Blanche L. Friderici (January 21, 1878 – December 23, 1933) was an American film and stage

actress An actor or actress is a person who portrays a Character (arts), character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek ...

, sometimes credited as Blanche Frederici.

Early years

Friderici was a native of Brooklyn, New York. Her parents were William E. Friderici and Rosetta Elizabeth Freeman Friderici.

Career

Friderici did not aspire to be an actress, but rather an acting and elocution teacher. However, her eyesight began to fail, deteriorating to the point she could no longer read, so she turned from teaching acting to actually acting. An admirer of her recitals introduced her to impresario

David Belasco David Belasco (July 25, 1853 – May 14, 1931) was an American theatrical producer, impresario, director, and playwright. He was the first writer to adapt the short story ''Madame Butterfly'' for the stage. He launched the theatrical career of ...

, who cast her in ''The Darling of the Gods''. Between 1914 and 1927, Friderici appeared in nine

Broadway theatre Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), 130 of the 144 extant and extinct Broadway venues use (used) the spelling ''Th ...

productions in New York City, including a production of '' 39 East'' (1919) and as Mrs. Davidson in the play ''Rain''. Friderici appeared in sixty films from 1920 to 1934. Her début was as Miss McMasters in the

film adaptation A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dial ...

of ''39 East'' (1920). In '' Night Nurse'' (1931), which starred Barbara Stanwyck and

Clark Gable William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901November 16, 1960) was an American film actor, often referred to as "The King of Hollywood". He had roles in more than 60 motion pictures in multiple genres during a career that lasted 37 years, three decades ...

, she played a housekeeper too frightened to protect two children from a murder attempt. She portrayed a chaperone in ''

Flying Down to Rio ''Flying Down to Rio'' is a 1933 American pre-Code RKO musical film famous for being the first screen pairing of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, although Dolores del Río and Gene Raymond received top billing and the leading roles. Among the ...

'' (1933). Her last film role was as a motel owner's wife in ''

It Happened One Night ''It Happened One Night'' is a 1934 pre-Code American romantic comedy film with elements of screwball comedy directed and co-produced by Frank Capra, in collaboration with Harry Cohn, in which a pampered socialite ( Claudette Colbert) tr ...

'' (1934).

Personal life

Friderici married Donald Campbell in 1925.

Death

On December 24, 1933, on her way by automobile to attend a

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...

service at General Grant National Park with her stage manager husband, Donald Campbell, she died of a heart attack just after they reached

Visalia, California Visalia ( ) is a city in the agricultural San Joaquin Valley of California. The population was 141,384 as per the 2020 census. Visalia is the fifth-largest city in the San Joaquin Valley, the 42nd most populous in California, and 192nd in ...

. She was 55.

Complete filmography

*'' 39 East'' (1920) - Miss McMasters *'' No Trespassing'' (1922) - Dorinda *'' Sadie Thompson'' (1928) - Mrs. Alfred Davidson *'' Gentlemen Prefer Blondes'' (1928) - Miss Chapman *'' Fleetwing'' (1928) - Furja *'' Stolen Love'' (1928) - Aunt Evvie *''

Wonder of Women ''Wonder of Women'' is a 1929 American pre-Code drama film directed by Clarence Brown and starring Lewis Stone, Leila Hyams, and Peggy Wood. It was nominated for Best Writing at the 2nd Academy Awards. Based on the 1927 German novel ''Die Fra ...

'' (1929) - Stephen Trombolt's Housekeeper *''

The Awful Truth ''The Awful Truth'' is a 1937 American screwball comedy film directed by Leo McCarey and starring Irene Dunne and Cary Grant. Based on the 1923 play ''The Awful Truth'' by Arthur Richman, the film recounts how a distrustful rich couple begins ...

'' (1929) - Mrs. Leeson *''

Jazz Heaven ''Jazz Heaven'' is a 1929 American pre-Code romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a subgenre of comedy and slice of life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such ...

'' (1929) - Mrs. Langley *''

The Trespasser Trespasser In the law of tort, property, and criminal law a trespasser is a person who commits the act of trespassing on a property, that is, without the permission of the owner. Being present on land as a trespasser thereto creates liabi ...

'' (1929) - Miss Potter - Nurse *''The Flattering Word'' (1929 short) - Mrs. Zukor *''The Dead Line'' (1929 short) *''Marching On'' (1929 short) *''Trifles'' (1929 short) - Mrs. Peters * ''

Personality Personality is the characteristic sets of behaviors, cognitions, and emotional patterns that are formed from biological and environmental factors, and which change over time. While there is no generally agreed-upon definition of personality, mos ...

'' (1930) - Ma *'' The Girl Said No'' (1930) - Mrs. McAndrews (uncredited) *''

A Notorious Affair ''A Notorious Affair'' is a 1930 American pre-Code drama film, produced and released by First National Pictures. It was directed by Lloyd Bacon, starred Billie Dove, and featured Basil Rathbone and Kay Francis. The film was adapted from the ...

'' (1930) - Lady Teel (uncredited) *'' Soldiers and Women'' (1930) - Martha *''

The Bad One ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' (1930) - Madame Durand *''

Courage Courage (also called bravery or valor) is the choice and willingness to confront agony, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation. Valor is courage or bravery, especially in battle. Physical courage is bravery in the face of physical pain, h ...

'' (1930) - Aunt Caroline *''

Numbered Men ''Numbered Men'' is a 1930 American pre-Code prison drama film (originally with songs) produced and released by First National Pictures, a subsidiary of Warner Bros., and directed by Mervyn LeRoy. The movie stars Bernice Claire, Conrad Nagel, ...

'' (1930) - Mrs. Miller *'' The Office Wife'' (1930) - Kate Halsey *''

Billy the Kid Billy the Kid (born Henry McCarty; September 17 or November 23, 1859July 14, 1881), also known by the pseudonym William H. Bonney, was an outlaw and gunfighter of the American Old West, who killed eight men before he was shot and killed at t ...

'' (1930) - Mrs. McSween *'' Kismet'' (1930) - Narjis *'' The Cat Creeps'' (1930) - Mam' Pleasant *'' Ten Cents a Dance'' (1931) - Mrs. Blanchard *''

Woman Hungry ''Woman Hungry'' is a 1931 American pre-Code Western film with music photographed entirely in Technicolor. The film was based on the play '' The Great Divide'' (from 1906) which was written by William Vaughn Moody. The story was filmed as a sil ...

'' (1931) - Mrs. Temple *'' Night Nurse'' (1931) - Mrs. Maxwell *''

Murder by the Clock ''Murder by the Clock'' is a 1931 American pre-Code murder mystery film starring William "Stage" Boyd and Lilyan Tashman. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Rufus King and the play ''Dangerously Yours'' by Charles Beahan. Pl ...

'' (1931) - Julia Endicott *'' The Woman Between'' (1931) - Mrs. Weston * '' A Dangerous Affair'' (1931) - Letty Randolph *'' Friends and Lovers'' (1931) - Lady Allice *''

Wicked Wicked may refer to: Books * Wicked, a minor character in the ''X-Men'' universe * '' Wicked'', a 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire that inspired the musical of the same name * ''Wicked'', the fifth novel in Sara Shepard's ''Pretty Little Liars'' s ...

'' (1931) - Mrs. Johnson *''

Honor of the Family ''Honor of the Family'' is a 1931 American Pre-Code drama film released by First National Pictures (a subsidiary of Warner Bros.), starring Bebe Daniels and Warren William. It was based on the play by Emil Fabre, from the Honoré de Balzac nov ...

'' (1931) - Mme. Boris *''

Mata Hari Margaretha Geertruida MacLeod (née Zelle; 7 August 187615 October 1917), better known by the stage name Mata Hari (), was a Dutch exotic dancer and courtesan who was convicted of being a spy for Germany during World War I. She was executed ...

'' (1931) - Sister Angelica *'' The Hatchet Man'' (1932) - Madame Si-Si (uncredited) *''

Lady with a Past ''Lady with a Past'' is a 1932 American pre-Code romantic comedy film starring Constance Bennett as a shy and very proper young lady who decides to invent a scandalous past for herself to spice up her life. It is based on the novel of the same na ...

'' (1932) - Nora *''

Young Bride ''Young Bride'' is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by William A. Seiter and written by Garrett Fort, Ralph Murphy and Jane Murfin. The film stars Helen Twelvetrees, Eric Linden, Arline Judge, Roscoe Ates and Polly Walters. The film ...

'' (1932) - Miss Margaret Gordon, the Librarian *'' So Big'' (1932) - Widow Paarlenburg (uncredited) *'' State's Attorney'' (1932) - Night Court Judge (uncredited) *''

Miss Pinkerton ''Miss Pinkerton'' is a 1932 American pre-Code comedy mystery film about a nurse who becomes involved in a murder investigation. It stars Joan Blondell, George Brent and Ruth Hall. Cast * Joan Blondell as Nurse Adams aka "Miss Pinkerton" * G ...

'' (1932) - Mary *''

Love Me Tonight ''Love Me Tonight'' is a 1932 American pre-Code musical comedy film produced and directed by Rouben Mamoulian, with music by Rodgers and Hart. It stars Maurice Chevalier as a tailor who poses as a nobleman and Jeanette MacDonald as a princ ...

'' (1932) - Third Aunt *''

The Night Club Lady ''The Night Club Lady'' is a 1932 American pre-Code mystery film directed by Irving Cummings and starring Adolphe Menjou, Mayo Methot and Richard 'Skeets' Gallagher.Backer p.187 It was followed by a sequel '' The Circus Queen Murder'' in 1933 wi ...

'' (1932) - Mrs. Carewe *''

Thirteen Women ''Thirteen Women'' is a 1932 American pre-Code psychological thriller film, produced by David O. Selznick and directed by George Archainbaud. It stars Myrna Loy, Irene Dunne and Ricardo Cortez. The film is based on the 1930 bestselling novel of ...

'' (1932) - Miss Kirsten *''

Three on a Match ''Three on a Match'' is a 1932 American pre-Code crime drama released by Warner Bros. The film was directed by Mervyn LeRoy and stars Joan Blondell, Warren William, Ann Dvorak and Bette Davis. The film also features Lyle Talbot, Humphrey Bog ...

'' (1932) - Miss Blazer (uncredited) *''

If I Had a Million ''If I Had a Million'' is a 1932 American pre-Code Paramount Studios anthology film starring Gary Cooper, George Raft, Charles Laughton, W.C. Fields, Jack Oakie, Frances Dee and Charlie Ruggles, among others. There were seven directors: Ern ...

'' (1932) - Mrs. Garvey (uncredited) *''

Behind Jury Doors ''Behind Jury Doors'' is a 1932 American pre-Code mystery film directed by B. Reeves Eason and starring Helen Chandler, William Collier Jr. and Blanche Friderici.Pitts, p. 329 Cast * Helen Chandler as Elsa Lanfield * William Collier Jr. as ...

'' (1932) - Mrs. Lanfield *'' A Farewell to Arms'' (1932) - Head Nurse *'' Cynara'' (1932) - Concerned Mother in Courtroom (uncredited) *'' The Thundering Herd'' (1933) - Mrs. Jane Jett *''

Secrets Secrecy is the practice of hiding information from certain individuals or groups who do not have the "need to know", perhaps while sharing it with other individuals. That which is kept hidden is known as the secret. Secrecy is often controvers ...

'' (1933) - Mrs. Martha Marlowe * '' Alimony Madness'' (1933) - Mrs. Van *'' The Barbarian'' (1933) - Mrs. Hume *'' Adorable'' (1933) - The Countess *''

Hold Your Man ''Hold Your Man '' is a 1933 American pre-Code romantic drama film directed by an uncredited Sam Wood and starring Jean Harlow and Clark Gable, the third of their six films together.Landazuri, Margarit"Hold Your Man" (TCM article)/ref> The scre ...

'' (1933) - Mrs. Wagner *'' Man of the Forest'' (1933) - Mrs. Peg Forney *''

Aggie Appleby, Maker of Men ''Aggie Appleby, Maker of Men'' is a 1933 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Mark Sandrich and written by Humphrey Pearson and Edward Kaufman. The film stars Charles Farrell, Wynne Gibson, William Gargan, ZaSu Pitts, Betty Furness and Bl ...

'' (1933) - Aunt Katherine *'' The Way to Love'' (1933) - Rosalie *''

'' (1933) - Dona Elena De Rezende *'' All of Me'' (1934) - Miss Haskell *''

'' (1934) - Zeke's wife

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Friderici, Blanche 1878 births 1933 deaths Actresses from New York City American film actresses American silent film actresses American stage actresses Musicians from Brooklyn 20th-century American actresses