Ethel Grey Terry (October 2, 1882 – January 6, 1931) 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 is best remembered for her role in '' The Penalty'' with

Lon Chaney Leonidas Frank "Lon" Chaney (April 1, 1883 – August 26, 1930) was an American actor. He is regarded as one of the most versatile and powerful actors of cinema, renowned for his characterizations of tortured, often grotesque and affli ...

Early years

Ethel Grey Terry was born in Oakland, California, the daughter of actress

Lillian Lawrence Lillian Lawrence (February 17, 1868 – May 7, 1926) was an American theatre and silent film actress. Her daughter Ethel Grey Terry was also an actress. Biography Lawrence was born in either Alexandria, Virginia or Alexander, West Virginia bu ...

, a single mother. She first appeared on stage, in a supporting role to

Wallace Eddinger Wallace Eddinger (July 14, 1881/1883 – January 8, 1929) was an American stage actor. He started as a child actor, known as Wally Eddinger. As a child he played Cedric in ''Little Lord Fauntleroy'' which starred female child sensation Elsie Le ...

, when she was 5 years old. Raised in

Roxbury, Massachusetts Roxbury () is a Neighborhoods in Boston, neighborhood within the City of Boston, Massachusetts. Roxbury is a Municipal annexation in the United States, dissolved municipality and one of 23 official neighborhoods of Boston used by the city for n ...

, Terry attended Notre Dame Academy for seven years. She had an early interest in art and planned to make her career in that field.

Career

Terry appeared on Broadway for two years in

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 m ...

's productions and later performed in Shubert productions. Her Broadway credits included ''Honor Be Damned!'' (1927), ''Search Me'' (1915), ''The Smoldering Flame'' (1913), ''The Only Son'' (1911), and ''The Lily'' (1909). Her activities on stage included speaking the first line when the Little Theater opened in Los Angeles with a production of ''The Pigeon''. She also had the female lead in ''Anatole'' at that theater and portrayed the mother in ''Civilian Clothes'' when it was presented in Chicago. Terry operated a stock theater company in

Schenectady, New York Schenectady () is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2020 census, the city's population of 67,047 made it the state's ninth-largest city by population. The city is in eastern New Y ...

, and it also presented plays in Boston, Minneapolis, and St. Paul. Terry appeared in 52 films between 1914 and 1928, sometimes as a leading lady but often in supporting roles.

Personal life and death

She married Danish actor

Carl Gerard Carl Gerard (born Carl Gerhard Petersen; 28 September 1885 – 6 January 1966), sometimes credited as Carl Gerrard, was a Danish-American actor known for playing supporting roles. Biography Gerard spent much of his career in Los Angeles and ...

in 1910 and remained with him until her death. On January 6, 1931, following a year's illness, Terry died at her home in Hollywood, aged 48. Her ashes were interred at

Hollywood Forever Cemetery Hollywood Forever Cemetery is a full-service cemetery, funeral home, crematory, and cultural events center which regularly hosts community events such as live music and summer movie screenings. It is one of the oldest cemeteries in Los Angeles ...

Selected filmography

* '' The Sign of the Cross'' (1914) * ''

Intolerance Intolerance may refer to: * Hypersensitivity Hypersensitivity (also called hypersensitivity reaction or intolerance) refers to undesirable reactions produced by the normal immune system, including allergies and autoimmunity. They are usual ...

'' (1916) * ''

The Secret of the Storm Country ''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 ...

'' (1917) * '' Vengeance Is Mine'' (1917) * '' Arsene Lupin'' (1917) * ''

A Doll's House ''A Doll's House'' (Danish and nb, Et dukkehjem; also translated as ''A Doll House'') is a three-act play written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It premiered at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 21 December 1879, having bee ...

'' (1918) * '' Just for Tonight'' (1918) * ''

Phil for Short ''Phil for Short'' is a 1919 American silent comedy film directed by Oscar Apfel and starring Evelyn Greeley. It was produced and distributed by World Film Company. Cast Preservation A print of ''Phil for Short'' is housed in the Library of Co ...

'' (1919) * ''

The Mystery of the Yellow Room ''The Mystery of the Yellow Room'' (in French ''Le mystère de la chambre jaune'') is a mystery novel written by French author Gaston Leroux. One of the first locked-room mystery novels, it was first published serially in France in the periodical ...

'' (1919) * ''

Going Some ''Going Some'' is a lost 1920 silent film directed by Harry Beaumont. It stars Cullen Landis, Helen Ferguson, Kenneth Harlan and Lillian Hall. It was released by Goldwyn Pictures.''Pictorial History of the Silent Film'', p.195 c.1953 by Daniel ...

'' (1920) * '' The Penalty'' (1920) * ''

Food for Scandal ''Food for Scandal'' is a 1920 American comedy drama film directed by James Cruze and written by Edith Kennedy. The film stars Wanda Hawley, Harrison Ford, Ethel Grey Terry, Margaret McWade, Minnie Devereaux, and Juan de la Cruz. The film was re ...

'' (1920) * ''

A Thousand to One ''A Thousand to One'' is a 1920 American silent drama film directed by Rowland V. Lee and starring Hobart Bosworth, Ethel Grey Terry and Charles West. Plot The story follows William Newlands, a man deep in debt who marries wealthy Beatrice on ...

'' (1920) * ''

Habit A habit (or wont as a humorous and formal term) is a routine of behavior that is repeated regularly and tends to occur subconsciously.

'' (1921) * '' The Breaking Point'' (1921) * ''

Shattered Idols ''Shattered Idols'' is a 1922 American drama film directed by Edward Sloman and written by William V. Mong. It is based on the 1912 novel ''The Daughter of Brahma'' by I. A. R. Wylie. The film stars Marguerite De La Motte, William V. Mong, ...

'' (1922) * '' Too Much Business'' (1922) * ''

Travelin' On ''Travelin' On'' is an album by the jazz pianist Oscar Peterson and his trio, released in 1968. It was recorded during the same sessions as '' Mellow Mood''. It was the sixth part of Peterson's '' Exclusively for My Friends'' series. Music The ...

'' (1922) * ''

The Crossroads of New York ''The Crossroads of New York'' is a lost 1922 American silent comedy film directed by F. Richard Jones and an all-star cast of silent comedians. It was produced by Mack Sennett and released through First National Distributors. Plot As describ ...

'' (1922) * ''

Oath-Bound ''Oath-Bound'' is a 1922 American silent drama film directed by Bernard J. Durning and starring Dustin Farnum, Ethel Grey Terry, and Fred Thomson.Solomon p. 278 Cast * Dustin Farnum as Lawrence Bradbury * Ethel Grey Terry as Constance Hasting ...

'' (1922) * '' The Kickback'' (1922) * '' Under Two Flags'' (1922) * ''

Peg o' My Heart "Peg o' My Heart" is a popular song written by Alfred Bryan (words) and Fred Fisher (music). It was published on March 15, 1913 and it featured in the 1913 musical ''Ziegfeld Follies''. The song was first performed publicly by Irving Kaufman ...

'' (1922) * ''

Brass Brass is an alloy of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), in proportions which can be varied to achieve different mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. It is a substitutional alloy: atoms of the two constituents may replace each other with ...

'' (1923) * ''

What Wives Want ''What Wives Want'' is a 1923 American silent drama film directed by Jack Conway and starring Ethel Grey Terry, Vernon Steele and Niles Welch.Parish & Pitts p.77 Cast * Ethel Grey Terry as Claire Howard * Vernon Steele as Austin Howard * Ram ...

'' (1923) * ''

Why Women Remarry ''Why Women Remarry'' is a 1923 American silent crime drama film directed by John Gorman and starring Milton Sills, Ethel Grey Terry and William Lowery.Munden p.899 Synopsis Martin Talbot, a heavy gambler who mistreats his family is murdered ...

'' (1923) * '' Garrison's Finish'' (1923) * ''

The Unknown Purple ''The Unknown Purple'' is a lost 1923 American silent mystery film that was written and directed by Roland West.Wild Bill Hickok James Butler Hickok (May 27, 1837August 2, 1876), better known as "Wild Bill" Hickok, was a folk hero of the American Old West known for his life on the frontier as a soldier, scout, lawman, gambler, showman, and actor, and for his involvement ...

'' (1923) * ''

The Self-Made Wife ''The Self-Made Wife'' is a 1923 American silent melodrama film, directed by John Francis Dillon. It stars Ethel Grey Terry, Crauford Kent, and Virginia Ainsworth, and was released on July 8, 1923. It was written by Albert G. Kenyon based upon ...

'' (1923) * '' The Fast Worker'' (1924) * ''

Old Shoes ''Old Shoes'' is a 1925 American silent indepenent drama film directed by Frederick Stowers and starring Noah Beery, Viora Daniel and Zasu Pitts.Connnelly p.194 A melodrama it sees a widowed woman marry her husband's brother, who soon proves to ...

'' (1925) * ''

What Fools Men ''What Fools Men'' is a 1925 American silent drama film directed by George Archainbaud and starring Lewis Stone, Shirley Mason, and Ethel Grey Terry. Plot As described in a film magazine review, Joseph Greer has invented a new linen-making pr ...

'' (1925) * '' Hard Boiled'' (1926) * '' The Love Toy'' (1926) * ''

The Cancelled Debt ''The Cancelled Debt'' is a 1927 American silent melodrama film, directed by Phil Rosen. It stars Rex Lease, Charlotte Stevens, and Florence Turner, and was released on September 1, 1927. Cast list * Rex Lease as Patrick Burke * Charlotte St ...

'' (1927) * ''

Modern Mothers ''Modern Mothers'' is a 1928 American silent drama film, directed by Phil Rosen. It stars Helene Chadwick, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., and Ethel Grey Terry, and was released on May 13, 1928. Cast list * Helene Chadwick as Adele Dayton * Douglas F ...

'' (1928) * ''

Confessions of a Wife ''Confessions of a Wife'' is a 1928 American silent drama film directed by Albert H. Kelley and starring Helene Chadwick, Walter McGrail and Ethel Grey Terry.Munden p.143 A married woman loses huge amounts of money playing cards. She is blackm ...

'' (1928) * '' Object: Alimony'' (1928)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Terry, Ethel Grey 1882 births 1931 deaths Actresses from Oakland, California American film actresses American silent film actresses 20th-century American actresses American stage actresses Broadway theatre people