. W. Griffith and starring Lillian Gish. The screenplay is adapted from Thomas Dixon Jr.'s 1905 novel and play '' The Clansman''. Griffith co-wrote the scr ...

'', the play evidently performed much the same function for Hart's film career, judging from the vast preponderance of Griffith titles amongst her confirmed screen appearances. In the meantime, Hart was seen performing the role throughout the United States in touring companies over the next two years.“Here Come the Clansmen: Thumbnail Portraits and Sketches of the Principal Actors”
‘’The Sedalia Democrat’’. January 5, 1908. p. 12. Retrieved November 12, 2024.

Personal life and death

In September 1918, Hart married producer Walter John Moore,"New York, County Marriages, 1847-1848; 1908-1936", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q28G-7NV8 : Thu Nov 07 22:42:33 UTC 2024), Entry for Walter J Moore and John Moore, 8 Sep 1918. with whom she had a daughter and two sons. On May 2, 1952, Hart died 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 ...

at age 65, survived by her husband and three children.

Selected filmography

*''

Nursing a Viper ''Nursing a Viper'' is a 1909 American silent short film by pioneer director D. W. Griffith. A paper print of the film survives in the Library of Congress. Cast * Arthur V. Johnson as The Husband *Marion Leonard as The Wife *Frank Powell as The Vi ...

'' (

) *''

Judith of Bethulia ''Judith of Bethulia'' (1914) is an American film starring Blanche Sweet and Henry B. Walthall, and produced and directed by D. W. Griffith, based on the play "Judith and the Holofernes" (1896) by Thomas Bailey Aldrich, which itself was an ada ...

'' (

)

References

External links

* * 1886 births 1952 deaths American film actresses American silent film actresses 20th-century American actresses {{US-film-actor-1880s-stub