Barbara Tennant (19 May 1892 – 18 March 1982) was an English actress. She appeared in over a hundred silent films between 1912 and 1928.

Early life

Barbara Tennant was born in London, and began performing there. She moved to North America as a young actress and dancer with the

Ben Greet Sir Philip Barling Greet (24 September 1857 – 17 May 1936), known professionally as Ben Greet, was a Shakespearean actor, director, impresario and actor-manager. Early life The younger son of Captain William Greet RN and his wife, Sarah Ba ...

company, and lived in Montreal while touring in various theatrical productions.

Film career

Tennant appeared in over a hundred silent films, many of them short productions, between 1912 and 1928. Her first film was ''Chamber of Forgetfulness'' (1912), and her last film credit was in ''A Jim Jam Janitor'' (1928). Other notable appearances were as

Maid Marian Maid Marian is the heroine of the Robin Hood legend in English folklore, often taken to be his lover. She is not mentioned in the early, medieval versions of the legend, but was the subject of at least two plays by 1600. Her history and circums ...

in an adaptation of ''

Robin Hood Robin Hood is a legendary heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature and film. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions of the legend, he is depic ...

'' (1912) with Alec B. Francis and

George Larkin George Larkin (November 11, 1887 – March 27, 1946) was an American film actor of the silent era. He appeared in more than 150 films between 1910 and 1931. He was born and died in New York, New York. He was married to actress Ollie Kirkby. ...

; in ''Into the Wilderness'' (1914) and ''The Price of Malice'' (1916), both directed by

Oscar A. C. Lund Oscar Augustus Constantine Lund (May 21, 1885 – May 2, 1963) was a Swedish-born silent film actor, screenwriter and director of the American and Swedish motion picture industry. Biography Oscar A. C. Lund was born May 21, 1885 in Gothenburg, ...

; as the title character in ''M'Liss'' (1915), based on a story by

Bret Harte Bret Harte (; born Francis Brett Hart; August 25, 1836 – May 5, 1902) was an American short story writer and poet best remembered for short fiction featuring miners, gamblers, and other romantic figures of the California Gold Rush. In a caree ...

; ''

The Better Wife ''The Better Wife'' is a 1919 American silent drama film directed by William P. S. Earle and starring Clara Kimball Young and Edward Kimball. Plot Cast * Clara Kimball Young as Charmian Page * Edward Kimball as Mr. Page * Nigel Barrie as Sir R ...

'' (1919), starring

Clara Kimball Young Clara Kimball Young (born Edith Matilda Clara Kimball; September 6, 1890 – October 15, 1960) was an American film actress who was popular in the early silent film era. Early life Edith Matilda Clara Kimball was born in Chicago on Septembe ...

; in ''Captain January'' (1924), starring

Baby Peggy Diana Serra Cary (born Peggy-Jean Montgomery; October 29, 1918 – February 24, 2020), known as Baby Peggy, was an American child film actress, vaudevillian, author and silent film historian. She was the last living person with a substantial car ...

; and in ''

The Devil Dancer ''The Devil Dancer'' is a 1927 American silent romantic drama film directed by Fred Niblo and produced by Samuel Goldwyn. For his work on this film, '' The Magic Flame'' and '' Sadie Thompson'', cinematographer George Barnes was nominated for ...

'' (1927), featuring

Anna May Wong Wong Liu Tsong (January 3, 1905 – February 3, 1961), known professionally as Anna May Wong, was an American actress, considered the first Chinese-American movie star in Hollywood, as well as the first Chinese-American actress to gain intern ...

. Tennant worked at Eclair Studios in

Fort Lee, New Jersey Fort Lee is a borough at the eastern border of Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, situated along the Hudson River atop the Palisades. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the borough's population was 40,191. As of the 2010 U.S. census, th ...

, between 1911 and 1915. By 1919, she was based in Los Angeles, working with producer Jesse Hampton. She was ill for a few years, effectively ending her career momentum, though she made a comeback in 1922, and she appeared in films as late as 1931. "I love it all so," she explained. "I can't leave it."

Films in the news

Tennant was in one of the first films rejected by the

British Board of Film Classification The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC, previously the British Board of Film Censors) is a non-governmental organisation founded by the British film industry in 1912 and responsible for the national classification and censorship of f ...

in 1913, when she starred as the

Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother o ...

in ''The Crimson Cross'', apparently violating rules about the depiction of religious figures. In 2011, the Russian government presented ten American silent films, previously considered lost, to the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...

. One of those films, ''

Circus Days ''Circus Days'' is a 1923 American silent comedy film starring child actor Jackie Coogan, directed by Eddie Cline, produced by Sol Lesser and Jackie Coogan's own production company, and distributed through Associated First National Pictures. ...

'' (1923), starred Tennant and

Jackie Coogan John Leslie Coogan (October 26, 1914 – March 1, 1984) was an American actor and comedian who began his film career as a child actor in silent films. Charlie Chaplin's film classic ''The Kid'' (1921) made him one of the first child stars in the ...

Partial filmography

* ''

'' (1912) * ''

Lady Babbie ''Lady Babbie'' is a lost 1913 American silent drama film produced by the United States division of the French film company Eclair. The featurette was written and directed by Oscar A. C. Lund, a native of Sweden, who also costarred in the thr ...

'' (1913) * '' The Closed Road'' (1916) * '' What Every Woman Wants'' (1919) * ''

'' (1919) * ''

Shadows of Conscience ''Shadows of Conscience'' is a 1921 American silent Western film directed by John P. McCarthy and starring Russell Simpson, Barbara Tennant and Gertrude Olmstead.Connelly, p. 250. Cast * Russell Simpson as Jim Logan * Landers Stevens as Wad ...

'' (1921) * ''

What Love Will Do ''What Love Will Do'' is a 1921 American silent drama film directed by William K. Howard and starring Edna Murphy, Johnnie Walker and Barbara Tennant.Solomon p.272 Cast * Edna Murphy as Mary Douglas * Johnnie Walker as Johnny Rowan * Glen Cave ...

'' (1921) * ''

Wolves of the North ''Wolves of the North'' is a 1924 American Northern drama film serial directed by and starring William Duncan. This serial is considered to be a lost film. The working title was ''The Free Traders'' and the film featured a polar bear cub nam ...

'' (1921) * ''

The Golden Gallows ''The Golden Gallows'' is a 1922 American silent drama film directed by Paul Scardon and starring Miss DuPont. It was produced and distributed by the Universal Film Manufacturing Company.

'' (1922) * '' The Infidel'' (1922) * '' The Masquerader'' (1922) * '' Bulldog Courage'' (1922) * ''

The Love Gambler ''The Love Gambler'' is a 1922 American silent film, silent Western (genre), Western film directed by Joseph Franz (director), Joseph Franz and written by Jules Furthman. The film stars John Gilbert (actor), John Gilbert, Carmel Myers, Bruce Go ...

'' (1922) * ''

Thelma Thelma is a female given name. It was popularized by Victorian writer Marie Corelli who gave the name to the title character of her 1887 novel ''Thelma (novel), Thelma''. It may be related to a Greek word meaning "will, volition" see ''thelema''). ...

'' (1922) * ''

Deserted at the Altar ''Deserted at the Altar'' is a 1922 American silent film melodrama directed by William K. Howard and produced by Phil Goldstone Productions. It stars Bessie Love and Tully Marshall. The film is preserved at the Museum of Modern Art. Productio ...

'' (1922) * ''

The Drug Traffic ''The Drug Traffic'' is a 1923 American silent crime drama film directed by Irving Cummings and starring Robert Walker, Gladys Brockwell and Barbara Tennant. It was produced independently and released on a state-by-state basis.Munden p.204 Syn ...

'' (1923) * ''

The Old Fool ''The Old Fool'' is a 1923 American Silent film, silent Western (genre), Western film directed by Edward D. Venturini and starring James O. Barrows, Lloyd Hughes (actor), Lloyd Hughes and Jim Mason (American actor), Jim Mason.Darby, William. ''M ...

'' (1923) * '' Poisoned Paradise: The Forbidden Story of Monte Carlo'' (1924) * '' Captain January'' (1924) * ''

The House of Youth ''The House of Youth'' is a 1924 American silent drama film directed by Ralph Ince and starring Jacqueline Logan, Malcolm McGregor and Gloria Grey.Munden p.366 Cast * Jacqueline Logan as Corinna Endicott * Malcolm McGregor as Spike Blaine * Ver ...

'' (1924) * '' The Street of Tears'' (1924) * ''

You Can't Get Away with It ''You Can't Get Away with It'' is a 1923 American silent romantic drama film directed by Rowland V. Lee and starring Percy Marmont, Malcolm McGregor, and Betty Bouton. Plot As described in a film magazine review, Jill, Jane, and May Mackie ...

'' (1924) * '' Daddy's Gone A-Hunting'' (1925) * ''

Borrowed Finery ''Borrowed Finery'' is a 1925 American silent drama film produced and released by Tiffany Pictures, and based on a story by George Bronson Howard. Veteran director and performer Oscar Apfel directed a cast that includes Louise Lorraine, Hedda ...

'' (1925) * ''

Hearts and Spangles ''Hearts and Spangles'' is a 1926 American silent drama film directed by Frank O'Connor and starring Wanda Hawley, Robert Gordon and Frankie Darro.Munden p.334 A medical student is expelled from college and disowned by his father, and goes to ...

'' (1926) * ''

Her Sacrifice ''Her Sacrifice'' is a 1926 American silent drama film directed by Wilfred Lucas and starring Gaston Glass, Bryant Washburn and Gladys Brockwell.Munden p.343 It is based on an 1871 play by the Mexican writer Manuel Acuña. Synopsis After discov ...

'' (1926) * '' The Wreck'' (1927) * ''

Your Wife and Mine ''Your Wife and Mine'' is a 1927 American silent film, silent comedy film directed by Frank O'Connor (actor), Frank O'Connor and starring Phyllis Haver, Stuart Holmes and Wallace MacDonald.Katchmer p.533 Cast * Phyllis Haver as Phyllis Warren * ...

'' (1927) * '' Hidden Aces'' (1927) * '' The Clown'' (1927) * ''

'' (1927) * ''

Possessed Possessed may refer to: Possession * Possession (disambiguation), having some degree of control over something else ** Spirit possession, whereby gods, demons, animas, or other disincarnate entities may temporarily take control of a human body *** ...

'' (1931)

References

External links

* * * A clip from Mack Sennett's ''The Divorce Dodger'' (1926), featuring Barbara Tennant, at Internet Archive. {{DEFAULTSORT:Tennant, Barbara 1892 births 1982 deaths English film actresses English silent film actresses 20th-century English actresses