Patterson Dial

Patterson Dial (May 19, 1902 - March 23, 1945) was a writer and silent film actress of the 1920s who became the wife of novelist Rupert Hughes. She was born Elizabeth Patterson Dial in Madison, Florida.

creen Actress

Miss Dial appeared in fourteen motion pictures, beginning with "Gloria's Romance" in 1916. The other movies in which she appeared were in the three year period from 1921-1924. Some films in which she participated are "Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford" (1921), "Sonny" (1922), "Reno" (1923), "A Man's Mate" (1924), and "Married Flirts" (1924).

Married To Esteemed Author

The actress became Mrs. Rupert Hughes on January 1, 1925. The famous author and Miss Dial were wed in Los Angeles, California and took their honeymoon in New York, New York. Patterson was a well-known writer herself. She wrote using her maiden name. With Hughes, the husband and wife became noted in literary circles and formed a writing team. Hughes called her his "right arm", saying she assisted him with his work and carried out her own. She experienced intense depressions. During these times Patterson became morose because she felt her writing was not up to the goal she had set for herself. Her moodiness about her work usually lifted and she felt better.

Mysterious Demise

Patterson Dial died of an overdose of sleeping pills at the age of 42 in 1945. She was found dead of mysterious circumstances which left police unsure whether she died accidentally or committed suicide. Mrs. Hughes was found unconscious in her bed at home, 4751 Los Feliz Boulevard, Los Angeles, by a maid. She died en route to a hospital in an ambulance sent by Hollywood Receiving Hospital. The Hughes had no children.

Rupert Hughes first wife, Adelaide Manola Hughes, was a writer and a pioneer woman film producer. She hanged herself in her cabin aboard a steamer destined for an around-the-world voyage, on December 14, 1923, in Indo-China. She had begun the trip in an effort to recover from ill health.

Filmography

* Married Flirts (1924)
* Secrets (1924)
* A Man's Mate (1924)
* Happiness (1924)
* A Lady of Quality (1924)
* Reno (1923)
* The Silent Partner (1923)
* Souls for Sale (1923)
* Fury (1923)
* Sonny (1922)
* The Seventh Day (1922)
* Tol'able David (1921)
* Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford (1921)
* Gloria's Romance (1916)

References

*The Los Angeles Times, "Sleeping Pills End Life of Rupert Hughes' Wife", March 24, 1945, Page A1.
*The New York Times, "Mrs Hughes Dies; Wife Of Novelist", March 24, 1945, Page 32.
*Ogden, Utah Standard-Examiner, "Rupert Hughes and Bride", January 1, 1925, Page 2.

External links

*imdb name|id=0224495|name=Patterson Dial