Nora Sampson (August 8, 1895 – November 24, 1970), known professionally as Teddy Sampson, was an American stage and silent film actress who appeared in at least forty-one motion pictures between 1914 and 1923.

Biography

Nora Sampson was born in New York City, the sixth of seven children raised by Revere and Mary Sampson. Her father, who worked for a New York cab company, was a great-great grandson of the American patriot

Paul Revere Paul Revere (; December 21, 1734 O.S. (January 1, 1735 N.S.)May 10, 1818) was an American silversmith, military officer and industrialist who played a major role during the opening months of the American Revolutionary War in Massachusetts, ...

. Sampson's parents married in 1885, around five years after her mother had emigrated from

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

. Sampson began her stage career with a two-year run in Gus Edwards’ vaudeville skit " School Days" and later a season with

Blanche Ring Blanche Ring (April 24, 1871 – January 13, 1961) was an American singer and actress in Broadway theatre productions, musicals, and Hollywood (film industry), Hollywood motion pictures. She was best known for her rendition of "In the Good ...

in "Wall Street Girls". After appearing in the comedy show “When Claudius Smiles” Sampson began her film career under the direction of

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 ...

in motion pictures made in New York and later Hollywood. Teddy Sampson's earliest known film, D. W. Griffith's ''

The Life of General Villa ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...

'' (1914), featured

Pancho Villa Francisco "Pancho" Villa ( , , ; born José Doroteo Arango Arámbula; 5 June 1878 – 20 July 1923) was a Mexican revolutionary and prominent figure in the Mexican Revolution. He was a key figure in the revolutionary movement that forced ...

as himself with Sampson in the role of one of his sisters. Nearly 90 years later, actress

Alexa Davalos Alexa Davalos Dunas (born May 28, 1982) is an American actress. Her early role as Gwen Raiden on the fourth season of the TV series ''Angel'' (2002–03) was followed by other television roles and some Hollywood films, including '' The Chronic ...

played Sampson in the

HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...

film ''

And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself ''And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself'' is a 2003 American Western biographical drama television film directed by Bruce Beresford, written by Larry Gelbart, and starring Antonio Banderas as Pancho Villa. The cast also includes Alan Arkin, Jim Br ...

'' (2003). Sampson went on to play in Christie Comedies, "Smiling Bill" Parson Comedies, and in a number of films starring her husband, comedian

Ford Sterling Ford Sterling (born George Stitch; November 3, 1883 – October 13, 1939) was an American comedian and actor best known for his work with Keystone Studios. One of the 'Big 4', he was the original chief of the Keystone Cops. Early years Sterli ...

. Her marriage to Sterling, though at times rocky, lasted some 25 years and only ended after his death in 1939. Teddy Sampson died in Los Angeles more than 30 years later on November 24, 1970.Teddy Sterling –Social Security Death Index – Ancestry.com

Partial filmography

* ''

'' (1914) * '' The Slave Girl'' (1915) * '' The Pretty Sister of Jose'' (1915) * '' The Outlaw's Revenge'' (1915) *'' Sympathy Sal'' (1915) * '' The Fatal Glass of Beer'' (1916) * '' As in a Looking Glass'' (1916) * '' The Weakness of Man'' (1916) * '' Hickory Hiram'' (1918) * '' Her American Husband'' (1918) * ''

Bits of Life ''Bits of Life'' is a 1921 American film produced and directed by Marshall Neilan. The cast included Lon Chaney and Noah Beery, Sr. For her performance in this film, Anna May Wong received her first screen credit. It is notable as an ear ...

'' (1921) * '' The Chicken in the Case'' (1921) * '' Outcast'' (1922) * '' The Bad Man'' (1923)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sampson, T 1895 births 1970 deaths American silent film actresses American vaudeville performers American stage actresses Actresses from New York City Burials at San Fernando Mission Cemetery 20th-century American actresses Revere family