Louise Lester (August 8, 1867 – November 18, 1952) was an American

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) ...

actress An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...

. She was the first female star of

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

films.

Biography

Lester was born in

Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at th ...

, on August 8, 1867. In 1884, Lester headed the Louise Lester Opera Company. Lester made her debut in movies as a member of the Flying A Company in

Santa Barbara, California Santa Barbara ( es, Santa Bárbara, meaning "Saint Barbara") is a coastal city in Santa Barbara County, California, of which it is also the county seat. Situated on a south-facing section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Co ...

after a career on stage. She starred in over 150 films before her retirement in 1935. Lester is most famous for starring as Calamity Anne in a series of films based around the character. She also starred with

William Garwood William Davis Garwood, Jr. (April 28, 1884 – December 28, 1950) was an American stage and film actor and director of the early silent film era in the 1910s. Between 1911 and 1913, Garwood starred in a number of early adaptions of popu ...

in films such as '' The Oath of Pierre''. The actress' married name was Louise Lester Beal. She was the widow of

Frank Beal Frank Beal (September 11, 1862 – December 20, 1934) was an American actor and film director of the silent film era. Biography Born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1862, Beal began acting in 1880 and gained fame as a director and an actor. In 1908, ...

, a film director. She was also married to actor Jack Richardson. On November 18, 1952, Lester died at the

Motion Picture Country Home The Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF) is a charitable organization that offers assistance and care to those in the motion picture and television industries and their families with limited or no resources, including services such as temp ...

, aged 85. Her funeral was conducted in the chapel of the Utter-McKinley Strouthers Mortuary, 6240

Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It begins in the east at Sunset Boulevard in the Los Feliz district and proceeds to the west as a major thoroughfare through Little Armenia and Thai Town, Hollywoo ...

. The services were conducted by the

Baháʼí Faith The Baháʼí Faith is a religion founded in the 19th century that teaches the essential worth of all religions and the unity of all people. Established by Baháʼu'lláh in the 19th century, it initially developed in Iran and parts of the ...

Calamity Anne

Lester created the Calamity Anne character and was dramatist for the series. She starred as Calamity Anne in a series of fifteen short films based around the character, playing the lead role in films such as '' Calamity Anne's Inheritance'', '' Calamity Anne's Vanity'', '' Calamity Anne's Beauty'', and '' Calamity Anne, Heroine'' all in 1913. The series continued for another four years, with the final film being '' Calamity Anne's Protégé'', released in 1917.

Selected filmography

* ''The Opium Smuggler'' (1911, Short) - Mrs. Watson * ''Calamity Anne's Ward'' (1912, Short) - Calamity Anne * '' Calamity Anne's Inheritance'' (1913, Short) - Calamity Anne * '' Calamity Anne's Vanity'' (1913, Short) - Calamity Anne * '' Calamity Anne, Detective'' (1913, Short) - Calamity Anne * '' Calamity Anne's Beauty'' (1913, Short) - Calamity Anne * ''

Calamity Anne's Parcel Post Calamity may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Calamity'' (album), by The Curtains (2008) * Calamity (board game), board game released by Games Workshop in 1983 * ''Calamity'' (film), 1982 Czechoslovak film * ''Calamity, a Childhood ...

'' (1913, Short) - Calamity Anne * ''

Calamity Anne Takes a Trip Calamity may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Calamity'' (album), by The Curtains (2008) * Calamity (board game), board game released by Games Workshop in 1983 * ''Calamity'' (film), 1982 Czechoslovak film * ''Calamity, a Childhood o ...

'' (1913, Short) - Calamity Anne * '' Calamity Anne, Heroine'' (1913, Short) - Calamity Anne * ''

Calamity Anne's Sacrifice Calamity may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Calamity'' (album), by The Curtains (2008) * Calamity (board game), board game released by Games Workshop in 1983 * ''Calamity'' (film), 1982 Czechoslovak film * ''Calamity, a Childhood o ...

'' (1913, Short) - Calamity Anne * '' Calamity Anne's Dream'' (1913, Short) - Calamity Anne * ''

Rose of San Juan ''The Rose of San Juan'' is a 1913 American silent-era short drama film starring Sydney Ayres, Charlotte Burton, and Louise Lester. Directed by Ayres for the American Film Manufacturing Company, ''The Rose of San Juan'' was distributed by Mutual ...

'' (1913, Short) - Ozozco's Mother * ''

Calamity Anne in Society Calamity may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Calamity'' (album), by The Curtains (2008) * Calamity (board game), board game released by Games Workshop in 1983 * ''Calamity'' (film), 1982 Czechoslovak film * ''Calamity, a Childhood o ...

'' (1914, Short) - Calamity Anne * '' Calamity Anne's Love Affair'' (1914, Short) - Calamity Anne * ''

The Strength o' Ten ''The Strength o' Ten'' is a 1914 American silent drama short film directed by Tom Ricketts. The film stars William Garwood and Harry von Meter. Cast * William Garwood as Jep * Vivian Rich as Betty * Harry von Meter as Betty's father * Louise L ...

'' (1914, Short) - Betty's Mother * '' The Poet of the Peaks'' (1915, Short) - Mrs. Davis * '' The Day of Reckoning'' (1915, Short) - Mrs. Crew * '' Mountain Mary'' (1915, Short) - Mary Doone - Ivan's Mother * '' The Honor of the District Attorney'' (1915, Short) - Nora Mortimer - Dora's Mother * ''

The Newer Way ''The Newer Way'' is a 1915 American short film directed by B. Reeves Eason. Cast * Joseph Galbraith * Louise Lester * Jack Richardson * Vivian Rich Vivian Rich (May 26, 1893 – November 17, 1957) was an American silent film actress. ...

'' (1915, Short) - Mrs. Bates * ''

The Exile of Bar-K Ranch ''The Exile of Bar-K Ranch'' is a 1915 American short silent Western film directed by B. Reeves Eason. Cast * Jack Richardson * Charles Newton * Walter Spencer * Louise Lester * Jimsy Maye * Vivian Rich * Roy Stewart Roy Stewart (15 ...

'' (1915, Short) - Mrs. Jack Donald - Millie's Mother * ''

The Assayer of Lone Gap ''The Assayer of Lone Gap'' is a 1915 short film directed by B. Reeves Eason. Cast * Perry Banks * Louise Lester * Jack Richardson * Vivian Rich Vivian Rich (May 26, 1893 – November 17, 1957) was an American silent film actress. Caree ...

'' (1915, Short) - Mrs. Dugan - Belle's Mother * '' Drawing the Line'' (1915, Short) * '' In Trust'' (1915, Short) - Molly * '' The Little Lady Next Door'' (1915, Short) - The Housekeeper * '' The Barren Gain'' (1915, Short) - Mrs. Cameron - Philip's Mother * '' Hearts in Shadow'' (1915, Short) - Mrs. Burke * ''

Profit from Loss ''Profit from Loss'' is a 1915 American short film, short silent film, silent Western (genre), Western film directed by B. Reeves Eason. Cast * Vivian Rich * Walter Spencer * Jack Richardson (actor), Jack Richardson * Louise Lester External l ...

'' (1915, Short) - Mrs. Dean * ''The Silken Spider'' (1916, Short) - Ursula Jacques * ''April'' (1916) - Martha Fagan * '' Tangled Skeins'' (1916, Short) - Mrs. Wellington * ''Dust'' (1916) - Mina's mother * '' Calamity Anne, Guardian'' (1916, Short) - Calamity Anne * '' Calamity Anne's New Job'' (1917, Short) - Calamity Anne * '' Calamity Anne's Protégé'' (1917, Short) - Calamity Anne * ''The Reckoning Day'' (1918) - Mrs. Schram * '' The Mayor of Filbert'' (1919) - Belle Glover * ''

The Outcasts of Poker Flat "The Outcasts of Poker Flat" (1869) is a short story written by writer of the American West Bret Harte. An example of naturalism and local color of California during the first half of the nineteenth century. The story was first published in Janua ...

'' (1919) * '' The Luck of the Irish'' (1920) - The Landlady * '' Her Reputation'' (1923) - Consuelo * '' The Desert Hawk'' (1924) - Bridget * ''

Galloping On ''Galloping On'' is a 1925 American silent Western film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Hal Taliaferro, Louise Lester, and Slim Whitaker. It was produced by the independent company Action Pictures. Location shooting took place around J ...

'' (1925) - Mrs. Moore - Wally's Mother * ''

Second Choice ''Second Choice'' is a 1930 American Pre-Code black-and-white film released by Warner Bros. and starring Dolores Costello and Chester Morris. The film is notable as being the first (and only film) in which Dolores Costello sang. It is a lost fi ...

'' (1930) - Minor Role (uncredited) * '' Wide Open'' (1930) - Office Worker (uncredited) * ''Straight from the Heart'' (1935) - Woman (uncredited) (final film role)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lester, Louise American film actresses American stage actresses Western (genre) film actresses American silent film actresses Actresses from Milwaukee 1867 births 1952 deaths 20th-century American actresses