Flora Le Breton

Flora le Breton (born 1898) was an English silent film actress from Croyden, Surrey, England. She was blond with dark blue eyes. In her own country she was called "the English Mary Pickford."

Heritage

Her ancestry was English, French, Scottish, and Irish. Her Scottish heritage was lengthy. She was related to Archibald Campbell, 2nd Earl of Argyll. Her home was the ancestral Ware Park. It dated to the fifteenth century. Le Breton's mother was widowed and her brother was killed in World War I. Her sister married a major and resided in Hong Kong.

Dramatic education

She trained for the stage at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, England. Le Breton earned a scholarship there at the age of fifteen. Founded by Sir Herbert Tree, the Academy grant was presented to her by Sir Squire Bancroft and Sir John Hare (actor).

She secured the role of a London flower girl and played opposite Sir Gerald du Maurier for an entire year in the English capital. She was noticed by Andre Charlot, who envisioned her as an English soubrette. He put Le Breton in several revues in which she sang andperformed a stiff-legged doll dance that became the highlight of the shows.

Film actress

Le Breton's motion picture career began in 1920 with a role as "Alesia" in "La Poupee". In 1922 she co-starred with George K. Arthur and Simeon Stuart in "Love's Influence", originally titled "Love's April". The French heavyweight boxer, Georges Carpentier, made a cameo appearance in the UK silent film. Le Breton won many of the London film favourite contests along with actress Betty Balfour. She appearedin the first coloured motion picture made in Great Britain. "The Glorious Adventure" (1922) starred Lady Diana Cooper and Victor McLaglen. Produced by J. Stuart Blackton, founder of Vitagraph Studios, the motion picture was filmed in Prizma colour.

As a dancer Le Breton and her partner, Cecil Rubens, won the world'samateur dancing championship in February 1923.

Le Breton came to America in January 1924. Among her early Hollywood films is "Another Scandal" (1924). She had the thirdlead after Lois Wilson and Holmes Herbert. Filmed in Florida, the movie was a production of the Tilford Cinema Corporation. Le Breton was among those considered for the role of Peter Pan in Peter Pan (1924 film), which was adapted from the novel by Sir James Barrie. She chose not to play additional parts like the vamp (woman) character, "Mrs. May Beamish", she performed in "Another Scandal". She appeared in the melodrama "I Am The Man" (1924) with Lionel Barrymore. Her last screen credit came in the Columbia Pictures comedy "Charley's Aunt" (1930). Le Breton played the part of "Ela Delahay".

Le Breton sent for her mother in England and situated her in a Beverly Hills, California home after she became a star in the U.S.

American stage

In her first year in the United States Le Breton acted the part of a waif who inherits the wealth of a long-lost grandfather, Lord Maxwell. The play was "Lass o' Laughter". Her character necessitates that she enunciate a Glasgow Scottish dialect. A reviewer praised her appearance, commenting "Miss Le Breton's beauty is of the Dresden doll type." In November 1925 she was featured in the Henry W. Savageproduction, "The Balcony Walker", which played the Lyric Theatre in Bridgeport, Connecticut. By March 1926 she had given up her film career to appear in a New York City revue, "The Optimists".Le Breton was reviewed favourably for her role in the "School For Husbands", which was produced by the Theatre Guild in 1933. Osgood Perkins and June Walker were among those in the play.

References

* Barnard Bulletin, "Here And There About Town", November 17, 1933, Page 2.
* Bridgeport Telegram, "Amusements", Monday, November 16, 1925, Page 6.
* Galveston Daily News, "At The Dixie", Wednesday, March 11, 1931, Page 3.
* Los Angeles Times, "Here To Conquer Filmdom", January 15, 1924, Page 24.
* Los Angeles Times, "A Town Called Hollywood", July 26, 1931, Page B13.
* New York Times, "Around The Film World", July 20, 1924, Page X2.
* New York Times, "New Plays In The Province", November 16, 1924, Page X2.
* New York Times, "Who's Who On The Stage", January 11, 1925, Page X2.
* Ogden, Utah Standard-Examiner, "Put On The Gloves Again Georges!, Says Mrs. Carpentier", Sunday Morning, October 15, 1922, Page 36.
* Syracuse Herald, "Here, There and Everywhere", February 18, 1923, Page 67.
* Zanesville, Ohio Times Recorder, "Her Beauty Didn't Conquer Hollywood", March 9, 1926, Page 1.