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, engraver, early industrialist, Sons of Liberty member, and Patriot and Founding Father. He is best known for his midnight ride to al ...

. Sampson's parents married in 1885, around five years after her mother had emigrated from Ireland. 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 motion pictures. She was best known for her rendition of " In the Good Old Summer Time." Early l ...

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 na ...

in motion pictures made in New York and later Hollywood. Sympathy Sal (1915) - 1

Teddy Sampson's earliest known film, D. W. Griffith's ''

The Life of General Villa ''The Life of General Villa'' (1914) is a silent biographical action–drama film starring Pancho Villa as himself, shot on location during a civil war. The film incorporated both staged scenes and authentic live footage from real battles ...

'' (1914), featured

Pancho Villa Francisco "Pancho" Villa (, Orozco rebelled in March 1912, both for Madero's continuing failure to enact land reform and because he felt insufficiently rewarded for his role in bringing the new president to power. At the request of Madero's c ...

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 some Hollywood films, including '' The Chronicles of Riddick'' (2004), '' ...

played Sampson in the

HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, 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 ba ...

film ''

And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself ''And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself'' is a 2003 American made-for-television western film for HBO in partnership with City Entertainment and starring Antonio Banderas as Pancho Villa, directed by Bruce Beresford, written by Larry Gelbart and p ...

'' (2003). Sampson went on to play in

Christie Comedies Christie Film Company was an American pioneer motion picture company founded in Hollywood, California by Al Christie and Charles Christie, two brothers from London, Ontario, Canada. It made comedies. While Charles served almost exclusively in ad ...

, "Smiling Bill" Parson Comedies, and in a number of films starring her husband, comedian

Ford Sterling Ford Sterling (born George Ford Stich Jr.; 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. Biography ...

. 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 ''The Outlaw's Revenge'' is a 1915 silent American biographical drama film, directed by Christy Cabanne. It stars Raoul Walsh, Irene Hunt, and Teddy Sampson, and was released on April 15, 1915. Cast list * Raoul Walsh as the outlaw * Irene Hunt ...

'' (1915) *'' Sympathy Sal'' (1915) * '' The Fatal Glass of Beer'' (1916) * '' As in a Looking Glass'' (1916) * ''

The Weakness of Man ''The Weakness of Man'' is a lost 1916 silent film drama directed by Barry O'Neil. It stars Holbrook Blinn and is based on the 1911 play ''The Living Corpse'' by Leo Tolstoy. It was produced by William A. Brady and distributed by World Film Comp ...

'' (1916) * '' Hickory Hiram'' (1918) * ''

Her American Husband ''Her American Husband'' is a 1918 American silent drama film directed by E. Mason Hopper and starring Teddy Sampson, Darrell Foss and Leota Lorraine.Connelly p.360 Cast * Teddy Sampson as Cherry Blossom * Darrell Foss as Herbert Franklyn * ...

'' (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 early ...

'' (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 Vaudeville performers American stage actresses Actresses from New York City Burials at San Fernando Mission Cemetery 20th-century American actresses Revere family