Gladys Brockwell

[COP11]

Gladys Brockwell (September 26, 1893 – July 2, 1929) was an American actress whose career began during the silent film era.

Early life

Born Gladys Lindeman in Brooklyn, New York, she was the daughter of a chorus girl who put her on stage at a very early age. By the time she reached her middle teens, she was already a veteran and taking on dramatic leading roles. She made her East Coast film debut in 1913 as Gladys Brockwell for Lubin Studios and within a short time was starring in a number of films. Developing her craft, Brockwell moved to Hollywood where she earned herself an important role in the acclaimed 1922 version of Oliver Twist and in The Hunchback of Notre Dame the following year.

Career

Never one of the glamorous leading ladies, by the mid 1920s she was past the age of thirty and although still given top female billing, Brockwell performed mainly in supporting roles. Regarded as one of the finest character actresses of the day who not only adapted to the new talkies but excelled in them, her first appearance in a "talkie" came in 1928 in Lights of New York. Her performance received strong reviews at the time of the film's release and as well by present-day critics of the preserved film.

A Warner Bros. feature length production, Lights of New York was filmed with microphones strategically hidden around the sets, creating the first motion picture released with fully synchronic dialogue. She was then signed by Warner Bros. and was looking forward to continued success in talkies.

Death

On June 27, 1929 Gladys Brockwell and friend Thomas Brennan were involved in an automobile accident near Calabasas, California. Brockwell was crushed beneath the automobile driven by Brennan, an advertising man from Los Angeles, California. The auto went over a 75-foot (23 m) embankment on the Ventura Highway near Calabasas.

Seriously injured, the thirty-five-year old Brockwell died a few days later in a Hollywood hospital. Her physician, Dr. Norman P. Sprague, said death was the result of peritonitis. Four blood transfusions were performed in an effort to save her life, the last just prior to her death. Brennan recovered after sustaining serious injuries. He said a bit of dust had blown into his eye, temporarily blinding him.

Gladys Brockwell's final film The Drake Case was directed by Edward Laemmle while she was on loan to Universal Pictures, and was released posthumously in September 1929.

[Sweet Lu]

Selected filmography

1913 The Rattlesnake

1913 When Mountain and Valley Meet

1914 The Typhoon as Helene

1914 The Worth of a Life as Ruby Baker

1915 A Man and His Mate as Betty

1915 Providence and the Twins as Miss Abagail Dean

1916 The Crippled Hand as The Prima Donna

1916 The Fires of Conscience as Margey Burke

1917 The Price of Her Soul as Ailene Graham

1917 The Soul of Satan as Miriam Lee

1918 The Devil's Wheel as Blanche De Montfort

1918 Kultur as Countess Griselda von Arenburg

1919 Pitfalls of a Big City as Molly Moore

1919 Chasing Rainbows as Sadie

1920 Flames of the Flesh as Candace

1920 A Sister to Salome as Elinore Duane

1921 The Sage Hen as The Sage Hen

1922 Double Stakes

1922 Paid Back as Carol Gordon

1923 Penrod and Sam as Mrs. Schofield

1923 The Darling of New York as Light Fingered Kitty

1924 The Foolish Virgin as Nancy Owens

1924 So Big as Maartje Poole

1925 Chickie as Jennie

1925 Stella Maris as Louisa Risca

1926 Her Sacrifice as Mary Cullen

1926 Twinkletoes as Cissie Lightfoot

1927 Long Pants as His Mother

1927 The Country Doctor as Myra Jones

1927 "7th Heaven" as Nana

1928 My Home Town as Mae Andrews

1928 The Home Towners as Lottie Bancroft

1929 The Hottentot as Mrs. Chadwick

1929 The Argyle Case as Mrs. Martin