Myrtle Gonzalez
Encyclopedia
Myrtle Gonzalez was an American actress. She starred in at least 78 silent era
motion pictures from 1913 to 1917, of which 66 were one and two-reel shorts
. She is regarded as Hollywood's first Latin and Hispanic movie star actress.
Gonzalez was best-known for her role as Enid Maitland in Vitagraph
's six-reel feature length
drama
The Chalice of Courage (1915) opposite William Duncan
. A magazine writer once called her "The Virgin White Lily of the Screen."
Her paternal side comes from a Spanish
Californio
family from Spain, while her maternal grandparents were born in Ireland
. Her father was a retail grocer, her mother a former opera and popular singer.
From early childhood, Myrtle displayed remarkable dramatic talent, and she had a good soprano
voice. She appeared in many local concerts and benefits
and sang in church choirs
. She later played juvenile parts on the stage
with Fanny Davenport
and Florence Stone.
Gonzalez was first married to James Parks Jones. They divorced. They had one son, James Parks Jones, Jr. (c. 1911-1970).
as Vitagraph
and Universal
.
She appeared in five movies opposite William Desmond Taylor
at Vitagraph, the comedy/drama Her Husband's Friend (1913), the drama Tainted Money (1914), the comedy Millions for Defence (1914), the drama The Kiss
(1914) and the drama Captain Alvarez
(1914).
In many of her roles, Gonzalez typified a vigorous out-of-doors type of hero
ine. During the last six years of her career, many of the movies she starred in were stories of the snow country and of the forests.
On December 1, 1917, she and actor/director Allen Watt (1885–1944) were married in Los Angeles. She then gave up her screen work and retired. Watt, who was formerly an assistant director
at Universal, where they met, was then in the U.S. Army
and she returned with him to Camp Lewis
, in Washington State. Her health was too frail for the climate, however, and Capt. Watt was placed on the retirement list so he could return her to Southern California
. He went back to work at Universal and began directing.
Myrtle Gonzalez died at age 27 of the Spanish flu
during the worldwide pandemic of 1918 in the home of her parents at 908 W. Thirtieth Street, Los Angeles.
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
motion pictures from 1913 to 1917, of which 66 were one and two-reel shorts
Short subject
A short film is any film not long enough to be considered a feature film. No consensus exists as to where that boundary is drawn: the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all...
. She is regarded as Hollywood's first Latin and Hispanic movie star actress.
Gonzalez was best-known for her role as Enid Maitland in Vitagraph
Vitagraph Studios
American Vitagraph was a United States movie studio, founded by J. Stuart Blackton and Albert E. Smith in 1897 in Brooklyn, New York. By 1907 it was the most prolific American film production company, producing many famous silent films. It was bought by Warner Bros...
's six-reel feature length
Feature length
Feature length is motion picture terminology referring to the length of a feature film. According to the rules of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, a feature length motion picture must have a running time of more than 40 minutes to be eligible for an Academy Award.The term may also...
drama
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
The Chalice of Courage (1915) opposite William Duncan
William Duncan (actor)
-External links:...
. A magazine writer once called her "The Virgin White Lily of the Screen."
Early life
She was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Manuel George Gonzalez (1868–?) and Lillian L. Cook (1874–1932). Her siblings were Stella M. Gonzalez (1892–1965) and Manuel G. Gonzalez, Jr. (1898–?).Her paternal side comes from a Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
Californio
Californio
Californio is a term used to identify a Spanish-speaking Catholic people, regardless of race, born in California before 1848...
family from Spain, while her maternal grandparents were born in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Her father was a retail grocer, her mother a former opera and popular singer.
From early childhood, Myrtle displayed remarkable dramatic talent, and she had a good soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
voice. She appeared in many local concerts and benefits
Benefit concert
A benefit concert or charity concert is a concert, show or gala featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate humanitarian crisis. Such events raise both funds and public awareness to address the cause at...
and sang in church choirs
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
. She later played juvenile parts on the stage
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
with Fanny Davenport
Fanny Davenport
Fanny Lily Gipsy Davenport was an English-American stage actress. The daughter of Edward Loomis Davenport and Fanny Vining, she was born in London, England, but was brought to America when a child and educated in the Boston public schools...
and Florence Stone.
Gonzalez was first married to James Parks Jones. They divorced. They had one son, James Parks Jones, Jr. (c. 1911-1970).
Movie career
Because she grew up in Los Angeles, the shift of movie production to her hometown was a big advantage for her. Gonzalez worked for such studiosMovie studio
A movie studio is a term used to describe a major entertainment company or production company that has its own privately owned studio facility or facilities that are used to film movies...
as Vitagraph
Vitagraph Studios
American Vitagraph was a United States movie studio, founded by J. Stuart Blackton and Albert E. Smith in 1897 in Brooklyn, New York. By 1907 it was the most prolific American film production company, producing many famous silent films. It was bought by Warner Bros...
and Universal
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
.
She appeared in five movies opposite William Desmond Taylor
William Desmond Taylor
William Desmond Taylor was an Irish-born American actor, successful film director of silent movies and a popular figure in the growing Hollywood film colony of the 1910s and early 1920s...
at Vitagraph, the comedy/drama Her Husband's Friend (1913), the drama Tainted Money (1914), the comedy Millions for Defence (1914), the drama The Kiss
The Kiss (1914 film)
The Kiss is a 1914 Vitagraph silent drama short motion picture starring Margaret Gibson, George Holt, William Desmond Taylor, and Myrtle Gonzalez....
(1914) and the drama Captain Alvarez
Captain Alvarez
Captain Alvarez is a 1914 Vitagraph's five-reel film, based on a stage play. Written by Marguerite Bertsch, and directed by Rollin S. Sturgeon.-Plot:...
(1914).
In many of her roles, Gonzalez typified a vigorous out-of-doors type of hero
Hero
A hero , in Greek mythology and folklore, was originally a demigod, their cult being one of the most distinctive features of ancient Greek religion...
ine. During the last six years of her career, many of the movies she starred in were stories of the snow country and of the forests.
On December 1, 1917, she and actor/director Allen Watt (1885–1944) were married in Los Angeles. She then gave up her screen work and retired. Watt, who was formerly an assistant director
Assistant director
The role of an Assistant director include tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking cast and crew, maintaining order on the set. They also have to take care of health and safety of the crew...
at Universal, where they met, was then in the U.S. Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and she returned with him to Camp Lewis
Fort Lewis
Joint Base Lewis-McChord is a United States military facility located south-southwest of Tacoma, Washington. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Joint Base Garrison, Joint Base Lewis-McChord....
, in Washington State. Her health was too frail for the climate, however, and Capt. Watt was placed on the retirement list so he could return her to Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
. He went back to work at Universal and began directing.
Myrtle Gonzalez died at age 27 of the Spanish flu
Spanish flu
The 1918 flu pandemic was an influenza pandemic, and the first of the two pandemics involving H1N1 influenza virus . It was an unusually severe and deadly pandemic that spread across the world. Historical and epidemiological data are inadequate to identify the geographic origin...
during the worldwide pandemic of 1918 in the home of her parents at 908 W. Thirtieth Street, Los Angeles.