![Evelyn Greeley 1919](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Evelyn_Greeley_1919.jpg)
Evelyn Greeley (1888–1975) was a prominent actress in
silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized Sound recording and reproduction, 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) ...
s. She appeared in approximately 30 films from 1915 to 1922.
Early life and education
Evelyn Greeley was born on November 3, 1888 in Austria.
[1900 U.S. Census - Emily Mahorko Chicago, Illinois] She was the daughter of Stefan Mahorko
(Marko, Marquo) born in Nondorf, Austria
[Passport Application Fannie Huber Mahorko 1923] and Fannie Huber born in Csaktornya, Hungary.
Contemporary publicity incorrectly called her the granddaughter of
Horace Greeley,
and gave her place of birth as Lexington, Kentucky; she actually immigrated from Bremen, Germany to Baltimore, Maryland under the name Emilie Mahorko
[Passenger List S.S. Munchen 1 Sep 1897] on the S.S. Munchen on September 1, 1897 with her mother and five siblings: Adeline, William, Frances, Lucille and Frank.
Later, three more siblings, Marion, Audrey and Juanita were born in Chicago. Her death certificate reverses her parents' surnames to Stephen Huber and Frances Marko.
Greeley is said to have attended the Frances Shimer Academy, now known as
Shimer College
Shimer Great Books School (pronounced ) is a Great Books college that is part of North Central College in Naperville, Illinois. Prior to 2017, Shimer was an independent, accredited college on the south side of Chicago, with a history of being ...
, and the
University School for Girls The University School for Girls was a private high school in Chicago during the early to mid-20th century. Although less prestigious than the Latin School for Girls, it was "one of the city's most elegant educational institutions," and drew simila ...
in Chicago,
but some researchers have regarded this account of her education as simply another part of her "fictional life story".
Acting career
Greeley began her acting career on the stage, touring with the "Poli Players" stock company of
Sylvester Z. Poli. She began working in film in 1914, for the Chicago-based
Essanay Studios, doing bit parts.
It was only after more than a year that she obtained her first credit line, in the Quality Pictures production ''The Second in Command''.
Greeley's career peaked in the years 1917–19, when she was under contract to the World Film Corporation, and starred opposite
Carlyle Blackwell
Carlyle Blackwell (January 20, 1884 – June 17, 1955) was an American silent film actor, director and producer.
Early years
Blackwell was born in Troy, Pennsylvania. He studied at Cornell University before J. Stewart Blackton discovered him an ...
in numerous films. Her contract with World Film ended in 1920, and in the ensuing years she appeared in pictures produced by several different companies.
Filmography
![Evelyn Greeley 1922 Shimer College Wiki](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Evelyn_Greeley_1922_Shimer_College_Wiki.jpg)
*''
The Fable of One Samaritan Who Got Paralysis of the Helping Hand'' (1914) *short
*''
The Second in Command
''The Second in Command'' is a 1915 American silent drama film directed by William J. Bowman and starring Francis X. Bushman and Marguerite Snow. The film is based on a 1901 Broadway play of the same name by Robert Marshall.
Cast
* Francis X. ...
'' (1915)
*''
A Daughter of the Sea'' (1915)
*''
Tempest and Sunshine (1916)''
*''
Just a Song at Twilight'' (1916)
*''
The Social Leper
''The Social Leper'' is a 1917 American silent drama film directed by Harley Knoles and starring Carlyle Blackwell, Arthur Ashley and June Elvidge.Beauchamp p.444
Cast
* Carlyle Blackwell as John Dean
* Arthur Ashley as Robert Warren
* J ...
'' (1917)
*''
The Price of Pride'' (1917)
*''
The Brand of Satan'' (1917)
* ''
The Burglar'' (1917)
* ''
The Good for Nothing'' (1917)
*''
The Beautiful Mrs. Reynolds'' (1918)
*''
His Royal Highness (1918)''
*''
Leap to Fame'' (1918)
*''
The Golden Wall
''The Golden Wall'' is a 1918 American silent comedy drama film directed by Dell Henderson and starring Carlyle Blackwell, Evelyn Greeley and Johnny Hines. It was shot at Fort Lee, New Jersey.Altomara p.16
Cast
* Carlyle Blackwell as Char ...
'' (1918)
*''
The Beloved Blackmailer'' (1918)
*''
By Hook or Crook'' (1918)
*''
The Road to France
''The Road to France'' is a 1918 American silent war drama film directed by Dell Henderson and starring Carlyle Blackwell, Evelyn Greeley and Jack Drumier.Connelly p.404
Cast
* Carlyle Blackwell as Tom Whitney
* Evelyn Greeley as Helen Bemi ...
'' (''The Allies'') (1918)
*''
Hitting the Trail
''Hitting the Trail'' is a 1918 American silent crime drama film directed by Dell Henderson and starring Carlyle Blackwell, Evelyn Greeley and George MacQuarrie.Connelly p.363
Cast
* Carlyle Blackwell as Kid Kelly
* Evelyn Greeley as Flo ...
'' (1918)
*''
Love in a Hurry
''Love in a Hurry'' is a 1919 American silent spy drama film directed by Dell Henderson and starring Carlyle Blackwell, Evelyn Greeley and George MacQuarrie.Connelly p.156 It is set in England during World War I.
Cast
* Carlyle Blackwell as ...
'' (1919)
*''
Courage for Two
''Courage for Two'' is a 1919 American silent comedy film directed by Dell Henderson and starring Carlyle Blackwell, Evelyn Greeley and Rosina Henley.Connelly p.334
Cast
* Carlyle Blackwell as Anthony 'Tony' Douglas / Calvin Douglas
* E ...
'' (1919)
*''
Hit or Miss (1919 film)''
*''
Three Green Eyes
''Three Green Eyes'' is a 1919 American silent comedy film directed by Dell Henderson and starring Carlyle Blackwell, Evelyn Greeley and Montagu Love.Connelly p.420
Cast
* Carlyle Blackwell as Paul Arden
* Evelyn Greeley as Suzanne Russell
* M ...
'' (1919)
*''
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)
*''
Bringing Up Betty'' (1919)
*''
The Oakdale Affair'' (1919)
*''
Me and Captain Kidd'' (1919)
*''
His Greatest Sacrifice'' (1921)
*''
Diane of Star Hollow'' (1921)
*''
A Pasteboard Crown
''A Pasteboard Crown'' is a 1922 American silent drama film directed by Travers Vale and starring Evelyn Greeley, Robert Elliott and Gladys Valerie.Munden p.593
Cast
* Evelyn Greeley as Sybil Lawton
* Robert Elliott as Stewart Thrall
* Gladys ...
'' (1922)
*''
Bulldog Drummond
Hugh "Bulldog" Drummond is a fictional character, created by H. C. McNeile and published under his pen name "Sapper". Following McNeile's death in 1937, the novels were continued by Gerard Fairlie. Drummond is a First World War veteran who, ...
'' (1922)
Personal life and death
Greeley, who had been billed in the newspapers as the "most proposed-to woman in America", married for the first time to John Smiley on October 25, 1922.
Smiley is variously identified as a fellow actor
or a steel company executive.
On November 5, 1928, Greeley became the wife of businessman James Henry Rand.
[Marriage Record] Rand and Greeley divorced in September 1960, charging one another with cruelty.
She married Harold Charles Heermann in January 1962,
and Morgan Smith Laity after 1965.
Greeley died in West Palm Beach, Florida on March 25, 1975.
She was survived by her husband Morgan.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Greeley, Evelyn
1888 births
1975 deaths
American film actresses
American silent film actresses
American stage actresses
Shimer College alumni
20th-century American actresses
Austro-Hungarian emigrants to the United States