Vivian Louise Martin (July 22, 1891 – March 16, 1987) was an American stage and

silent film A silent film is a film without synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...

actress.

Early life and career

Born and raised in

Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is the largest city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States. With a population of 198,917 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 200,117 in 2024, Grand Rapids is the List of municipalities ...

, Martin was the daughter of Grace Gibbs and actor George Herbert Martin. She began her career as a child actress on the stage with comedian Lew Fields. In 1901, at age 10, Martin made her stage debut alongside

Richard Mansfield Richard Mansfield (24 May 1857 – 30 August 1907) was a German-born English actor-manager best known for his performances in Shakespeare plays, Gilbert and Sullivan operas, and the play ''Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1887 play), Dr. Jekyll and Mr ...

in ''Cyrano de Bergerac''. Two years later, she played the title character in ''

Little Lord Fauntleroy ''Little Lord Fauntleroy'' is a children's novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It was published as a serial in ''St. Nicholas Magazine'' from November 1885 to October 1886, then as a book by Charles Scribner's Sons, Scribner's (the publisher of ...

''. Other early stage credits include ''Stop Thief'', ''Officer 666'', and ''The Only Son'', as well as the title role in ''

Peter Pan Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythical ...

'', which Martin played for two years after succeeding

Maude Adams Maude Ewing Adams Kiskadden (November 11, 1872 – July 17, 1953), known professionally as Maude Adams, was an American actress and stage designer who achieved her greatest success as the character Peter Pan, first playing the role in the 190 ...

."Among the Movie Stars: Vivian Martin"
''The Brooklyn Citizen''. January 26, 1921. p. 8. Retrieved January 17, 2025. Her work on Broadway began with ''Tom Moore'' (1901) and ended with ''Marry the Man'' (1929). A blonde, Martin entered the motion picture industry in 1914. Her first role was in ''The Wishing Ring: An Idyll of Old England'' (1914) for the World Film Company, in which she played Sally, a parson's daughter. Martin subsequently became a contract player for the Famous Players Film Company, where she achieved popularity as a rival to

Mary Pickford Gladys Louise Smith (April 8, 1892 – May 29, 1979), known professionally as Mary Pickford, was a Canadian-American film actress and producer. A Canadian pioneers in early Hollywood, pioneer in the American film industry with a Hollywood care ...

. Among her other credits are ''The Third Kiss'' (1919), ''Her Official Fiancee'' (1919), ''The Innocent Adventuress'' (1919), and ''Louisiana'' (1919). She made forty-four movies in all, including some for the

Fox Film Corporation The Fox Film Corporation (also known as Fox Studios) was an American independent company that produced motion pictures and was formed in 1914 by the theater "chain" pioneer William Fox (producer), William Fox. It was the corporate successor to ...

. In the early 1920s, Martin started her own production company and released her films through the Goldwyn Corporation. Her career entered into a downward spiral soon afterwards as a result of a lawsuit for payment of studio rentals. Although eventually settled out of court, the case did irreparable damage to her standing among her peers. In April 1921 Martin left movies and returned to the stage. Her theatrical revival began with a three-act comedy entitled ''First Night Out'' by Adelaide Matthews and Ann Nichols. Several of Martin's early and rare films survive at the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...

Personal life and death

On May 11, 1913, the 21-year-old Martin married actor William Jefferson, son of Joseph Jefferson and former husband of actress Christie MacDonald. They divorced in 1920."Actress to Mary Composer"
''St. Louis Globe-Democrat''. February 28, 1926. p. 3. Retrieved January 17, 2025. From February 28, 1926, until his death in March 1938, Martin's husband was advertising writer, magazine editor, radio executive, and erstwhile composer Arthur Hiram Samuels."Arthur H. Samuels Last Rites Today"
''The Brooklyn Eagle''. March 21, 1938. p. 9. Retrieved January 17, 2025. Martin died in New York City in 1987, aged 95. A paid death notice in the ''New York Times'' acknowledged her longstanding association with the

Professional Children's School The Professional Children's School (PCS) is a not-for-profit, college-preparatory school geared toward working and aspiring child actors and dancers in grades four through twelve. The school was founded in New York City in 1914 to provide an ac ...

in New York, both as kindred spirit/role model and generous financial donor.

Filmography

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*'' The Wishing Ring'' (1914) *''Old Dutch'' (1915) *''The Arrival of Perpetua'' (1915) *''An Indian Diamond'' (1915) *''The Little Miss Brown'' (1915) *''The Little Dutch Girl'' (1915) *''The Little Mademoiselle'' (1915) *'' The Butterfly on the Wheel'' (1915) *''Over Night'' (1915) *''Merely Mary Ann'' (1916) * '' A Modern Thelma'' (1916) *'' The Stronger Love'' (1916) *'' Her Father's Son'' (1916) *'' The Right Direction'' (1916) *'' The Wax Model'' (1917) *'' The Spirit of Romance'' (1917) *'' The Girl at Home'' (1917) *'' Giving Becky a Chance'' (1917) *'' Forbidden Paths'' (1917) *'' A Kiss for Susie'' (1917) *'' Little Miss Optimist'' (1917) *'' The Trouble Buster'' (1917) *'' The Sunset Trail'' (1917) *'' Molly Entangled'' (1917) *'' The Fair Barbarian'' (1917) *'' A Petticoat Pilot'' (1918) *'' Unclaimed Goods'' (1918) *'' Viviette'' (1918) *'' Her Country First'' (1918) *'' Mirandy Smiles'' (1918) *'' Jane Goes A-Wooing'' (1919) *'' You Never Saw Such a Girl'' (1919) *'' Little Comrade'' (1919) *'' The Home Town Girl'' (1919) *''

An Innocent Adventuress ''An Innocent Adventuress'' is a lost 1919 American silent comedy film directed by Robert G. Vignola and written by Clara Genevieve Kennedy. The film stars Vivian Martin, Lloyd Hughes, Edythe Chapman, Gertrude Norman, Jane Wolfe, and Tom Ba ...

'' (1919) *''

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

'' (1919) *'' The Third Kiss'' (1919) *'' His Official Fiancée'' (1919) *''Husbands and Wives'' (1920) *'' The Song of the Soul'' (1920) *''Mother Eternal'' (1921) *'' Pardon My French'' (1921) * '' Soiled'' (1925) *''Folies Bergere de Paris'' (1934) (uncredited role)

References

External links

* *
Silent Ladies and Gents
features pictures of Vivian Martin
''Vivian Martin'' portrait gallery at NY Public Library, Billy Rose collection
{{DEFAULTSORT:Martin, Vivian 1891 births 1987 deaths American film actresses American silent film actresses American stage actresses Actresses from Grand Rapids, Michigan 20th-century American actresses People from Grand Rapids, Michigan Broadway theatre people