Anita Stewart (born Anna Marie Stewart; February 7, 1895 – May 4, 1961) was an American actress and

film producer A film producer is a person who oversees film production. Either employed by a production company or working independently, producers plan and coordinate various aspects of film production, such as selecting the script, coordinating writing, di ...

of the early

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, when ...

era.

Early years

Anita Stewart was born in

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

as Anna Marie Stewart on February 7, 1895. The middle child in birth order, her elder sister Lucille Lee, and younger brother George, also acted in films.Slide, 1970 p. 42.

Vitagraph Studios

Stewart began her acting career in 1911 at the age of 16 while still attending

Erasmus Hall High School Erasmus Hall High School was a four-year public high school located at 899–925 Flatbush Avenue between Church and Snyder Avenues in the Flatbush neighborhood of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. It was founded in 1786 as Erasmus Hall Ac ...

Stewart’s brother-in-law, director

Ralph Ince Ralph Waldo Ince (January 16, 1887 – April 10, 1937) was an American pioneer film actor, director and screenwriter whose career began near the dawn of the silent film era. Ralph Ince was the brother of John E. Ince and Thomas H. Ince. Biogr ...

at Vitagraph film studios, married to Lucille Lee, arranged for the teen-aged Stuart to appear as a juvenile extra at their New York City studio location. Stewart was one of the earliest film actresses to achieve public recognition in the nascent medium of motion pictures and achieved a great deal of acclaim early in her acting career. Within a year of joining Vitagraph, Stewart was playing lead roles, notably as the child-like Olympia in ''The Wood Violet'' (1912).Neely, 2013. When Vitagraph publicity personnel accidentally published Stewart’s name as “Anita Stewart” rather the hitherto “Anna M. Stewart”, and she adopted it as her professional name.Neely, 2013. By 1914, with the release of the melodramatic romance '' A Million Bid'' (1914), in which she played the long-suffering Agnes Belgradin, Stewart was elevated to a veritable screen icon.Neely, 2013. Film historian Hugh Neely describes the phenomenon: Stewart’s success at Vitagraph proceeded unabated through 1915, where she was gratified with working with director and brother-in-law Ralph Ince.Neely, 2013. Vitagraph began assigning Stewart vehicles to directors other than Ince in 1916. The screen star objected, questioning the professionalism of one director, Wilfred North. Stewart walked off the set, reporting that she needed to convalesce after suffering injuries in an automobile accident—effectively canceling the production.Neely, 2013. This legal ''contretemps'' signaled the end of Stewart’s six-year tenure at Vitagraph and her recruitment as a business associate and co-producer with aspiring movie mogul

Louis B. Mayer Louis Burt Mayer (; born Lazar Meir; July 12, 1882 or 1884 or 1885 – October 29, 1957) was a Canadian-American film producer and co-founder of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios (MGM) in 1924. Under Mayer's management, MGM became the film industr ...

in 1917.Neely, 2013.

Anita Stewart Productions: 1918-1922

In 1917,

, then a successful

New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...

movie exhibitor, wished to engage in producing independent films under the aegis of First National Exhibitors Circuit.Neely, 2013. As a prerequisite, he needed to bring a high-profile screen personality into the enterprise to attract investors.Neely, 2013. Mayer approached Stewart, who was still under contract to Vitagraph, and proposed they establish “Anita Stewart Productions.”Neely, 2013. Anxious to move to Hollywood, and promised opportunities to acquire quality directors and film roles, she contractually formed Anita Stewart Productions with Mayer in 1917.Neely, 2013. Steward’s husband and former co-star Rudolph Cameron, who she had married secretly in 1917, was enlisted as her business manager.Neely, 2013. Vitagraph moved quickly to open litigation against Stewart for breach of contract, claiming that she was under obligation to the studio until 31 January 1918. Stewart’s claims of illness or disability were rejected by the court, and she was made liable for all the days absent from the set. The settlement included $70,000 compensation to Vitagraph and a loss of revenue from her films.Neely, 2013. The decision is still cited today in actor-studio legal disputes. Despite this initial setback, Anita Stewart Productions proceeded to make ''

Virtuous Wives ''Virtuous Wives'' is a lost 1918 American silent drama film directed by George Loane Tucker, and stars Anita Stewart. Future gossip columnist Hedda Hopper (billed as Mrs. DeWolf Hopper) co-starred. Based on the novel of the same name by Owen Jo ...

'' (1918). This was the first of the seventeen feature films that her production outfit completed between 1918 and 1922.Neely, 2013. After this successful production, Stewart and Mayer moved to Hollywood in 1919, operating at the facilities of the

Selig Polyscope Company The Selig Polyscope Company was an American motion picture company that was founded in 1896 by William Selig in Chicago. The company produced hundreds of early, widely distributed commercial moving pictures, including the first films starring Tom ...

.Neely, 2013. As actress-producer, Stewart enlisted filmmaker

Lois Weber Florence Lois Weber (June 13, 1879 – November 13, 1939) was an American silent film actress, screenwriter, producer and director. She is identified in some historical references as among "the most important and prolific film directors in the e ...

as a writer-director. At the time, Weber enjoyed her own studio provided by Universal Pictures, where she “controlled every aspect of production” creating films that advanced her “conservative moral universe.” The Stewart-Weber collaboration produced the “unapologetically commercial” ''

A Midnight Romance ''A Midnight Romance'' is a 1919 American silent romantic drama film directed by Lois Weber and starring Anita Stewart. It was produced by Stewart and Louis B. Mayer. It was only feature film between First National and Metro Pictures' producer ...

'' (1919), an adaption of a

Marion Orth Marion Orth (December 5, 1900 – December 1, 1984) was an American screenwriter of the silent and sound eras of Hollywood. She was a frequent collaborator of director Lois Weber. Biography Orth began her career as a playwright and magazin ...

mystery-romance and ''

Mary Regan Mary Regan (born 16 April 1982) is an Irish journalist. She is currently a political reporter for RTÉ News. She formerly held the role of political editor with UTV Ireland, and previously held the same role at the '' Irish Examiner'' and was ...

'' (1919), another romance.Neely, 2013. An accomplished pianist and composer, Stewart wrote the music and lyrics for both films.Neely, 2013. Stewart and Mayer obtained the services of some of Hollywood’s most talented directors of that era.

Marshall Neilan Marshall Ambrose "Mickey" Neilan (April 11, 1891 – October 27, 1958) was an American actor. Early life Born in San Bernardino, California, Neilan was known by most as "Mickey." Following the death of his father, the eleven-year-old Mickey N ...

, who had directed and starred opposite

Mary Pickford Gladys Marie Smith (April 8, 1892 – May 29, 1979), known professionally as Mary Pickford, was a Canadian-American stage and screen actress and producer with a career that spanned five decades. A pioneer in the US film industry, she co-founde ...

in several productions, made two pictures with Stewart: '' In Old Kentucky'' and ''

Her Kingdom of Dreams ''Her Kingdom of Dreams'' is a 1919 American silent drama film directed by Marshall Neilan and starring Anita Stewart, Spottiswoode Aitken, and Frank Currier Frank Currier (September 4, 1857 – April 22, 1928) was an American film and s ...

'' (1919). Neilan's own recent attempt at independent filmmaking had failed. Among her other directors at Anita Stewart Productions were

Edward José Edward José (5 July 1865 – 18 December 1930) was a Belgian film director and actor of the silent era. He directed 42 films between 1915 and 1925. He also performed in 12 films between 1910 and 1916.The Fighting Shepherdess ''The Fighting Shepherdess'' is a 1920 American western-romance film directed by Edward José and Millard Webb and written by Frank Mitchell Dazey. It is based on the 1919 novel ''The Fighting Shepherdess'' by Caroline Lockhart. The film stars ...

)'' (1920),

Edwin Carewe Edwin Carewe (March 3, 1883 – January 22, 1940) was an American motion picture director, actor, producer, and screenwriter. His birth name was Jay John Fox; he was born in Gainesville, Texas. Career After brief studies at the Universities of ...

(''

Playthings of Destiny ''Playthings of Destiny'' is a 1921 American romance film directed by Edwin Carewe and written by Anthony Paul Kelly. The film stars Anita Stewart, Herbert Rawlinson, Walter McGrail, Grace Morse, William V. Mong, and Richard Headrick. The film wa ...

'') (1921) and

John Stahl John Macdonald Steele (23 June 1953 – 2 March 2022), better known as John Stahl, was a Scottish actor best known for playing Rickard Karstark in HBO's '' Game of Thrones'' and Tom 'Inverdarroch' Kerr in '' High Road''. Life and career Stah ...

('' Sowing the Wind'') (1921).Neely, 2013. Although the extent of Stewart’s oversight as co-producer at Anita Stewart Productions is not clearly documented, historian Hugh Neely surmises that, as she was “consistently present on the set of her films, it seems logical to conclude that Stewart was in position to make the daily production decisions that might be required of her, as well as other creative decisions.”Neely, 2013. Stewart’s increasing disaffection in her role as co-producer arose over Mayer’s veto power over subject matter and the treatment of scenarios. Stewart championed adapting films that presented socially significant topics, including realistic literary treatments of prostitution (e.g.

Theodore Dreiser Theodore Herman Albert Dreiser (; August 27, 1871 – December 28, 1945) was an American novelist and journalist of the naturalist school. His novels often featured main characters who succeeded at their objectives despite a lack of a firm mora ...

’s sexually provocative

Sister Carrie ''Sister Carrie'' (1900) is a novel by Theodore Dreiser (1871-1945) about a young woman who moves to the big city where she starts realizing her own American Dream. She first becomes a mistress to men that she perceives as superior, but later ...

). Mayer’s “moralistic” outlook allowed only for features that would be suitable for family entertainment: “The sort of mature stories that appealed to Anita Stewart were out of the question.”Neely, 2013. Stewart declined to renew her contract with Mayer in 1922 to resume a career in acting.Neely, 2013. Shortly after closing Anita Stewart Productions, Stewart received news that her younger brother, actor George Stewart, suffered brain damage in a physical assault by their brother-in-law, director Ralph Ince. Ince was indicted for the assault. Invalided, Stewart would ultimately assume responsibility for George’s care.Neely, 2013.

Final years in Hollywood: 1923-1928

Stewart returned to acting at

William Randolph Hearst William Randolph Hearst Sr. (; April 29, 1863 – August 14, 1951) was an American businessman, newspaper publisher, and politician known for developing the nation's largest newspaper chain and media company, Hearst Communications. His flamboya ...

’s

Cosmopolitan Productions Cosmopolitan Productions, also often referred to as Cosmopolitan Pictures, was an American film company based in New York City from 1918 to 1923 and Hollywood until 1938. History Newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst formed Cosmopolitan in co ...

in 1923, where she starred in

Frank J. Marion Frank Joseph Marion (July 25, 1869 – March 28, 1963) was an American motion picture pioneer. He was born in Tidioute, Pennsylvania. He had a wife named Florence and 4 daughters and a son. He was married to Florence until her death. Career ...

’s ''The Love Pilot'' (1923).Neely, 2013. She completed two more Cosmopolitan pictures: ''

The Great White Way Broadway () is a road in the U.S. state of New York. Broadway runs from State Street at Bowling Green for through the borough of Manhattan and through the Bronx, exiting north from New York City to run an additional through the Westcheste ...

'' (1924), directed by E. Mason Hopper, and'' Never the Twain Shall Meet'' (1925), directed by

Maurice Tourneur Maurice may refer to: People *Saint Maurice (died 287), Roman legionary and Christian martyr *Maurice (emperor) or Flavius Mauricius Tiberius Augustus (539–602), Byzantine emperor *Maurice (bishop of London) (died 1107), Lord Chancellor and Lo ...

. Stewart regarded the latter, in which she plays Tamea, her personal favorite, now a lost film. Neely, 2013. After leaving Cosmopolitan, Stewart began accepting roles offered by

Poverty Row Poverty Row is a slang term used to refer to Hollywood films produced from the 1920s to the 1950s by small (and mostly short-lived) B movie studios. Although many of them were based on (or near) today's Gower Street in Hollywood, the term did n ...

studios in order to stay employed. Neely, 2013. The final film of her career was ''

Romance of a Rogue ''Romance of a Rogue'' is a 1928 American silent drama film directed by King Baggot and starring H.B. Warner, Anita Stewart, and Charles K. Gerrard.''Guide to the Silent Years of American Cinema'', p. 25 It is based on the 1923 novel by the Br ...

'' (1928), in which she played opposite

H. B. Warner Henry Byron Warner (born Henry Byron Lickfold, 26 October 1876 – 21 December 1958) was an English film and theatre actor. He was popular during the silent era and played Jesus Christ in '' The King of Kings''. In later years, he successfu ...

and directed by

King Baggot William King Baggot (November 7, 1879 – July 11, 1948) was an American actor, film director and screenwriter. He was an internationally famous movie star of the silent film era. The first individually publicized leading man in America, B ...

.Neely, 2013.

Retirement and death

Stewart divorced Rudolph Cameron shortly after retiring from film, and married George Converse, an heir of a

United States Steel United States Steel Corporation, more commonly known as U.S. Steel, is an American integrated steel producer headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with production operations primarily in the United States of America and in several countries ...

president, and they settled in Beverly Hills, California. Stewart made a number of appearances on film and radio and in 1932 made a brief appearance in ''The Hollywood Handicap''. Stewart and Converse divorced in 1946.Neely, 2013. On May 4, 1961, Stewart died of a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...

Beverly Hills, California Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. B ...

Writing

Stewart authored the murder mystery novel ''The Devil's Toy'', published in New York in 1935 by

E.P. Dutton E. P. Dutton was an American book publishing company. It was founded as a book retailer in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1852 by Edward Payson Dutton. Since 1986, it has been an imprint of Penguin Group. Creator Edward Payson Dutton (January 4, ...

. Though the book's dust jacket traded on the author's Hollywood connection, the plot concerned the killing of a stage actor and was set in San Francisco.

Recognition

For her contribution to motion picture industry as an actress, Anita Stewart was given a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...

at 6724

Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It begins in the east at Sunset Boulevard in the Los Feliz district and proceeds to the west as a major thoroughfare through Little Armenia and Thai Town, Hollywoo ...

Selected filmography

Notes

Footnotes

Sources

* Higham, Charles. 1973. ''The Art of the American Film: 1900-1971''. Doubleday & Company, Inc. New York. *Neely, Hugh. 2013. ''Anita Stewart''. In Jane Gaines, Radha Vatsal, and Monica Dall’Asta, eds. ''Women Film Pioneers Project''. New York, NY: Columbia University Libraries, 2013. https://doi.org/10.7916/d8-4bse-4g29 Retrieved 19 June 2021. *Koszarski, Richard. 1976. ''Hollywood Directors: 1914-1940''. Oxford University Press. Library of Congress Catalog Number: 76-9262. * Robinson, David. 1968. ''Hollywood in the Twenties''. Paperback Library, New York. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 68-24002 * Slide, Anthony. 1970. ''Early American Cinema''. The International Film Guide Series. A. S. Barnes & Co. New York.

External links

* *
Anita Stewart
at the Women Film Pioneers Project
Literature on Anita Stewart1924 passport photo
(flickr.com) * {{DEFAULTSORT:Stewart, Anita 1895 births 1961 deaths 20th-century American actresses Actresses from New York City American crime fiction writers American film actresses Film producers from New York (state) American silent film actresses Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale) Erasmus Hall High School alumni People from Brooklyn Novelists from New York (state) Women film pioneers American women film producers