Mae Charlotte Dahlberg (24 May 1888 – 1969), also known as Mae Laurel, was an Australian-born

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

performer and actress. She was

Stan Laurel Stan Laurel (born Arthur Stanley Jefferson; 16 June 1890 – 23 February 1965) was an English comic actor, writer, and film director who was one half of the comedy double act, duo Laurel and Hardy. He appeared with his comedy partner Oliver Ha ...

's professional partner and

common-law wife Common-law marriage, also known as non-ceremonial marriage, marriage, informal marriage, or marriage by habit and repute, is a legal framework where a couple may be considered married without having formally registered their relation as a civil ...

from 1917 to 1925.

Childhood and career in Australia

Dahlberg was born on 24 May 1888 in the inner

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

suburb of

Brunswick, Victoria Brunswick is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia, north of Melbourne's Melbourne city centre, Central Business District, located within the City of Merri-bek Local government areas of Victoria, local gov ...

, Australia, to Mary Jane (née Gundry) and labourer Louis Dahlberg. By 1905, she had begun to earn a reputation performing as a singer and dancer on the Australian stage, with positive reviews. In 1906, she married baritone and fellow performer Rupert Cuthbert while in Hobart, Tasmania. A child, Rupert Clifton Saxe Cuthbert, was born of the union in 1908, in Melbourne. In about 1913, Dahlberg and Cuthbert sailed for the United States.

Career in the U.S.

Dahlberg and Cuthbert's personal and professional relationship apparently did not last. While performing in a "sister act" in California, Dahlberg met and formed a variety act with

. In 1917 she played in a comedy short, ''

Nuts in May ''Nuts in May'' is a television film devised and directed by Mike Leigh, filmed in March 1975, and originally broadcast as part of the BBC's ''Play for Today'' series on 13 January 1976. It is the comical story of a nature-loving and rather sel ...

'', notable as the screen debut of Stan Laurel (credited as Stan Jefferson). Mae Dahlberg is credited as "Mae Laurel" in several of her films. Though Stan and Mae never married, as professional partners they lived together as common-law husband and wife from 1917 to 1925. Mae maintained that it was she who suggested Stan change his name to Laurel. By 1924, Laurel had given up the stage for full-time film work under contract with

Joe Rock Joe Rock (born Joseph Simberg, December 25, 1893 – December 5, 1984) was an American film producer, director, actor,Obituary '' Variety'', December 12, 1984, page 63. and screenwriter. He produced a series of 12 two reel short subject comedies ...

for 12 two-reel comedies. The contract had one stipulation: Dahlberg was not to appear in any of the films. Rock thought her temperament was hindering Laurel's career. In 1925, when she started interfering with Laurel's work, Rock offered her a cash settlement and a one-way ticket back to her Australia, which she accepted. Her last film had been '' Wide Open Spaces'', made for

Hal Roach Harry Eugene "Hal" Roach Sr.Randy Skretvedt, Skretvedt, Randy (2016), ''Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies'', Bonaventure Press. p.608. (January 14, 1892 – November 2, 1992) was an American film and television producer, director, a ...

in 1924 with Laurel and fellow Australian

Ena Gregory Ena Jessie Gregory (18 April 1907 – 13 June 1993), also known as Marian Douglas, was an Australian-American actress who achieved fame in Hollywood in the 1920s. Childhood Ena Gregory was born Ena Jessie Gregory to Arthur and Jessie Gregory in ...

in the leading roles. Dahlberg returned to the U.S. a few years later, and in November 1937, she sued the now successful Stan Laurel for financial support. The matter was settled out of court.''San Bernardino Sun'', Volume 44, 7 December 1937, Page 4, "Stan Laurels in Agreement"
Accessed 2017-4-15 She was described as a "relief project worker" by the court. Although Dahlberg appears to have lived in Melbourne again for some time during the 1940s, she returned to the United States again. She died in New York in 1969.

Filmography

* ''

'' (1917) * ''

Huns and Hyphens The Huns were a nomadic people who lived in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th century AD. According to European tradition, they were first reported living east of the Volga River, in an area that was part ...

'' (1918) * ''

Bears and Bad Men ''Bears and Bad Men'' is a 1918 American silent comedy film directed by Larry Semon and featuring Stan Laurel. Cast * Larry Semon as Larry Cutshaw * Madge Kirby as The Slawson Daughter * Stan Laurel as Pete * William McCall as Stranded acto ...

'' (1918) * ''

Mud and Sand ''Mud and Sand'' is a silent film starring Stan Laurel. The title spoofs the Rudolph Valentino film ''Blood and Sand (1922 film), Blood and Sand'', and many scenes directly parody that film: Dona Sol is replaced by Filet de Sole and Carmen is ...

'' (1922) * '' The Pest'' (1922) * ''

When Knights were Cold ''When Knights Were Cold'' is a 1923 American comedy film directed by Frank Fouce starring Stan Laurel. Cast * Stan Laurel as Lord Helpus, a Slippery Knight * Mae Laurel as Countess Out, a Classy Eve * Catherine Bennett as Princess Elizabeth Ne ...

'' (1923) * ''

Under Two Jags ''Under Two Jags'' is a 1923 American silent comedy film featuring Stan Laurel. The title spoofs the film '' Under Two Flags'' (1922). Plot The film is set in the city of Scorching Sands in the Desert of Dhumbell. Stan is the only westerner ...

'' (1923) * ''

Frozen Hearts ''Frozen Hearts'' is a 1923 American silent film, silent comedy film starring Stan Laurel. One of a number of films he made before teaming up with Oliver Hardy, here peasant Stan duels with the House of Romanov, ruling elite in Russian Empire, T ...

'' (1923) * ''

The Soilers ''The Soilers'' is a 1923 American silent comedy film starring Stan Laurel, and was released in the same year as the Western silent movie drama '' The Spoilers''. The name of one character from the original, "McNamara" is parodied in the Jame ...

'' (1923) * ''

Mother's Joy ''Mother's Joy'' is a 1923 American silent comedy film starring Stan Laurel. Cast See also * List of American films of 1923 * Stan Laurel filmography This is a list of films of Stan Laurel, as an actor without Oliver Hardy. For the filmograp ...

'' (1923) * ''

Near Dublin ''Near Dublin'' is a 1924 American silent comedy film directed by Ralph Ceder and starring Stan Laurel. Plot As described in a film magazine review, Stan is a postman in the Irish village and is in love with the belle of the town. His rival i ...

'' (1924) * ''

Rupert of Hee Haw ''Rupert of Hee Haw'' is a 1924 American silent film starring Stan Laurel and drawing on the Ruritanian romance of ''Rupert of Hentzau'', Anthony Hope's sequel to ''The Prisoner of Zenda''. Plot In some European castle the King (Stan) is gett ...

'' (1924) * '' Wide Open Spaces'' (1924)

References

Bibliography

* Bergen, Ronald. ''The Life and Times of Laurel and Hardy.'' New York: Smithmark, 1992. .

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Dahlberg, Mae 1888 births 1969 deaths 20th-century American actresses 20th-century Australian actresses 20th-century American comedians 20th-century Australian comedians Actresses from Melbourne American film actresses American silent film actresses American stage actresses Australian film actresses Australian silent film actresses Australian stage actresses Australian emigrants to the United States Silent film comedians Vaudeville performers