Edith Johnson (August 10, 1894 – September 6, 1969) was an American actress of the

silent era 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, wh ...

. She appeared in more than 60 films between 1913 and 1924, mostly serials,

action films Action film is a film genre in which the protagonist is thrust into a series of events that typically involve violence and physical feats. The genre tends to feature a mostly resourceful hero struggling against incredible odds, which include lif ...

and

Westerns The Western is a genre set in the American frontier and commonly associated with folk tales of the Western United States, particularly the Southwestern United States, as well as Northern Mexico and Western Canada. It is commonly referred ...

Biography

Johnson was born in

Rochester, New York Rochester () is a City (New York), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, the county seat, seat of Monroe County, New York, Monroe County, and the fourth-most populous in the state after New York City, Buffalo, New York, Buffalo, ...

and died in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

. The

Eastman Kodak The Eastman Kodak Company (referred to simply as Kodak ) is an American public company that produces various products related to its historic basis in analogue photography. The company is headquartered in Rochester, New York, and is incorpor ...

company had its headquarters in Rochester and Edith's first blush with fame came as "Kodak girl". She even became known as "the most photographed girl in the world". Educated at

Vassar College Vassar College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. Founded in 1861 by Matthew Vassar, it was the second degree-granting institution of higher education for women in the United States, closely follo ...

, she joined

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 ...

in 1914, though only after her marriage to actor William Duncan in 1921 did she begin to receive attention as an actress. With Duncan she had two sons and one daughter. They remained married until Duncan's death in 1961. Johnson died in Los Angeles after a fall.

Career

Johnson appeared in her first film ''

The Circular Staircase ''The Circular Staircase'' is a mystery novel by American writer Mary Roberts Rinehart. The story follows dowager Rachel Innes as she thwarts a series of strange crimes at a summer house she has rented with her niece and nephew. The novel was Rine ...

'' in 1915. After working on a serial with Duncan in 1918, the pair continued to co-star in films together. The pair became known as "the king and queen of the serial".

Selected filmography

* ''

Sweet Alyssum ''Lobularia maritima'' ( syn. ''Alyssum maritimum'') is a species of low-growing flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae. Its common name is sweet alyssum or , also commonly referred to as just alyssum (from the genus ''Alyssum'' in which it ...

'' (1915) * '' Behind the Lines'' (1916) * '' The Conspiracy'' (1916) * ''

Guilty Guilty or The Guilty may refer to: * Guilt (emotion), an experience that occurs when a person believes they have violated a moral standard Law *Culpability, the degree to which an agent can be held responsible for action or inaction *Guilt (law) ...

'' (1916) * ''

The Scarlet Crystal ''The Scarlet Crystal'' is a 1917 American silent film, silent crime drama film directed by Charles Swickard and starring Herbert Rawlinson, Betty Schade, and Dorothy Davenport.Parish & Pitts p. 104 Cast * Herbert Rawlinson as Vincent Morgan * Be ...

'' (1917) * ''

The Scarlet Car ''The Scarlet Car'' is a 1917 American silent drama film directed by Joe De Grasse and featuring Lon Chaney, Edith Johnson and Franklyn Farnum. The film was written by William Parker, based upon the novel ''The Scarlet Car'' by Richard Harding ...

'' (1917) * '' The Shuttle'' (1918) * ''

The Fighting Grin ''The Fighting Grin'' is a 1918 American silent comedy Western film directed by Joseph De Grasse and starring Franklyn Farnum, Edith Johnson and J. Morris Foster. Cast * Franklyn Farnum as Billy Kennedy * Edith Johnson as Margie Meredith * J ...

'' (1918) * '' A Fight for Love'' (1919) * '' Smashing Barriers'' (1919) * ''

Steelheart Steelheart is an American glam metal band from Norwalk, Connecticut, that formed in 1989. At the time that their debut was recorded, the band's members consisted of vocalist Miljenko Matijevic, lead guitarist Chris Risola, rhythm guitarist Fran ...

'' (1921) * '' No Defense'' (1921) * ''

Where Men Are Men ''Where Men Are Men'' is a 1921 American silent Western film directed by William Duncan and starring Duncan, Edith Johnson and George Stanley.Rainey, p. 46. Cast * William Duncan as Vic Foster * Edith Johnson as Eileen ''aka'' 'Princess' * ...

'' (1921) * ''

The Silent Vow ''The Silent Vow'' is a 1922 American silent Western film directed by William Duncan and starring Duncan, Edith Johnson and Dorothy Dwan.Rainey, p. 136. It is a Northern, following the activities of an officer of the Mounties. Cast * Willia ...

'' (1922) * ''

The Fighting Guide ''The Fighting Guide'' is a 1922 American silent Western film directed by William Duncan and starring Duncan, Edith Johnson and Harry Lonsdale.Connelly, p. 347. Cast * William Duncan as Ned Lightning * Edith Johnson as Ethel MacDonald * Ha ...

'' (1922) * ''

When Danger Smiles ''When Danger Smiles'' is a 1922 American silent Western film directed by William Duncan and starring Duncan, Edith Johnson and James Farley.Langman, p. 503 Cast * William Duncan as Ray Chapman * Edith Johnson as Frania Caravelle * James F ...

'' (1922) * ''

Playing It Wild ''Playing It Wild'' is a 1923 American silent Western film directed by William Duncan and starring Duncan, Edith Johnson and Francis Powers.Rainey p.48 Cast * William Duncan as Jerry Hoskins * Edith Johnson as Beth Webb * Francis Powe ...

'' (1923) * '' Smashing Barriers'' (1923) * ''

The Steel Trail ''The Steel Trail'' is a 1923 American drama film serial directed by and starring William Duncan.The Fast Express ''The Fast Express'' is a 1924 American drama film serial directed by and starring William Duncan. The film is considered to be lost, though a "fragmentary print" exists. Cast Chapter titles #Facing the Crisis #Vanishing Diamonds #Woman of ...

'' (1924) * ''

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 ...

'' (1924) * ''

Hello, 'Frisco ''Hello, 'Frisco'' is a 1924 American silent short comedy film directed by Slim Summerville and starring Summerville, Bobby Dunn, and a host of famous film actors of the era. It was produced and distributed by Universal Pictures. Cast See al ...

'' (1924)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Edith 1894 births 1969 deaths American film actresses American silent film actresses Burials at Inglewood Park Cemetery Actresses from Rochester, New York 20th-century American actresses