Charlotte Henry
Encyclopedia
Charlotte Henry was an American
actress who is best remembered for her roles in Alice in Wonderland
(1933) and Babes in Toyland
(1934). She also starred in the Frank Buck
serial Jungle Menace
.
Around that time, Paramount was looking for a young girl to play in their new movie version of Alice in Wonderland
, and over 6,800 were auditioned. A Paramount talent scout saw Charlotte in the play and arranged a screen test on a Monday morning. One-week-to-the-day later, Charlotte Henry began filming the high budget classic. The studio's press department made much of her uncanny resemblance to the character as it appeared in the original Tenniel drawings.
An anxious movie-going public awaited the costly feature. A new young star was expected to emerge. The 1933 picture garnered unanimous praise for Charlotte. The huge cast was impressive, but their make-ups made it hard to tell who was who. It did poorly at the box office. The effect of Alice on Charlotte's life was more than the usual story of an actress ruined by a negative association. She was also typecast, but in a most peculiar way. In an interview, Charlotte disclosed that from the very first week of shooting, she became aware that others around her had simply lost sight of her as a person. "I no longer existed as Charlotte Henry", she said. "With that costume, I was transformed in their minds to the creature they had read about as children. My identity was gone."
Paramount loaned her to MGM for Babes in Toyland
with Laurel and Hardy. Despite the success of that particular film and perhaps Charlotte's most remembered role, they released her. However, she continued to make movies, although the lower budgets of some of the productions sometimes let her down. She made around 30 films, some as the star but more often in supporting roles, mostly between 1930 and 1937 followed by more modelling, and then five more in 1941 and 1942. Discouraged by the low quality of the work she was being offered, in her own words: "I simply lost interest."
In his autobiography, director Harry L. Fraser
described filming the scene in Jungle Menace
during which a boa constrictor attacks the heroine Dorothy (Charlotte Henry). The villain has tied Dorothy hand and foot and she thrashes about wildly, terrified when she suddenly sees the huge snake:
. She was happily married to Dr. James J. Dempsey and continued with her acting, appearing in several stage productions at the San Diego Old Globe Theatre. Although her film career was arguably affected by the box office failure of "Alice", she didn't hold a grudge and her car licence plate, in true looking-glass style, read "ECILA".
Charlotte Virginia Dempsey died in April 1980. The San Diego Union newspaper carried the obituary and noted that she was buried in the Holy Cross Cemetery
and was survived by her husband, Dr. James J. Dempsey and her brother, the Reverend Robert E. Henry of St Paul's Episcopal Church in Ventura.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress who is best remembered for her roles in Alice in Wonderland
Alice in Wonderland (1933 film)
Alice in Wonderland is a 1933 film version of the famous Alice novels of Lewis Carroll. The film was produced by Paramount Pictures, featuring an all-star cast. It is all live-action, except for the Walrus and The Carpenter sequence, which was animated by Leon Schlesinger Productions.Stars featured...
(1933) and Babes in Toyland
Babes in Toyland (1934 film)
Babes in Toyland is a Laurel and Hardy musical film released in November 1934. The film is also known by its alternate titles Laurel and Hardy in Toyland, Revenge Is Sweet , March of the Wooden Soldiers and Wooden Soldiers .Based on Victor Herbert's popular 1903 operetta Babes in Toyland, the film...
(1934). She also starred in the Frank Buck
Frank Buck (animal collector)
Frank Howard Buck was a hunter and "collector of wild animals," as well as a movie actor, director, writer and producer...
serial Jungle Menace
Jungle Menace
-External links:* * * **...
.
Early years
Charlotte Henry was born in Brooklyn on the third of March 1914. She began modelling at a very early age and was always fascinated by the theatre. Her family were astonished when, at only 15 years of age, she was cast in an important role in Courage, a Broadway play and a hit of 1928.Hollywood
The following year, Charlotte's mother brought her to Hollywood. She repeated her part in the movie version of Courage 1930 and enrolled at Lawlors, the school for professional children. Some of her classmates were Frankie Darro, Anita Louise and Bette Grable. Junior Durkin, who had worked with her in Courage, suggested Charlotte for a play he was appearing in at the Pasadena playhouse. By then, she had appeared in two more feature films; Huckleberry Finn in 1931 and Lena Rivers in 1932.Around that time, Paramount was looking for a young girl to play in their new movie version of Alice in Wonderland
Alice in Wonderland (1933 film)
Alice in Wonderland is a 1933 film version of the famous Alice novels of Lewis Carroll. The film was produced by Paramount Pictures, featuring an all-star cast. It is all live-action, except for the Walrus and The Carpenter sequence, which was animated by Leon Schlesinger Productions.Stars featured...
, and over 6,800 were auditioned. A Paramount talent scout saw Charlotte in the play and arranged a screen test on a Monday morning. One-week-to-the-day later, Charlotte Henry began filming the high budget classic. The studio's press department made much of her uncanny resemblance to the character as it appeared in the original Tenniel drawings.
An anxious movie-going public awaited the costly feature. A new young star was expected to emerge. The 1933 picture garnered unanimous praise for Charlotte. The huge cast was impressive, but their make-ups made it hard to tell who was who. It did poorly at the box office. The effect of Alice on Charlotte's life was more than the usual story of an actress ruined by a negative association. She was also typecast, but in a most peculiar way. In an interview, Charlotte disclosed that from the very first week of shooting, she became aware that others around her had simply lost sight of her as a person. "I no longer existed as Charlotte Henry", she said. "With that costume, I was transformed in their minds to the creature they had read about as children. My identity was gone."
Paramount loaned her to MGM for Babes in Toyland
Babes in Toyland (1934 film)
Babes in Toyland is a Laurel and Hardy musical film released in November 1934. The film is also known by its alternate titles Laurel and Hardy in Toyland, Revenge Is Sweet , March of the Wooden Soldiers and Wooden Soldiers .Based on Victor Herbert's popular 1903 operetta Babes in Toyland, the film...
with Laurel and Hardy. Despite the success of that particular film and perhaps Charlotte's most remembered role, they released her. However, she continued to make movies, although the lower budgets of some of the productions sometimes let her down. She made around 30 films, some as the star but more often in supporting roles, mostly between 1930 and 1937 followed by more modelling, and then five more in 1941 and 1942. Discouraged by the low quality of the work she was being offered, in her own words: "I simply lost interest."
Jungle Menace
Jungle Menace (aka Jungle Terror) (1937) .... Charlotte Henry as Dorothy ElliottIn his autobiography, director Harry L. Fraser
Harry L. Fraser
Harry L. Fraser was an American film director. He directed over 80 films between 1925 and 1951, including the 1934 John Wayne film Randy Rides Alone and the Frank Buck cliffhanger serial Jungle Menace . He had a small acting role in the John Wayne film Neath the Arizona Skies...
described filming the scene in Jungle Menace
Jungle Menace
-External links:* * * **...
during which a boa constrictor attacks the heroine Dorothy (Charlotte Henry). The villain has tied Dorothy hand and foot and she thrashes about wildly, terrified when she suddenly sees the huge snake:
Later life
Charlotte retired from the movies and moved away from Hollywood to San Diego where she ran an employment agency with her mother, then became executive secretary for 15 years to the Roman Catholic Bishop of San Diego, Charles F. BuddyCharles F. Buddy
Charles Francis Buddy was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of San Diego from 1936 until his death in 1966.-Early life and education:...
. She was happily married to Dr. James J. Dempsey and continued with her acting, appearing in several stage productions at the San Diego Old Globe Theatre. Although her film career was arguably affected by the box office failure of "Alice", she didn't hold a grudge and her car licence plate, in true looking-glass style, read "ECILA".
Charlotte Virginia Dempsey died in April 1980. The San Diego Union newspaper carried the obituary and noted that she was buried in the Holy Cross Cemetery
Holy Cross Cemetery (San Diego)
Holy Cross Cemetery is a cemetery located in the Chollas View neighborhood of San Diego, California.Holy Cross was dedicated in 1919 for the exclusive use of Roman Catholics, with expansions in 1945 and 1956. The mausoleum, with its distinctive blue roof visible from California State Route 94, is...
and was survived by her husband, Dr. James J. Dempsey and her brother, the Reverend Robert E. Henry of St Paul's Episcopal Church in Ventura.