Florence Auer (March 3, 1880 – May 14, 1962) was an American theater and motion picture actress whose career spanned more than five decades.

Life and career

Born in

Albany, New York Albany ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of New York, also the seat and largest city of Albany County. Albany is on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River, and about north of New York City ...

, Auer began her career on East Coast stages at the turn of the 20th century. Her earliest known

Broadway theatre Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), 130 of the 144 extant and extinct Broadway venues use (used) the spelling ''Th ...

performance was in a September 1907 production of ''The Ranger'', produced by

Charles Frohman Charles Frohman (July 15, 1856 – May 7, 1915) was an American theater manager and producer, who discovered and promoted many stars of the American stage. Notably, he produced ''Peter Pan'', both in London and the US, the latter production ...

Wallack's Theatre Three New York City playhouses named Wallack's Theatre played an important part in the history of American theater, as the successive homes of the Repertory theatre, stock company managed by actors James William Wallack, James W. Wallack and hi ...

. Auer was among Frohman's stock theatre company of fourteen actors who would be brought into

Vitagraph Studios 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, ...

as their first stable of prominent film actors around 1907. She began appearing in films shortly thereafter; her first film appearance was in the 1908 Wallace McCutcheon Sr. directed comedy short ''The Sculptor's Nightmare'' opposite director

D.W. Griffith David Wark Griffith (January 22, 1875 – July 23, 1948) was an American film director. Considered one of the most influential figures in the history of the motion picture, he pioneered many aspects of film editing and expanded the art of the na ...

. One of the original " Biograph Girls" (along with actresses

Marion Leonard Marion Leonard (June 9, 1881 – January 9, 1956) was an American theatre, stage actress who became one of the first motion picture Celebrity, celebrities in the early years of the silent film era. Early career Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Marion ...

and

Florence Lawrence Florence Lawrence (born Florence Annie Bridgwood; January 2, 1886 – December 28, 1938) was a Canadian-American stage performer and film actress. She is often referred to as the "first movie star", and was thought to be the first film actor to ...

), Auer would appear alongside such notable future directors as Griffith,

Thomas H. Ince Thomas Harper Ince (November 16, 1880 – November 19, 1924) was an American silent film - era filmmaker and media proprietor. Ince was known as the "Father of the Western" and was responsible for making over 800 films. He revolutionized the mo ...

Robert G. Vignola Robert G. Vignola (born Rocco Giuseppe Vignola, August 7, 1882 – October 25, 1953) was an Italian-American actor, screenwriter, and film director. A former stage actor, he appeared in many motion pictures produced by Kalem Company and later mov ...

Harry Solter Henry Lewis "Harry" Solter (November 19, 1873 – March 2, 1920) was an American silent film actor, screenwriter and director. Career Solter began his career as an actor in 1908 with Biograph Studios. That same year he met actress Florenc ...

and

Mack Sennett Mack Sennett (born Michael Sinnott; January 17, 1880 – November 5, 1960) was a Canadian-American film actor, director, and producer, and studio head, known as the 'King of Comedy'. Born in Danville, Quebec, in 1880, he started in films in the ...

in their early careers as actors. These early associations would help ensure Auer's longevity in films when the former actors became notable directors and often cast Auer in their later films. During her early years as a motion picture actress, Auer would appear opposite such publicly popular actors of the early 20th century as:

Florence Turner Florence Turner (January 6, 1885 – August 28, 1946) was an American actress who became known as the "Vitagraph Girl" in early silent films. Biography Born in New York City, Turner was pushed into appearing on the stage at age three by he ...

Maurice Costello Maurice George Costello (February 22, 1877 – October 29, 1950) was a prominent American vaudeville actor of the late 1890s and early 1900s who later played a principal role in early American films as leading man, supporting player, and director ...

Owen Moore Owen Moore (12 December 1886 – 9 June 1939) was an Irish-born American actor, appearing in more than 279 movies spanning from 1908 to 1937. Early life and career Moore was born in Fordstown Crossroads, County Meath, Ireland. Along with his p ...

, Robert "Bobby" Harron and

Julia Swayne Gordon Julia Swayne Gordon (born Sarah Victoria Smith; October 29, 1878 – May 28, 1933) was an American actress who appeared in at least 228 films between 1908 and 1933. Early years Gordon was born in Columbus, Ohio, to Louis and Anna Smith and wa ...

. Auer would appear in motion pictures until the 1950s, then transitioning to television before retiring. One of her last film appearances was in the 1951 comedy ''

Love Nest ''Love Nest'' is a 1951 American comedy-drama film directed by Joseph Newman and starring June Haver, William Lundigan, Frank Fay, and Marilyn Monroe. The post-World War II comedy features an early supporting role for Monroe. It is one of th ...

'', which starred a young

Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...

. Aside from acting, she also was a screenwriter for three early

silent film 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, when ...

s: 1916's

Edwin Carewe Edwin Carewe (March 3, 1883 – January 22, 1940) was an American motion picture director, actor, producer, and screenwriter. His birth name was Jay John Fox; he was born in Gainesville, Texas. Career After brief studies at the Universities of ...

directed drama ''Her Great Price'' starring

Mabel Taliaferro Mabel Taliaferro (born Maybelle Evelyn Taliaferro; May 21, 1887 – January 24, 1979) was an American stage and silent-screen actress, known as "the Sweetheart of American Movies." Early years Taliaferro was born as Maybelle Evelyn Taliaferro i ...

, 1917's John G. Adolfi directed drama ''A Modern Cinderella'' starring

June Caprice June Caprice (born Helen Elizabeth Lawson, November 19, 1895 – November 9, 1936) was an American silent film actress. Early life and career Born Helen Elizabeth Lawson in Arlington, Massachusetts, Caprice was educated in Boston. She began ...

and 1921's ''Her Mad Bargain'', directed by Edwin Carewe and starring

Anita Stewart Anita Stewart (born Anna Marie Stewart; February 7, 1895 – May 4, 1961) was an American actress and film producer of the early silent film era. Early years Anita Stewart was born in Brooklyn, New York as Anna Marie Stewart on February 7, 18 ...

and

Arthur Edmund Carewe Arthur Edmund Carewe (December 30, 1884 – April 22, 1937), born Hovsep Hovsepian ( hy, Հովսեփ Հովսեփյան), was an Armenian-American stage and film actor of the silent and early sound film era. Early life Born on December 30, 18 ...

. She died in

New York City, New York New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

in 1962 at the age of 82.

Partial filmography

* ''

The Fight for Freedom ''The Fight for Freedom'' is a 1908 American black-and-white short silent Western film which may have been directed by D. W. Griffith. Filmed in Shadyside, New Jersey in June 1908, the film was released on July 17, 1908. Plot The film opens ...

'' (1908, short) - Juanita * '' The Kentuckian'' (1908, Short) * ''

The Tavern Keeper's Daughter ''The Tavern Keeper's Daughter'' is a 1908 American silent action film directed by D. W. Griffith. The film was shot in Fort Lee, New Jersey when many early film studios in America's first motion picture industry were based there at the beginni ...

'' (1908, Short) - Mother * '' The Fatal Hour'' (1908, Short) * ''

His Auto's Maiden Trip ''His Auto's Maiden Trip'' is a 1912 silent short film directed by Dell Henderson and produced by the Biograph Company. It was distributed through the General Film Company. It was shown in split-reel form with ''The Club-Man and the Crook''(1912) ...

'' (1912, Short) * ''

A Modern Cinderella ''A Modern Cinderella'' is a 1917 American silent drama film directed by John G. Adolfi and starring June Caprice, Frank Morgan and Betty Prendergast.Solomon p.237 Cast * June Caprice as Joyce * Frank Morgan as Tom * Betty Prendergast as Po ...

'' (1917, Writer) * '' Fair Lady'' (1922) - Lucrezia * ''

The Heart of a Siren ''Heart of a Siren'' (also titled ''Heart of a Temptress'') is a 1925 silent romantic drama film directed by Phil Rosen and distributed by First National Pictures. Barbara La Marr starred in one of her last movies. It was based on the Broadway p ...

'' (1925) - Lisette * ''

The Beautiful City ''The Beautiful City'' ( fa, شهر زیبا /Shahr-e Ziba/) is a 2004 Iranian drama film directed by Asghar Farhadi. Plot Akbar celebrates his 18th birthday in the detention centre. He has been held in a rehabilitation centre for committing mur ...

'' (1925) - Mamma Gillardi * ''

That Royle Girl ''That Royle Girl'' is a 1925 American silent comedy film directed by D. W. Griffith and released by Paramount Pictures. The film was based on the novel of the same name by Edwin Balmer, and starred Carol Dempster, W. C. Fields and Harri ...

'' (1925) - Baretta's Girl * ''Seeing Things'' (1930) * ''

Beauty for Sale ''Beauty for Sale'' is a 1933 American Pre-Code Hollywood, pre-Code film about the romantic entanglements of three beauty salon employees. Based on the 1933 novel ''Beauty'' by Faith Baldwin, it stars Madge Evans, Alice Brady, Otto Kruger and Un ...

'' (1933) - Madame Sonia Customer (uncredited) * ''

I Married an Angel ''I Married An Angel'' is a 1938 musical comedy by Rodgers and Hart. It was adapted from a play by Hungarian playwright János Vaszary, entitled ''Angyalt Vettem Felesegul''. The book was by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, with music by Rodger ...

'' (1942) - Mrs. Roquefort (uncredited) * ''

Hangmen Also Die! ''Hangmen Also Die!'' is a 1943 noir war film directed by the Austrian director Fritz Lang and written by John Wexley from a story by Bertolt Brecht (credited as Bert Brecht) and Lang. The film stars Hans Heinrich von Twardowski, Brian Donlevy, W ...

'' (1943) - Czech Patriot (uncredited) * ''

Lady of Burlesque ''Lady of Burlesque'' (also known as ''The G-String Murders'' and in the UK, ''Striptease Lady'') is a 1943 American musical comedy-mystery film, produced by RKO Pictures and directed by William A. Wellman and starring Barbara Stanwyck and Mich ...

'' (1943) - Policewoman (uncredited) * '' The North Star'' (1943) - Woman Farmer (uncredited) * ''

The Bridge of San Luis Rey ''The Bridge of San Luis Rey'' is American author Thornton Wilder's second novel. It was first published in 1927 to worldwide acclaim. The novel won the Pulitzer Prize in 1928, and was the best-selling work of fiction that year. Premise ''The Bri ...

'' (1944) - Palace Crow (uncredited) * ''

Abroad with Two Yanks ''Abroad with Two Yanks'' is a 1944 American comedy film directed by Allan Dwan and starring Helen Walker, William Bendix and Dennis O'Keefe as the title characters. It was Bendix's third and final role in a film as a US Marine and the first of ...

'' (1944) - Dog's (Precious) Owner (uncredited) * ''

Youth on Trial ''Youth on Trial'' is a 1945 American crime drama film noir mystery film directed by Budd Boetticher (as Oscar Boetticher Jr.) and starring Cora Sue Collins, David Reed, Eric Sinclair, Georgia Bayes and Robert B. Williams.Budd Boetticher: The ...

'' (1945) - Maude McGregor (uncredited) * '' Mama Loves Papa'' (1945) - Madame Dalba (uncredited) * ''

Adventure An adventure is an exciting experience or undertaking that is typically bold, sometimes risky. Adventures may be activities with danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting, or other extreme spo ...

'' (1945) - Landlady * '' Black Angel'' (1946) - Madame (uncredited) * ''

Gentleman Joe Palooka ''Gentleman Joe Palooka'' is a 1946 film directed by Cy Endfield. It was the second of the '' Joe Palooka'' series. Plot The prizefighter Joe Palooka's popularity soars after his manager, Knobby Walsh, explains to reporters how "clean living" i ...

'' (1946) - Mrs. Archer (uncredited) * '' Wife Wanted'' (1946) - Mrs. Rutheridge (uncredited) * '' The Chase'' (1946) - Miss Connors (uncredited) * ''

It Happened on Fifth Avenue ''It Happened on 5th Avenue'' is a 1947 American comedy film directed by Roy Del Ruth and starring Victor Moore, Ann Harding, Don DeFore, Charles Ruggles and Gale Storm. Herbert Clyde Lewis and Frederick Stephani were nominated for the Academy Aw ...

'' (1947) - Miss Parker (uncredited) * '' Nightmare Alley'' (1947) - Jane (uncredited) * ''

The Bishop's Wife ''The Bishop's Wife'' (also known as ''Cary and the Bishop's Wife'') is a 1947 American romantic comedy film directed by Henry Koster and starring Cary Grant, Loretta Young, and David Niven. The plot is about an angel who helps a bishop with his ...

'' (1947) - Third Lady * ''

State of the Union The State of the Union Address (sometimes abbreviated to SOTU) is an annual message delivered by the president of the United States to a joint session of the United States Congress near the beginning of each calendar year on the current conditio ...

'' (1948) - Grace Orval Draper * '' Michael O'Halloran'' (1948) - Mrs. Jane Crawford * '' Eight-Ball Andy'' (1948) - Mrs. Beasley * '' The Loves of Carmen'' (1948) - Chestnut Seller (uncredited) * '' Good Sam'' (1948) - Woman on Bus (uncredited) * ''

Knock on Any Door ''Knock on Any Door'' is a 1949 American courtroom trial film noir directed by Nicholas Ray and starring Humphrey Bogart. The picture gave actor John Derek his breakthrough role, and was based on the 1947 novel of the same name by Willard Motley. ...

'' (1949) - Aunt Lena (uncredited) * '' Bad Boy'' (1949) - Mrs. Meeham (uncredited) * '' Big Jack'' (1949) - Homely Woman (uncredited) * ''

Hold That Baby! ''Hold That Baby!'' is a 1949 comedy film starring The Bowery Boys. The film was released on June 26, 1949 by Monogram Pictures and is the fourteenth film in the series. Plot The boys are running a laundromat in the back room of Louie's Sweet Sh ...

'' (1949) - Hope Andrews * ''

Madame Bovary ''Madame Bovary'' (; ), originally published as ''Madame Bovary: Provincial Manners'' ( ), is a novel by France, French writer Gustave Flaubert, published in 1856. The eponymous character lives beyond her means in order to escape the banalities ...

'' (1949) - Mme. Petree (uncredited) * ''

That Forsyte Woman ''That Forsyte Woman'' (released in the United Kingdom as ''The Forsyte Saga'') is a 1949 romance film directed by Compton Bennett and starring Greer Garson, Errol Flynn, Walter Pidgeon, Robert Young and Janet Leigh. It is an adaptation of the ...

'' (1949) - Ann Forsyte Heyman * '' Bride for Sale'' (1949) - Eloise Jonathan (uncredited) * ''

Blonde Dynamite ''Blonde Dynamite'' is a 1950 American comedy film directed by William Beaudine and starring The Bowery Boys. The film was released on February 12, 1950 by Monogram Pictures and is the seventeenth film in the series. Plot After Slip and Sach are ...

'' (1950) - First Dowager * ''

It's a Small World "It's a Small World" is a water-based boat ride located in the Fantasyland area at various Disney theme parks worldwide, including Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California; Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida; Tokyo Di ...

'' (1950) - Grotesque Cafe Dowager (uncredited) * ''

'' (1951) - Mrs. Braddock (uncredited) * ''

Boots Malone ''Boots Malone'' is a 1952 American drama film directed by William Dieterle. It stars William Holden as a down-on-his-luck sports agent and Johnny Stewart as a rich runaway who wants to become a jockey. Plot Down on his luck, jockey agent "Boot ...

'' (1952) - Woman at Auction (uncredited) * ''

Love Is Better Than Ever ''Love Is Better Than Ever'' is a 1952 American romantic comedy film directed by Stanley Donen from a screenplay by Ruth Brooks Flippen, starring Larry Parks and Elizabeth Taylor. The plot concerns a small-town girl who falls in love with a big-c ...

'' (1952) - Madame Secretary (uncredited) * ''

The Star ''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 ...

'' (1952) - Annie's Friend in Store (uncredited) * '' Silver Lode'' (1954) - Mrs. Elmwood * ''

Lucy Gallant ''Lucy Gallant'' is a 1955 American drama film directed by Robert Parrish and written by John Lee Mahin and Winston Miller. The film stars Jane Wyman, Charlton Heston, Claire Trevor, Thelma Ritter, William Demarest and Wallace Ford. The film wa ...

'' (1955) - Woman at Sale (uncredited) * ''

Top Gun ''Top Gun'' is a 1986 American action drama film directed by Tony Scott, produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, with distribution by Paramount Pictures. The screenplay was written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr., and was inspired by an a ...

'' (1955) - Mrs. Turner (uncredited)

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Auer, Florence 1880 births 1962 deaths 20th-century American actresses American stage actresses American silent film actresses American television actresses American women screenwriters Actors from Albany, New York Actresses from New York (state) Screenwriters from New York (state) Silent film screenwriters 20th-century American women writers 20th-century American screenwriters