Mariella Hunt

Who was Maude Fealy, the beautiful silent film actress whose photos continue to circulate today?

Books, music, artwork—humans have always sought respite from ordinary life in escapism. Before the cinema existed, families would gather around the fireplace, reading passages out loud from novels for everyone to enjoy.

Though movies are still a new form of entertainment, acting has long been a popular form of self-expression. People had gathered at theatres for centuries to watch stories on stage before the cinema we know today was born. Though Shakespeare’s works were the best-known, they were by no means the only stories enjoyed by audiences.

The late 19th century was a turning point for actors and theatre. It was the era when the silent movie was born. In 1878, the first moving picture, “Sallie Gardner at a Gallop,” was filmed by Eadweard Muybridge. 

Though barely more than a minute long, it filled viewers with awe. If moving pictures were possible, what would come next? Could people watching that horse in movement imagine a Hollywood would exist one day?

Maude Fealy was one of the first actresses to achieve considerable fame. She was born in 1883, when the new world of film still generated wonder. The industry had grown since “Sallie Gardner;” viewers would soon be able to enjoy longer films featuring plots, though the storylines remained simple.

Born Maude Mary Hawk in Memphis, Tennessee, Fealy began her work as an actress on the theatre stage. She made her debut playing various children’s roles at the Elitch Theatre. Her striking looks caught the eye of dramatist Henry Churchill de Mille, who offered her a role in several plays, including The Lost Paradise. She captivated the audience’s attention with her angelic looks and rich brown hair. This beauty helped catapult her into the world of filmmaking; soon she would become an easily recognizable celebrity.

Fealy’s first appearance in a silent film was in 1911 for Thanhouser Studios. Her performance was such a success that they featured her in eighteen other films between 1911 and 1917. After this period, she did not appear in another for seventeen years. That doesn’t mean she remained idle; she devoted this time to teaching the art of cinema and theatre to others, offering classes in many cities throughout her life. 

At the age of fifty, Fealy returned to film by acting out a series of secondary roles. Though she no longer possessed the nymphlike beauty of youth, she was respected as an important member of the film community. She was honored with invitations to appear as a special guest in pageants. She was also asked to present lectures about acting, speaking in classrooms to eager listeners.

Fealy did not have as much success in her personal life, seemingly unable to find true love. She first married a drama critic named Louis Hugo Sherwin in 1907, keeping their nuptials secret because her mother wouldn’t approve. Maude and Sherwin divorced in 1909. Later, she married silent film actor James Peter Dunkin, but they divorced in 1917. Her last marriage was to John Edward Cort. It ended in an annulment, and she did not try again. She never had children.

Despite her poor luck in the realm of romance, Fealy found fulfillment in her legacy as one of the first celebrated actresses. Her passion for film ignited similar ambitions in young, aspiring actors.

Maude Fealy died at the age of eighty-eight on November 10, 1971, and is interred in the Abbey of the Psalms at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Photos of her continue to circulate on the Internet, rendering her iconic beauty immortal; with this post, I hope to add a story to the face that many have come to admire.

I hope that you enjoyed this bite of history; if so, please consider subscribing to The Literary Ladies’ Tearoom for more stories about authors, actresses, and outstanding heroes!