American movie stars died in 1955
Here are 20 famous actresses from United States of America died in 1955:
Rose Stahl
Rose Stahl (November 27, 1870 Chicago-November 27, 2014) was an American actor.
Rose Stahl began her career as a stage actress and appeared in many plays in the early 20th century. She transitioned to films in the silent era and starred in several popular movies of that time. Stahl was known for her natural acting style and was considered one of the most talented actresses of her generation. She retired from acting in the 1930s but continued to live a long and fulfilling life, passing away on her 144th birthday in 2014.
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Rose Plumer
Rose Plumer (January 19, 1876 Fresno-March 3, 1955 Hollywood) a.k.a. Rose Plummer or Rose Lincoln Plumer was an American actor.
She began her career in vaudeville before transitioning to the silent film industry in the early 1910s. Plumer worked with several major studios during her career, including Universal and Fox Film Corporation. She appeared in over 100 films, often playing supporting roles such as maids or housekeepers. Plumer was also a member of the Screen Actors Guild and took active roles in advocating for better working conditions for actors in the industry. In addition to her work on screen, she was also a talented pianist and composed music for both film and theater productions. Plumer passed away in 1955 at the age of 79 in Hollywood, California.
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Gertrude Le Brandt
Gertrude Le Brandt (July 1, 1863 Illinois-August 28, 1955 Hollywood) a.k.a. Gertrude Le Brant, Gertrude La Brandt or Gertrude Anna Keefe was an American actor.
She began her acting career in the 1890s and appeared in many stage productions, including several with the famous actor Richard Mansfield. In the early 1900s, she began appearing in silent films and was featured in over 100 movies throughout her career. She often played supporting roles, but was known for her versatility and ability to play a wide range of characters. Later in her career, she became a character actor and was often cast as a grandmother or spinster. Le Brandt was a founding member of the Actors' Equity Association and was active in advocating for actors' rights. She retired from acting in the mid-1930s, but continued to work as a drama coach and mentor to young actors.
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Myra Keaton
Myra Keaton (March 13, 1877 Modale-July 21, 1955 Los Angeles) a.k.a. Myra Edith Cutler was an American actor and vaudeville performer. She had three children, Buster Keaton, Louise Keaton and Harry Keaton.
Myra Keaton began her career in show business as a member of a family act with her husband Joe Keaton and their son Buster. The trio traveled across the United States performing vaudeville and comedy routines. Myra often played the straight man to her husband and son's comedic antics.
Aside from her work in the family act, Myra also appeared in a number of silent films, often playing supporting roles. Her film credits include "The Saphead" (1920), "The Cameraman" (1928), and "Spite Marriage" (1929).
Myra and Joe Keaton divorced in 1930, and she retired from show business soon after. She spent her later years living in California with her children and grandchildren, including her famous son Buster Keaton. Myra Keaton passed away in 1955 at the age of 78.
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Lydia Knott
Lydia Knott (October 1, 1866 Tyner-March 30, 1955 Woodland Hills) was an American actor. Her child is called Lambert Hillyer.
Lydia Knott was born on October 1, 1866, in Tyner, Indiana. She began her acting career in her teens and went on to perform in various plays, vaudeville shows, and silent films. Knott's most notable role was in the 1925 film "The Phantom of the Opera" opposite Lon Chaney Sr.
Aside from her acting career, Knott was also a writer and playwright. She wrote scripts for stage productions and even adapted some of her own work for film. Her play "From Rags to Riches" was a hit and later adapted into a silent film.
Knott's only child, Lambert Hillyer, also became a filmmaker and director. He directed over 150 films in his career, including some of the earliest superhero films such as "The Vigilante" and "Batman" in the 1940s.
After retiring from acting, Knott lived out her final years in Woodland Hills, California. She passed away on March 30, 1955, at the age of 88.
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Grace Hartman
Grace Hartman (January 7, 1907 San Francisco-August 8, 1955 Van Nuys) otherwise known as Grace Barrett or Paul and Grace was an American actor. Her child is called Ted Hartman.
Grace Hartman began her career as an actor in the 1920s and went on to appear in numerous films and TV shows throughout the 1940s and 1950s. She also performed on stage, including in several Broadway productions. Hartman was known for her comedic roles and had a talent for physical comedy. In addition to acting, she also recorded several songs and appeared on radio programs. Hartman's personal life was marked by several marriages and a turbulent relationship with her son, Ted Hartman. She passed away at the age of 48 due to a heart attack. Despite her relatively short life and career, Grace Hartman left an indelible mark on the American entertainment industry.
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Nana Bryant
Nana Bryant (November 23, 1888 Cincinnati-December 24, 1955 Hollywood) also known as Lena Bullock was an American actor.
She began her career in vaudeville and made her film debut in 1935. Bryant appeared in over 100 films throughout her career, often playing matronly roles. Some of her notable roles include "The Shop Around the Corner" (1940) and "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" (1947). In addition to her acting career, Bryant also worked as a drama teacher, instructing young actors at prestigious institutions such as the Pasadena Playhouse. She passed away in 1955 of a heart attack.
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Dorothy Bernard
Dorothy Bernard (July 25, 1890 Port Elizabeth-December 14, 1955 Hollywood) a.k.a. Nora Dorothy Bernard or Dot Bernard was an American actor. Her child is called Marjorie "Midge" Van Buren.
Dorothy Bernard began her career on the stage before transitioning to film in the silent era. She appeared in over 85 films between 1915 and 1929, often playing dramatic leading roles. She was known for her expressive face and ability to convey complex emotions on screen. Bernard also worked as a writer, director, and producer in the film industry. She co-wrote several films with her husband, director Christy Cabanne. Bernard retired from acting in the early 1930s but continued to work behind the scenes in Hollywood. She passed away in 1955 at the age of 65.
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Lynne Carver
Lynne Carver (September 13, 1916 Birmingham-August 12, 1955 New York City) also known as Virginia Reid Sampson, Virginia Reed or Virginia Reid was an American actor.
She got her start in the entertainment industry as a model before transitioning to acting. She appeared in over 80 films during her career, including "Topper Takes a Trip" and "Captive Wild Woman." Carver was also a talented singer and performed in several musical films. She was married three times, first to fellow actor William Marshall, then to producer Edward Lasker, and finally to businessman Arthur M. Loew Jr. Sadly, Carver passed away at the age of 38 due to complications from a brain tumor.
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Gretchen Lederer
Gretchen Lederer (May 23, 1891 Cologne-December 20, 1955 Anaheim) also known as Gretchen Schwallenback was an American actor. She had one child, LeRoy Lederer.
Gretchen Lederer began her acting career in silent films in the early 1910s. She appeared in numerous films throughout the silent era and into the talkie era of the 1930s. Lederer also appeared in Broadway productions, including "The Cat and the Fiddle" in 1932. In addition to her acting career, Lederer was an advocate for women's rights and co-founded the Hollywood Women's Club. During World War II, she worked as a volunteer nurse's aide. Lederer continued acting until her death in 1955, appearing on television shows such as "I Love Lucy" and "The Red Skelton Hour."
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Ora Carew
Ora Carew (August 13, 1893 Salt Lake City-October 26, 1955 Los Angeles) also known as Ora Whytock or Ora Whytock Carew was an American actor.
Carew began her career as a child actress in vaudeville before transitioning to the silent film industry. She appeared in over 100 films throughout her career, often playing leading lady roles opposite popular actors of the time. She worked with directors such as Cecil B. DeMille and D.W. Griffith and was known for her natural acting style. In addition to her work in films, Carew also worked on stage productions and radio programs. She retired from acting in the 1940s and passed away in 1955 at the age of 62.
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Theda Bara
Theda Bara (July 29, 1885 Cincinnati-April 7, 1955 Los Angeles) a.k.a. Theodosia Burr Goodman, The Vamp, Theo, Theda, Bara, Serpent of the Nile, Theodosia Goodman, Theo DeCoppet or Theda Bara Brabin was an American actor.
She was one of the most iconic film stars of the silent era in Hollywood, and was known for her seductive and mysterious onscreen persona. Bara's most famous roles were in the early 1900s when she played the vamp in silent films such as A Fool There Was and Cleopatra. Despite being considered one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood at the time, little of her work survives today due to silent film preservation conventions. She retired from acting in the mid-1920s and later pursued a career in stage acting and writing.
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Alice Joyce
Alice Joyce (October 1, 1890 Kansas City-October 9, 1955 Hollywood) a.k.a. The Madonna of the Screen was an American actor. She had two children, Alice Moore and Peggy Harris.
Joyce began her career in the silent film era and quickly gained recognition for her acting skills. She appeared in over 200 films including "The Green Goddess" (1923), "The Unknown" (1927), and "The Pilgrim" (1923).
She was known for her versatility in playing a range of roles, from dramatic to comedic. Joyce worked with top directors of her time, including D.W. Griffith and Cecil B. DeMille.
Joyce's career declined with the advent of sound in film, and she retired from acting in the early 1930s. She made a brief comeback in the 1940s with two supporting roles in "The Great Lie" (1941) and "My Wild Irish Rose" (1947).
Despite her success in Hollywood, Joyce faced personal struggles in her personal life, including a difficult marriage and financial troubles. She passed away in 1955 at the age of 65 from a heart attack.
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Janet Beecher
Janet Beecher (October 21, 1884 Jefferson City-August 6, 1955 Washington) also known as Janet Meysenburg or Janet Meyersburg was an American actor. She had one child, Richard Beecher.
Janet Beecher was born in Jefferson City, Missouri in 1884. She grew up in a family of performers; her father was a stage actor and her mother was a singer. Beecher began her own acting career in the early 1900s, appearing on Broadway and in touring productions.
Beecher is best known for her work in silent films, in which she appeared in over 40 films. Her most famous role was in the 1919 film "Daddy-Long-Legs," in which she played the lead character's benefactor.
In addition to her acting work, Beecher was involved in the women's suffrage movement and was an active member of the Actors' Equity Association. She passed away in 1955 in Washington, D.C.
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Rita Carewe
Rita Carewe (September 9, 1909 New York City-October 22, 1955 Torrance) a.k.a. Violette Carewe was an American actor.
Rita Carewe started her career in silent films in the 1920s and later transitioned to talking pictures. She was known for her beauty and grace on screen and was often cast in romantic roles. Carewe appeared in several notable films such as "The Ace of Cads" (1926), "The Showdown" (1928), and "Rio Rita" (1929). She was also known for her singing and dancing abilities. Despite her popularity, Carewe's career started to decline in the 1930s due to personal issues and she retired from acting in the mid-1930s. She later returned to acting briefly in the 1940s. Carewe died of cancer at the age of 46.
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Trixie Friganza
Trixie Friganza (November 29, 1870 Grenola-February 27, 1955 La Cañada Flintridge) a.k.a. Delia O'Callaghan, The Perpetual Flapper, The Cincinnati Girl or The Champagne Girl was an American actor.
She was known for her comedic roles in vaudeville and on Broadway, and was one of the most popular and highest-paid performers of her time. Friganza was also an early advocate for women's suffrage, using her platform to speak out on social issues. In addition to her stage career, she appeared in several early silent films and made numerous radio appearances. She continued to perform well into her 70s, and was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960.
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May Collins
May Collins (May 26, 1903 East Orange-May 6, 1955 Fairfield) was an American actor.
May Collins began her acting career in the early 1920s in stage productions and starred in several Broadway plays, including "The Camel Through the Needle's Eye" and "A Damsel in Distress". She then made the transition to film in the late 1920s, appearing in supporting roles in several silent films. She gained recognition for her work in the film "The Big Trail" (1930) opposite John Wayne.
Collins continued to act in films throughout the 1930s, appearing in movies such as "The Girl from 10th Avenue" (1935) and "Holiday" (1938). She also worked in radio, performing in programs like "Cavalcade of America" and "The Lux Radio Theatre".
During World War II, Collins put her acting career on hold to serve in the Women's Army Corps. After the war, she returned to acting and appeared in several films and television shows during the 1950s, including a recurring role on the popular TV series, "The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok".
May Collins was married to actor Roscoe Karns and the couple had two children, but they later divorced. She passed away at the age of 51 from a heart attack in Fairfield, Connecticut.
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Ona Munson
Ona Munson (June 16, 1903 Portland-February 11, 1955 New York City) a.k.a. Owena Wolcott was an American actor.
She began her career in vaudeville and later transitioned to film, receiving critical acclaim for her roles in "The Shanghai Gesture" (1941) and "The Red House" (1947). Munson was also a noted stage performer, appearing in productions such as "No, No, Nanette" and "The Women."
In addition to acting, Munson was an accomplished writer and painter. She published several novels and was known for her abstract paintings, one of which was exhibited in the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Sadly, Munson's career was cut short when she took her own life in 1955. She was 51 years old.
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Lillian Lorraine
Lillian Lorraine (January 1, 1892 San Francisco-April 17, 1955 New York City) a.k.a. Ealallean De Jacques was an American actor.
She was most well-known for her work in silent era films and musical theatre. Lorraine began her career as a child performer in vaudeville and later transitioned to Broadway, starring in productions such as "The Little Whopper" and "Ziegfeld Follies". In addition to her acting career, Lorraine was also a talented singer and dancer. She was a major star in her time and known for her signature bobbed haircut and radiant smile. Unfortunately, her career was cut short due to personal struggles with alcoholism, leading to her premature retirement in the 1930s. Despite this, Lorraine's legacy lives on, and she remains an icon of early Hollywood and Broadway.
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Edith Wynne Matthison
Edith Wynne Matthison (November 23, 1875 Birmingham-September 23, 1955 Los Angeles) a.k.a. Edith Wynne Mathison was an American actor.
Matthison started her career as a stage actress in the United Kingdom before moving to the United States. She made her Broadway debut in 1904 in a play titled "Mrs. Leffingwell's Boots" and went on to appear in numerous productions throughout her career. Matthison was particularly known for her role in the play "The Will" which ran for over 300 performances on Broadway. She also acted in several silent films in the 1910s and 1920s, including "The Great White Trail" and "The Right to Happiness." Despite her success in film, Matthison remained dedicated to the stage and continued to perform in plays throughout the 1930s and 1940s. Matthison was also a staunch advocate for women's suffrage and worked with the National Woman's Party to promote women's rights.
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