Billie Seward (born Rita Ann Seward; October 23, 1912 – March 20, 1982) was a 1930s motion picture actress from

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

Film actress

Seward performed with

Lou Holtz Louis Leo Holtz (born January 6, 1937) is an American former football player, coach, and analyst. He served as the head football coach at The College of William & Mary (1969–1971), North Carolina State University (1972–1975), the New York ...

at The Beverly Wilshire Hotel Gold Room in December 1933. She obtained a contract with

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...

following a three-month stay in

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...

. Seward starred with

Richard Cromwell Richard Cromwell (4 October 162612 July 1712) was an English statesman who was the second and last Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland and son of the first Lord Protector, Oliver Cromwell. On his father's death ...

in the 1934 Columbia production of ''Among the Missing''.

Wallace Ford Wallace Ford (born Samuel Grundy Jones; 12 February 1898 – 11 June 1966) was an English-born naturalized American vaudevillian, stage performer and screen actor. Usually playing wise-cracking characters, he combined a tough but friendly-face ...

joined Seward and Cromwell in ''Hot News'', which was eventually titled ''Men of the Hour'' (1935). She was in three western films written by

Ford Beebe Ford Beebe (November 26, 1888 – November 26, 1978) was a screenwriter and Film director, director. He entered the film business as a writer around 1916 and over the next 60 years wrote and/or directed almost 200 films. He specialized in B-movi ...

in 1935. The titles are ''Law Beyond the Range'', ''The Revenge Rider'', and ''Justice of the Range''. Colonel

Tim McCoy Timothy John Fitzgerald McCoy (April 10, 1891 – January 29, 1978) was an American actor, military officer, and expert on American Indian life. McCoy is most noted for his roles in B-grade Western films. As a popular cowboy film star, he ap ...

Ward Bond Wardell Edwin Bond (April 9, 1903 – November 5, 1960) was an American film character actor who appeared in more than 200 films and starred in the NBC television series ''Wagon Train'' from 1957 to 1960. Among his best-remembered roles are Ber ...

, and Ed LeSaint were among her fellow actors. In ''One Crowded Night'' (1940) Seward plays ''Gladys''. This

RKO RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, was an American film production and distribution company, one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orpheu ...

film is critiqued by

Bosley Crowther Francis Bosley Crowther Jr. (July 13, 1905 – March 7, 1981) was an American journalist, writer, and film critic for ''The New York Times'' for 27 years. His work helped shape the careers of many actors, directors and screenwriters, though his ...

who called it "a routine multi-plot

melodrama A modern melodrama is a dramatic work in which the plot, typically sensationalized and for a strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodramas typically concentrate on dialogue that is often bombastic or exces ...

, ''

Grand Hotel A grand hotel is a large and luxurious hotel, especially one housed in a building with traditional architectural style. It began to flourish in the 1800s in Europe and North America. Grand Hotel may refer to: Hotels Africa * Grande Hotel Beir ...

'' reduced to a tourist camp."

Marriage

In 1934 Seward was linked romantically to actor

Lyle Talbot Lyle Florenz Talbot (born Lisle Henderson, also credited Lysle Talbot; February 8, 1902 – March 2, 1996) was an American stage, screen and television actor. His career in films spanned three decades, from 1931 to 1960, and he performed on ...

. She married

William Wilkerson William Richard "Billy" Wilkerson (September 29, 1890 – September 2, 1962) was the founder of ''The Hollywood Reporter'', a real estate developer in Las Vegas and owner of such nightclubs as Ciro's. His series of columns known as "Billy's L ...

, owner of the

Trocadero (Los Angeles) Cafe Trocadero was an upscale nightclub that opened on the Sunset Strip in 1934 and immediately became the place where Hollywood stars went to be seen. Photographs of the stars out on the town at the Troc one night might appear in ''The Hollywood ...

and

Ciro's Ciro's (later known as Ciro's Le Disc) was a nightclub on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, California owned by William Wilkerson. Opened in 1940, Ciro's became a popular nightspot for celebrities. The nightclub closed in 1957 and was reopened ...

, on September 30, 1935. Wilkerson was also the owner and publisher of ''

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...

''. The couple separated in February 1937 but reconciled. Seward renewed a divorce suit against Wilkerson in March 1938, using her legal name Rita Ann Wilkerson.

Death

Seward died in

Sherman Oaks, California Sherman Oaks is a neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles, California located in the San Fernando Valley, founded in 1927. The neighborhood includes a portion of the Santa Monica Mountains, which gives Sherman Oaks a lower population density than ...

, in 1982. She was survived by four brothers and two sisters. Her Funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Cyril of Jerusalem Roman Catholic Church in

Encino, California Encino (Spanish language, Spanish for "oak") is a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. History In 1769, the Spanish Portolá expedition, first Europeans to see inland areas of California, traveled north t ...

, and she was buried in the San Fernando Mission Cemetery.

Partial filmography

*''School For Romance'' (1934, Short) - Mrs. Romansky *'' The 9th Guest'' (1934) - Office Worker (uncredited) *'' Once to Every Woman'' (1934) - No. 5 *'' Voice In The Night'' (1934) - Barbara Robinson *''

Twentieth Century The 20th (twentieth) century began on January 1, 1901 ( MCMI), and ended on December 31, 2000 ( MM). The 20th century was dominated by significant events that defined the modern era: Spanish flu pandemic, World War I and World War II, nuclear ...

'' (1934) - Anita *'' The Hell Cat'' (1934) - Minor Role (uncredited) *''Plumbing For Gold'' (1934, Short) *'' Whom the Gods Destroy'' (1934) - Jerry's Wife (uncredited) *''

Blind Date A blind date is a social engagement between two people who have not met, usually arranged by a mutual acquaintance. Structure A blind date is arranged for by a mutual acquaintance of both participants. The two people who take part in the blind ...

'' (1934) - Barbara Hartwell * '' Among the Missing'' (1934) - Judy *'' Fugitive Lady'' (1934) - Miss Hyland *''

Law Beyond the Range ''Law Beyond the Range'' is a 1935 American Western film directed by Ford Beebe and written by Lambert Hillyer. The film stars Tim McCoy, Billie Seward, Robert Allen, Guy Usher, Harry Todd and Walter Brennan. The film was released on February ...

'' (1935) - Gloria Alexander *''

The Revenge Rider ''The Revenge Rider'' is a 1935 American Western film directed by David Selman, which stars Tim McCoy, Robert Allen, and Billie Seward. Cast list * Tim McCoy as Tim O'Neil * Robert Allen as Chad Harmon * Billie Seward as Myra Harmon * Edward ...

'' (1935) - Myra Harmon *''Men Of The Hour'' (1935) - Ann Jordan *''

Air Hawks ''Air Hawks'' is a 1935 American aviation-themed science fiction film based on Ben Pivar's "Air Fury", an unpublished story. Director Albert Rogell who had moved from shorts to B-films, was interested in aviation and had already helmed ''The Fly ...

'' (1935) - Mona Greenwood *''

Justice of the Range ''Justice of the Range'' is a 1935 American Western film directed by David Selman, which stars Tim McCoy, Billie Seward, and Ward Bond. Cast list * Tim McCoy as Tim Condon * Billie Seward as Janet McLean * Ward Bond as Bob Brennan * Guy Ushe ...

'' (1935) - Janet McLean *'' Riding Wild'' (1935) - Jane McCabe *''

Branded a Coward ''Branded a Coward'' is a 1935 American Western film directed by Sam Newfield. it was the first of Johnny Mack Brown's Westerns made for producer A.W. Hackel's Supreme Picetures. Cast * Johnny Mack Brown as Johnny Hume * Billie Seward as E ...

'' (1935) - Ethel Carson *''

Trails of The Wild ''Trails of the Wild'' is a 1935 American adventure film directed by Sam Newfield and written by Joseph O'Donnell. The film stars Kermit Maynard, Billie Seward, Monte Blue, Matthew Betz, Fuzzy Knight and Wheeler Oakman. The film was released o ...

'' (1935) - Jane Madison *''Man from Guntown'' (1935) - Ruth McArthur *''

Charlie Chan at Treasure Island ''Charlie Chan at Treasure Island'' is a 1939 American film directed by Norman Foster (director), Norman Foster, starring Sidney Toler as the fictional Chinese-American detective Charlie Chan, that takes place on Treasure Island (California), T ...

'' (1939) - Bessie Sibley *''

Reno Reno ( ) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada-California border, about north from Lake Tahoe, known as "The Biggest Little City in the World". Known for its casino and tourism industry, Reno is the c ...

'' (1939) - Mrs. Gordon (uncredited) *''

One Crowded Night ''One Crowded Night'' is a 1940 drama film directed by Irving Reis. Cast * Billie Seward as Gladys * William Haade as Joe Miller * Charles Lang as Fred Matson (Navy deserter prisoner) * Adele Pearce as Ruth Matson * J.M. Kerrigan as Brother 'Doc ...

'' (1940) - Gladys *''

Li'l Abner ''Li'l Abner'' is a satirical American comic strip that appeared in many newspapers in the United States, Canada and Europe. It featured a fictional clan of hillbillies in the impoverished mountain village of Dogpatch, USA. Written and drawn ...

'' (1940) - Cousin Delightful *''

No Hands on the Clock ''No Hands on the Clock'' is a 1941 American comedy mystery film directed by Frank McDonald starring Chester Morris as detective Humphrey Campbell. The cast also included Jean Parker and Rose Hobart. It was produced by Pine-Thomas Productions a ...

'' (1941) - Rose Madden *''

Jane Eyre ''Jane Eyre'' ( ; originally published as ''Jane Eyre: An Autobiography'') is a novel by the English writer Charlotte Brontë. It was published under her pen name "Currer Bell" on 19 October 1847 by Smith, Elder & Co. of London. The first ...

'' (1943) - Woman at Party (uncredited) *'' The Gang's All Here'' (1943) - Dancer (uncredited) *'' Take It or Leave It'' (1944) - Nurse (uncredited) *''

Something for the Boys ''Something for the Boys'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter and a book by Herbert Fields and Dorothy Fields. Produced by Mike Todd, the show opened on Broadway in 1943 and starred Ethel Merman in her fifth Cole Porter musical. P ...

'' (1944) - Minor Role (uncredited) (final film role)

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Seward, Billie 20th-century American actresses American film actresses Western (genre) film actresses Actresses from Philadelphia 1982 deaths 1912 births