Vivian Martin
Encyclopedia
Vivian Martin was an American stage and silent film
actress. She was born in Sparta, Michigan
and began her career as a child actress on the stage with comedian Lew Fields
. Her early theatrical appearances included Stop Thief, Officer 666, The Only Son and with Richard Mansfield
in Cyrano de Bergerac.
A winsome and pretty blonde, Martin entered the motion pictures industry in 1914. With her then long hair she played the type of role similar to Lillian Gish
. Her first role was in The Wishing Ring: An Idyll of Old England (1914) for the World Film Corporation, 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
. 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.
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 popularity.
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.
Vivian Martin died in New York, New York in 1987, aged 93. Her obituary in the New York Times noted her philanthropy and association with the Professional Children's School
in New York. She contributed to the lives of young performers as both a friend and benefactress.
At one time Martin was married to actor William Jefferson. Several of Martin's early and rare films survive at the Library of Congress
.
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...
actress. She was born in Sparta, Michigan
Sparta, Michigan
Sparta is a village in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,159 at the 2000 census. The village resides in Sparta Township.-History:...
and began her career as a child actress on the stage with comedian Lew Fields
Lew Fields
Lew Fields , born as Moses Schoenfeld, was an American actor, comedian, vaudeville star, theatre manager and producer....
. Her early theatrical appearances included Stop Thief, Officer 666, The Only Son and with Richard Mansfield
Richard Mansfield
Richard Mansfield was an English actor-manager best known for his performances in Shakespeare plays, Gilbert and Sullivan operas and for his portrayal of the dual title roles in Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
in Cyrano de Bergerac.
A winsome and pretty blonde, Martin entered the motion pictures industry in 1914. With her then long hair she played the type of role similar to Lillian Gish
Lillian Gish
Lillian Diana Gish was an American stage, screen and television actress whose film acting career spanned 75 years, from 1912 to 1987....
. Her first role was in The Wishing Ring: An Idyll of Old England (1914) for the World Film Corporation, in which she played Sally, a parson's daughter. Martin subsequently became a contract player for the Famous Players Film Company
Famous Players Film Company
The Famous Players Film Company was founded in 1912 by Adolph Zukor in partnership with the Frohman brothers, the powerful New York City theatre impresarios. The company advertised "Famous Players in Famous Plays" and its first release was the French film Les Amours de la reine Élisabeth starring...
, where she achieved popularity as a "rival" to Mary Pickford
Mary Pickford
Mary Pickford was a Canadian-born motion picture actress, co-founder of the film studio United Artists and one of the original 36 founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
. 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.
In the early 1920s Martin started her own production company and released her films through the Goldwyn
Goldwyn Pictures
Goldwyn Pictures Corporation was an American motion picture production company founded in 1916 by Samuel Goldfish in partnership with Broadway producers Edgar and Archibald Selwyn using an amalgamation of both last names to create the name...
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 popularity.
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.
Vivian Martin died in New York, New York in 1987, aged 93. Her obituary in the New York Times noted her philanthropy and association with the Professional Children's School
Professional Children's School
Professional Children's School is a not for profit, college preparatory school that was founded in New York City in 1914 to provide an education to young people working on the New York stage, in Vaudeville, or "on the road."-History:...
in New York. She contributed to the lives of young performers as both a friend and benefactress.
At one time Martin was married to actor William Jefferson. Several of Martin's early and rare films survive at the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
.
External links
- Vivian Martin at IBDb.com
- Silent Ladies and Gents features pictures of Vivian Martin
- Vivian Martin portrait gallery at NY Public Library, Billy Rose collection