Corinne Barker (née Riely; June 5, 1890 – August 6, 1928) was an American actress and costume designer who came to prominence during the silent era, specifically for her roles in several

Vitagraph Vitagraph Studios, also known as the Vitagraph Company of America, was a United States motion picture studio. It was founded by J. Stuart Blackton and Albert E. Smith in 1897 in Brooklyn, New York, as the American Vitagraph Company. By 1907, ...

films. She also appeared in several Broadway productions as well as two films with

Marion Davies Marion Davies (born Marion Cecilia Douras; January 3, 1897 – September 22, 1961) was an American actress, producer, screenwriter, and philanthropist. Educated in a religious convent, Davies fled the school to pursue a career as a chorus girl ...

: '' The Restless Sex'' (1920) and '' Enchantment'' (1921). After making the transition to theater in the 1920s, Barker began working as a costume designer in Manhattan, working under

Vincent Youmans Vincent Millie Youmans (September 27, 1898 – April 5, 1946) was an American Broadway composer and producer. A leading Broadway composer of his day, Youmans collaborated with virtually all the greatest lyricists on Broadway: Ira Gershwin, ...

. Upon returning to the United States from Europe in July 1928, Barker developed peritonitis from food poisoning, of which she died on August 6, 1928.

Life and career

Early life

Barker was born Corinne Riely on June 5, 1890 in Salem, Oregon, to Charles Strang and Amelia (née Savage) Riely. She was educated at the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Salem. Her father was also a native of Salem, and a prominent businessman there and in Portland, Oregon.

Film and theater career

She began acting in theater productions in Portland in the early-1900s. She moved from Portland to New York City in 1910, and appeared in a stage production of ''

The Crinoline Girl ''The Crinoline Girl'' is a 1914 musical comedy written by Julian Eltinge, Otto Hauerbach, and Percy Wenrich. Producer Al Woods staged it on Broadway. Plot Tom Hale wants to marry Dorothy Ainsley, but her father Richard Ainsley does not want ...

'' with

Julian Eltinge Julian Eltinge (May 14, 1881 – March 7, 1941), born William Julian Dalton, was an American stage and film actor and female impersonator. After appearing in the Boston Cadets Revue at the age of ten in feminine garb, Eltinge garnered notic ...

. She married William Barker in Portland some time prior to 1916. Barker began appearing in films in 1918, debuting in ''Money Mad''. Her second film appearance in ''

Peck's Bad Girl ''Peck's Bad Girl'' is a 1918 comedy film directed by Charles Giblyn, written by Tex Charwate, produced by Samuel Goldwyn, and starring Mabel Normand and Earle Foxe. The black and white silent film, in the style of the Peck's Bad Boy stories, ...

'' (1918) was praised by ''Variety'', which noted: "Corinne Barker as the wily Hortense could not have been better cast." She appeared in a handful of features in 1919, including '' One Week of Life'', '' The Peace of Roaring River'', and '' The Climbers'', the latter of which starred

Corinne Griffith Corinne Griffith (née Griffin; November 21, 1894 – July 13, 1979) was an American film actress, producer, author and businesswoman. Dubbed "The Orchid Lady of the Screen," she was widely regarded as one of the most beautiful actresses of the ...

. She subsequently had a supporting role opposite

in the drama '' The Restless Sex'' (1920). Barker married actor

Hobart Henley Hobart Henley (born Hess Manassah Henle; November 23, 1887 – May 22, 1964) was an American silent film actor, director, screenwriter and producer. He was involved in over 60 films either as an actor or director or both in his twenty-year career ...

in New York City in July 1920, after which she appeared in '' Why Girls Leave Home'' (1921), and '' Enchantment'' (also 1921), the latter of which also starred Davies. In New York, Barker worked as a stage actress as well as a costume designer, designing the costumes for a 1926 Broadway production of ''

No, No, Nanette ''No, No, Nanette'' is a musical comedy with lyrics by Irving Caesar and Otto Harbach, music by Vincent Youmans, and a book by Otto Harbach and Frank Mandel, based on Mandel's 1919 Broadway play ''My Lady Friends''. The farcical story involves t ...

''. In late 1927, she began designing costumes for

' stage productions. She resided on the Upper West Side at 78th Street with husband Henley and her mother.

Death

Barker was admitted to Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan on July 19, 1928, shortly after returning to the United States from Europe, suffering from peritonitis. It was reported on July 27 that her condition had stemmed from food poisoning and that she was in "serious condition." Barker died a little over a week later on August 6, 1928. Her funeral service was held at the Church of Transfiguration in Manhattan. Barker is interred at River View Cemetery in Portland, Oregon.

Filmography

Stage credits

Notes

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Barker, Corinne 1890 births 1928 deaths Actresses from Portland, Oregon Actresses from Salem, Oregon American costume designers American silent film actresses 20th-century American actresses American stage actresses Burials at River View Cemetery (Portland, Oregon) Deaths from food poisoning Deaths from peritonitis