Gerda Holmes, née Gerda Helen Elfrida Henius (April 2, 1891 – October 11, 1943), was an actress during the

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) ...

era and in theater. She had major roles in numerous films including '' The Fable of Elvira and Farina and the Meal Ticket'' (1915) and ''

The Iron Ring ''The Iron Ring'' is a 1997 fantasy novel for children by American author Lloyd Alexander. It features a young king Tamar who leaves Sundari Palace on a quest in a land of humans and talking animals, which are inspired by Indian mythology. Th ...

'' (1917) with

Arthur Ashley Arthur Ashley (October 6, 1886 – December 28, 1970) was an actor, writer, and director of silent films and also acted in legitimate theater. He was involved with World Pictures. He directed and acted in several film productions. Later in his ...

. Holmes was Danish Her grandfather managed the

Royal Danish Theatre The Royal Danish Theatre (RDT, Danish: ') is both the national Danish performing arts institution and a name used to refer to its old purpose-built venue from 1874 located on Kongens Nytorv in Copenhagen. The theatre was founded in 1748, first s ...

in Copenhagen for more than two decades, and her father was a doctor in Chicago. She studied music in Denmark and began performing on stage there at about age 14. Her first marriage was to

Rapley Holmes Rapley Holmes (June 1, 1868 – January 11, 1928) was a stage and screen actor. He was born in Canada and married actress Gerda Holmes. Holmes played the part of Joe Horn in the long running Somerset Maugham play ''Rain (short story), Rain'' (19 ...

. The cover of the December 1916 issue of ''

The Masses ''The Masses'' was a graphically innovative magazine of socialist politics published monthly in the United States from 1911 until 1917, when federal prosecutors brought charges against its editors for conspiring to obstruct conscription. It was ...

'' magazine featured a "stylish and very modern" portrait of Holmes by Frank Walts.

Selected filmography

*''

The Family Honor ''The Family Honor'' is a 1920 American silent drama-romance film directed by King Vidor and starring Florence Vidor.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Holmes, Gerda American silent film actresses 20th-century American actresses American film actresses 1891 births 1943 deaths