Billie Rhodes | |
|---|---|
 Billie Rhodes in 1918 | |
| Born | Levita Axelrod August 15, 1894 |
| Died | March 12, 1988 (aged 93) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1913–1925 (film) |
| Spouse(s) | William Parsons (m.1919; his death) G. Pat Collins (m.1927–1959; his death) |
Billie Rhodes (born Levita Axelrod) was an American actress who appeared in nearly 200 films during her career.
Born in San Francisco, Rhodes starting her acting career with the Morrison Stock Company, a local theatre troupe. She was originally discovered by Kalem Company, who gave her a one-year contract in 1913. She primarily acted in comedic shorts, but also acted in the drama Perils at Sea. After her contract ended, she began singing in nightclubs, and was approached by Al Christie, then working for the Nestor Film Company. She was signed and made weekly "polite" comedic shorts through the next year. [1]
In September 1916, Christie began his own production studio, the Christie Film Company, and recruited Rhodes. She starred in A Seminary Scandal, Christie's first independent production, then went on to act opposite Jay Belasco in a series of clean comedies. In 1918, moved from shorts to feature-length films after being convinced by William "Smiling Bill" Parsons, who became her husband in early 1919. [2] Her acting jobs in 1919 included two starring roles in the same month: Hoop-La and The Lamb and the Lion. [1]
After Parsons died suddenly in September 1919, Rhodes continued to make movies, but at a slower rate, and her films after 1919 were considered to be commercial failures. By the time she married G. Pat Collins in 1927, she had retired from acting and returned to theater acting and nightclub entertaining until her death in 1988 at the age of 93. [2]
The selected filmography includes feature films by Rhodes. [3]
Betty Compson was an American actress and film producer who got her start during Hollywood's silent era. She is best known for her performances in The Docks of New York and The Barker, the latter of which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.
Pearl Fay White was an American stage and film actress. She began her career on the stage at age 6, and later moved on to silent films appearing in a number of popular serials.
Frank William George Lloyd was a British-born American film director, actor, scriptwriter, and producer. He was among the founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and was its president from 1934 to 1935.
Harold Fraser, known professionally as Snub Pollard, was an Australian-born vaudevillian who became a silent film comedian in Hollywood, popular in the 1920s.
Marin Sais was an American actress whose career was most prolific during the silent film era of the 1910s and 1920s. Sais' acting career spanned over four decades and she is possibly best recalled for appearing in Western themed films.
The Little Billy films are a series of short films produced by Keystone Studios, revolving around the character of a small boy, portrayed by Paul "Little Billy" Jacobs.
Jane Lee (1912–1957) and Katherine Lee (1909–1968), sisters, were child stars in silent motion pictures and vaudeville theatre. They were also known as the "Baby Grands," "Lee Kids," or the "Fox Kiddies" for their appearances in Fox Film productions.
Mollie McConnell was an American silent film actress.
William C. Dowlan was an American stage performer and a film actor and director during the silent era. Most of his directorial projects were done in collaboration with his wife, screenwriter Leonora Ainsworth. Between 1915 and 1917 he and Ainsworth did extensive work together for Universal Film Manufacturing Company in Los Angeles and for the American Film Company at its facilities in Santa Barbara.
Cleo Madison was a theatrical and silent film actress, screenwriter, producer, and director who was active in Hollywood during the silent era.
Alice Howell was a silent film comedy actress from New York City. She was the mother of actress Yvonne Howell.
Marie Walcamp was an American actress of the silent film era, often specializing in roles as an "action heroine" in serials, including Westerns. She often appeared with actor Eddie Polo.
Ora Carew, was an American silent film actress. She starred in several films between 1915 and 1925. She was known as one of the Sennett Bathing Beauties.
Stella Adams was an American actress of the silent and early sound film eras. Her forte was in short films.
John F. Hines was an American actor who had numerous film roles during the silent era, including many starring ones. He appeared in more than 50 films and numerous film shorts. But he did not succeed in transitioning well into talking pictures in the late 1920s, and had only six roles in the 1930s. He last appeared in a bit part in Magnificent Doll (1946).
Patsy De Forest was an American actress of the silent cinema era who performed on the stage since childhood before acting in films.
Wanted: A Leading Lady is a 1915 silent short comedy directed by Al Christie. It stars Eddie Lyons, Lee Moran and Betty Compson in her film debut.
Louella Maxam was an American actress who performed in over 50 silent films from 1913 until 1921. She was often cast in comedies and Westerns, most notably being identified in 1915 as a "leading lady" in a series of shorts starring Tom Mix, who during the silent and early sound eras was promoted as the "Cowboy King of Hollywood". Later, she was a female lead in other films for various studios, including several productions featuring another early cowboy star, Franklyn Farnum. Following her departure from acting, Maxam worked in county and municipal government in California, including service with the Burbank police department, where in 1943 she was hired as that city's first "police woman".
Anna Mae Walthall was an American actress of silent films, appearing in 24 films from 1914 to 1926.
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