- Louise Glaum
Infobox actor
bgcolour = pink
name = Louise Glaum
imagesize = 250px
caption = Circa 1915
birthdate =September 4 ,1888
location =Baltimore, Maryland
deathdate = death date and age|1970|11|25|1888|9|4
deathplace =Los Angeles, California
birthname =
yearsactive = 1912 to 1925
academyawards =Louise Glaum (
September 4 ,1888 –November 25 ,1970 ) [ California State Death Index, Name: Louise G. Harris, Birth Date: 09-04-1901 [sic] , Sex: Female, Birth Place: Maryland, Death Place: Los Angeles Co. (70), Death Date: 11-25-1970, SSN: 571-01-5724, Age: 70 yrs. [sic] ] [ 1900 Los Angeles Co., CA, U.S. Federal Census, Pasadena, Precinct 4, 108 W. Walnut St., June 4 & 5, Enumeration Dist. 116, Sheet 2 A, Page 302 A, with parents, Lines 40 & 41, John W. & Lena K. Glaum, Line 44, Louisa L. Glaum, Daughter, White, Female, month born: September, year born: 1888, age: 11, Single, MD, MD [sic] , NY, At School, 9 mons., Y, Y, Y. ] was an American actress. Best-known for her roles as afemme fatale in silent movie dramas, she was credited with giving one of the bestcharacterization s of a . She appeared in over 110 movies in the early 20th century.Early life and stage career
She was born near
Baltimore, Maryland , the third of four daughters of John W. Glaum (July 9 ,1856 -July 7 ,1934 ) and Lena Katherine Kuhn (December 30 ,1863 -July 1 ,1946 ). Her sisters were Hattie Helen "Phyllis" Glaum (September 7 ,1884 -February 4 ,1941 ), Lena K. Glaum (December 22 ,1887 -January 15 ,1971 ), and Margaret Olive Glaum (October 11 ,1896 -June 18 ,1911 ). Her father was born as Johannes Wilhelm Glaum inGermany , emigrated with his family to the U.S. in 1869, and lived inIndiana , thenPrince George's County, Maryland , while her mother was born inNew York to German-born parents. John and Lena Glaum and family moved toSouthern California in the late 1890s, and lived in Pasadena for several years before moving into Los Angeles.Glaum began her
acting career in stock and stage productions. She was in the cast of "Crucifixus", aPassion play , which opened onNovember 12 ,1907 , at the Gamut Auditorium in Los Angeles, before a good-sized audience. [ "Los Angeles Times", Nov. 13, 1907, "Music And The Stage," p. II 5 ] In early June, 1908, she appeared in the play "How Baxter Butted In", amelodrama ticcomedy at the Los Angeles Theatre. The cast includedLulu Warrenton and a number of others. [ "Los Angeles Times", June 1, 1908, "Music And The Stage," p. 17 ] Glaum then toured as an ingenue with a road show in "Why Girls Leave Home". She earned $25 a week and furnished her own gowns, which she made herself. After reachingChicago , [ 1910 Cook Co., IL, U.S. Federal Census, Chicago, Ward 21, Palace Hotel, 518 N. Clark St., May 2, Enumeration Dist. 927, Sheet. 2 B, Page 185 B, Line 78, Louise Glaum, Lodger, Female, White, 20 [sic] , Single, CA [sic] , United States, United States, Engl., Actress, Theatre, Wages, N, Y, Y. ] she played ingenues in the Imperial Stock Company there for a year and a half, appearing in "The Lion and the Mouse " and "The Squaw Man ", among other plays. While performing in a summer stock engagement in Toledo, she created the ingenue role in "Officer 666 ". Itsplaywright ,Augustin MacHugh , her stage director in Toledo, tried it out there before Broadway ever saw the successfulfarce . [ "Los Angeles Herald", Nov. 13, 1919, "Louise Glaum" ]Upon the death of her younger sister, Margaret, in June 1911, Glaum resigned and returned home to Los Angeles. On
July 29 , the "Los Angeles Times " read, "Louise Glaum, ingenue, who made her professional start here a few years ago, is at home on a short visit. Of late she has been playing in Chicago." [ "Los Angeles Times", July 29, 1911, "Playgoers On Problem Rock," p. II 5 ]Her mother wanted her to remain, but the desire to return to the stage possessed her. She compromised, however; while acting as the ingenue in a local theatre company, [ "Los Angeles Times", Sep. 6, 1911, "Louis Glaum, The ingenue of the Stoermer Company, at the Auditorium," p. III 4 ] she began making the rounds of the
movie studio s.cite web |title=The First One Hundred Noted Men and Women of the Screen, p. 62 |first=Carolyn |last=Lowrey |work=Google Books |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=CDEOAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA62&dq=louise+glaum&ie=ISO-8859-1 |date=1920 |accessdate=2008-02-22]Motion picture career
Glaum made her movie debut playing the role as Mary Gordon, the ranchman's daughter, in the
Al Christie directed short western/comedy "When the Heart Calls " (1912) atNestor Studios , the first studio actually located in Hollywood. Three years after Glaum arrived, Nestor was merged with the new Universal and a large number of episodes in the "Universal Ike" series of one-reel comedies are among her body of work. Her first role as a "vamp," and first starring role in the new five-reel features, was as Mlle. Poppea in "The Toast of Death " (1915) oppositeHarry Keenan . It was directed by Thomas Ince at Inceville in Topanga Canyon. [ "Los Angeles Herald", Nov. 13, 1919, "Louise Glaum" ] Glaum appeared in six movies oppositeWilliam S. Hart , including the western "Hell's Hinges " (1916), in which she plays Dolly, the dance-hall girl who seduces the hypocritical preacher. She playedMilady de Winter in "The Three Musketeers" (1916); Marie Chaumontel in the war drama "Somewhere in France " (1916) oppositeHoward C. Hickman ; and Lola Montrose in the drama "A Strange Transgressor " (1917).On
February 20 ,1916 , she and directorHarry J. Edwards (October 11 ,1887 -May 26 ,1952 ) were married. They divorcedMarch 17 ,1919 . [ "Los Angeles Times", Mar. 18, 1919, "Louise Glaum's Now Free," p. II 6 ]She played Mary Thorne in the drama "
The Goddess of Lost Lake " (1918), which she also co-produced through her ownproduction company , the Louise Glaum Organization. It is the story of a young woman who is a quarter Native American and decides to pretend she is a full-blooded Indianprincess when she visits her father's rustic cabin after completing college in the East.cite web |title=Lake Arrowhead, p. 88 |first=Rhea-Frances |last=Tetley |work=Google Books |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=bxe-5grJSj0C&pg=PA88&dq=louise+glaum&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&sig=_CKQKDDOBDyQglRdKLJohTFsrSc |date=2005 |accessdate=2008-02-22] Glaum then began working withJ. Parker Read Jr. Productions , which she later described asJ. Parker Read, Jr. 's unit as asubsidiary producing company for Thomas Ince. She signed a four year contract, with a salary starting at $2000 a week and increasing to $4000, and some of the features she starred in for that company were as Mignon in "Sahara" (1919), a big financial success that was written especially for the star byC. Gardner Sullivan ,cite web |title=The First One Hundred Noted Men and Women of the Screen, p. 62 |first=Carolyn |last=Lowrey |work=Google Books |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=CDEOAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA62&dq=louise+glaum&ie=ISO-8859-1 |date=1920 |accessdate=2008-02-22] with the production supervised byAllan Dwan ; thedual role as Princess Sonia and as her daughter, Sonia, in the crime/thriller "The Lone Wolf's Daughter " (1919); as Adrienne Renault in the provocatively titled "Sex" (1920), the story of a New York cabaret star who uses her sex appeal to end a marriage then leaves her lover for a wealthier prospect only to have her selfish way of life come back to haunt her; and thetitle role in "The Leopard Woman " (1920), a secret agent adventure set in thejungle s ofAfrica .In 1920, Glaum was maintaining her own household in Los Angeles, with a married couple, housekeeper and caretaker, and a gardener. [ 1920 Los Angeles Co., CA, U.S. Federal Census, Cahuenga Township - Arnaz Precinct, Hughes Rd., Jan. 26, Enumeration Dist. 33, Sheet 13 B, Page 223 B, Line 60, Louise Glaum, Head, Rented, Female, White, 26 [sic] , Div., Y, Y, MD, England [sic] (Native language) Engl. [sic] , NY, Y, Actress, Moving Pictures, Wages. Albert M. Fell, Caretaker; Emma M. Fell, Housekeeper; Suigi Imizie, Gardner. ] After starring in the role as Grace Merrill in the drama "
Greater Than Love " (1921), directed byFred Niblo , she retired from the screen.On
March 16 ,1925 , she filed suit in the Supreme Court of New York against producer J. Parker Read, Jr., for $103,000 and asked for an attachment against money owed him by variousfilm distributor s inNew York City . The complaint stated she was starred in several pictures under Read's direction, and onDecember 23 ,1921 , he made apromissory note to her for the money, payable in four instalments. Nothing was paid, however, and in the Fall of 1923, according to Glaum, he went toParis without paying her. According to her attorney, Read's departure took the form of a flight and he had disguised himself as a stoker on a ship. [ "New York Times", Mar. 17, 1925, "Actress Sues For $103,000 --- Louise Glaum Says Producer Fled to Paris Without Paying Note," p. 13 ]She then sued the estate of Thomas H. Ince, Read's partner, stating that Read was insolvent and asking for the $103,000 plus $290,000 for
breach of contract . The Appellate Division, however, decided that she could not prosecute a suit in the state against the executors under the will of Ince on the grounds that the New York courts had no jurisdiction over the executors, who were appointed in California, in which state Ince was a resident at the time he died in November 1924. [ "New York Times", Apr. 10, 1926, "Louise Glaum Loses Plea" p. 14 ] She then filed suit in California, but a copy of the contract was not attached. By the time that arrived, the time had elapsed in which she was legally entitled to make a claim against the Ince estate and the court dismissed the suit on technicalities. [ "Los Angeles Times", May 13, 1926, "Glaum Suit Thrown Out --- Actress' Claim Against Ince Estate for $405,000 Dismissed on Technicalities," p. A 1 ]She made one screen comeback. Signing a contract with Associated Exhibitors, she played the role as Nina Olmstead in the
Henri Diamant-Berger directed drama "Fifty-Fifty" (1925) starringHope Hampton andLionel Barrymore .Glaum then stayed away from Los Angeles, for over three years as she headlined on the big-time
vaudeville circuit in the East. [ "Los Angeles Times", Nov. 2, 1928, "Louise Glaum at Egan," p. 10 ] She did a tour of Leow's Theatres in two dramatic playlets. [ "Los Angeles Times", April 16, 1926, "Theatrical Notes," p. 20 ] One of them was "The Sins of Julia Boyd" byPaul Girard Smith . The other was "The Web", which Glaum wrote herself. She was the only character in theone person show , putting over the argument of the piece chiefly by a telephone conversation.Later years
On
January 19 ,1926 , Glaum andmovie theater owner Zachary M. Harris (January 22 ,1878 -March 5 ,1964 ) were married in New York City. [ "Los Angeles Times", Jan. 20, 1926, from New York, Jan. 19, "Actress Becomes Bride of Director --- Film 'Vamp' Married in Manhattan --- Louise Glaum Wedded to Picture Director at Gay Ceremony," p. 3 ] [ "New York Times", Jan. 20, 1926, "Louise Glaum Marries --- Film Actress Weds Zachary M. Harris at Municipal Building," p. 23 ]When she returned to Los Angeles, with her husband and
business manager , Zack Harris, to visit her family and friends, they decided to stage the play "Trial Marriage" at the Egan Theatre, with Glaum in the starring role. [ "Los Angeles Times", Nov. 18, 1928, "Louise Glaum Comes Out of Retirement," p. C 31 ] When asked by a reporter for the "Times" whether she would be doing any picture work, she said she had not thought of it, but acknowledged that she was interested in talking pictures. [ "Los Angeles Times", Nov. 2, 1928, "Louise Glaum at Egan," p. 10 ]On
November 16 ,1928 , Glaum opened in "Trial Marriage", the story of a woman who wants to test the suitability of her prospective mate and herself to each other without the benefit of wedlock before they make it permanent. Although she received good reviews, the play did not fare so well. [ "Los Angeles Times", Nov. 17, 1928, "Miss Glaum Starred In Stage Play --- 'Trial Marriage' at Egan Theater Inclines to Sordid Melodrama," p. A 11 ]She and Harris lived at 2282 Cambridge Street in Los Angeles, in 1930. [ 1930 Los Angeles Co., CA, U.S. Federal Census, Los Angeles, Dist. Assembly No. 58, Block No. 625, 2282 Cambridge St., April 15, Enumeration Dist. 215, Sheet 4 B, Page 254 B, Line 77, Zack M. Harris, Head, Rented, Owns Radio Set, Male, White, 48 [sic] , Marr., (Age wh. first m.?) 43 [sic] , N, Y, NY, SC, KY, Y, Manager, Theatre, Wages, Y, (Vet?) N. Louise G. Harris, Wife, Female, White, 35 [sic] , Marr., (Age wh. first m.?) 22 [sic] , N, Y, MD, Germany, NY, Y, None. ] Glaum continued to act on the stage and also became a drama instructor, opening and appearing in her own theatre, the Louise Glaum Playhouse, in Los Angeles in the mid 1930s.
She was also a busy clubwoman over the following three decades. She served as president of the Matinee Musical Club for many years and served as state president of the California Federation of Music Clubs.
Louise Glaum died at age 82 of
pneumonia in Los Angeles. [ California State Death Index, Name: Louise G. Harris, Birth Date: 09-04-1901 [sic] , Sex: Female, Birth Place: Maryland, Death Place: Los Angeles Co. (70), Death Date: 11-25-1970, SSN: 571-01-5724, Age: 70 yrs. [sic] ] She is interred inAngelus-Rosedale Cemetery , [ "Los Angeles Times", Nov. 27, 1970, "Louise Glaum Harris, Ex-Film Actress, Dies," p. F15 ] along with her second husband and others of her family. She has a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame for her work in motion pictures at 6834Hollywood Boulevard , Hollywood.ee also
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*References
External links
* [http://silentladies.com/BGlaum.html Louise Glaum at SilentLadies.com]
* [http://silentladies.com/OSLGlaum.html Louise Glaum Photos]
* [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0322170/ Louise Glaum] at theInternet Movie Database
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=8041229 Louise Glaum] atFind A Grave Persondata
NAME= Glaum, Louise
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Actress
DATE OF BIRTH=September 4 ,1888
PLACE OF BIRTH=Baltimore, Maryland
DATE OF DEATH=November 25 ,1970
PLACE OF DEATH=Los Angeles, California
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