Rosita Marstini (September 19, 1887 – April 24, 1948) was a French dancer, stage personality, and silent and sound film actress from Nancy, France.

Early life

Rosita Marstini was born on September 19, 1887, in Nancy, France. She married Belgian actor and director Paul Sablon (1888-1940) before she came with him to the United States in 1913.

Theatrical work in California

She began making movies for

Universal Pictures Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...

1913 Events January * January 5 – First Balkan War: Battle of Lemnos – Greek admiral Pavlos Kountouriotis forces the Turkish fleet to retreat to its base within the Dardanelles, from which it will not venture for the rest of the ...

with her first feature being Herbert Blaché's ''A Prisoner in the Harem'', sharing the limelight with her husband (known in the United States as Paul Bourgeois). She was known as Countess Rosita Marstini. In

1916 Events Below, the events of the First World War have the "WWI" prefix. January * January 1 – The British Royal Army Medical Corps carries out the first successful blood transfusion, using blood that had been stored and cooled. * J ...

, she debuted at the Pantages Theater in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

in ''Woman's Wits'', a play by Will Wyatt. She played the Pantages' circuit for an additional eight months. Rosita Marstini's first talking film was ''

Hot for Paris ''Hot for Paris'' is a 1929 American pre-Code black-and-white romantic adventure musical film. This film is believed to be lost. The film is also known as ''Fifì dimmi di sì'' in Italy and ''Un marido afortunado'' in Spain. The film length ( ...

'' (1929) by Raoul Walsh, with

Victor McLaglen Victor Andrew de Bier Everleigh McLaglen (10 December 1886 – 7 November 1959) was a British boxer-turned-Hollywood actor.Obituary ''Variety'', 11 November 1959, page 79. He was known as a character actor, particularly in Westerns, and made se ...

and

Fifi D'Orsay Fifi D'Orsay (born Marie-Rose Angelina Yvonne Lussier; April 16, 1904 – December 2, 1983) was a Canadian-American actress and singer. Early life Fifi D'Orsay was born Yvonne Lussier in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, to a father who was a postal cl ...

. Then she contributed again to nine American films, one of her last being ''

Holiday in Mexico ''Holiday in Mexico'' is a 1946 Technicolor musical directed by George Sidney and starring Walter Pidgeon, Jane Powell, and Ilona Massey. Plot The film starts with a brief cartoon of telephone wires from Washington, DC trying to call Mexico. Je ...

'' (1946) by

George Sidney George Sidney (October 4, 1916May 5, 2002) was an American film director and producer who worked primarily at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. His work includes cult classics ''Bye Bye Birdie'' (1963) and ''Viva Las Vegas'' (1964). With an extensive backgro ...

, with

Walter Pidgeon Walter Davis Pidgeon (September 23, 1897 – September 25, 1984) was a Canadian-American actor. He earned two Academy Award for Best Actor nominations for his roles in ''Mrs. Miniver'' (1942) and ''Madame Curie'' (1943). Pidgeon also starred in ...

and

José Iturbi José Iturbi Báguena (28 November 189528 June 1980) was a Spanish conductor, pianist and harpsichordist. He appeared in several Hollywood films of the 1940s, notably playing himself in the musicals ''Thousands Cheer'' (1943), '' Music for Mill ...

. Her final film was ''

Casbah A kasbah (, also ; ar, قَـصَـبَـة, qaṣaba, lit=fortress, , Maghrebi Arabic: ), also spelled qasba, qasaba, or casbah, is a fortress A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territo ...

'' (1948) by John Berry, with

Yvonne De Carlo Margaret Yvonne Middleton (September 1, 1922January 8, 2007), known professionally as Yvonne De Carlo, was a Canadian-American actress, dancer and singer. She became a Hollywood film star in the 1940s and 1950s, made several recordings, and late ...

and Tony Martin.

Death

Marstini died on April 24, 1948, in

at the age of 60, days after the release of her final film ''Casbah''. Her husband died eight years earlier.

Partial filmography

Herschell Mayall-Rosita Marstini in A Tale of Two Cities

* '' When Rome Ruled'' (1914) * ''

The Innocent Sinner ''The Innocent Sinner'' is a 1917 American silent drama film directed by Raoul Walsh and starring Miriam Cooper, Charles Clary and Jack Standing.Solomon p.240 Cast * Miriam Cooper as Mary Ellen Ellis * Charles Clary as David Graham * Jack Stan ...

'' (1917) * ''

The Babes in the Woods ''The Babes in the Woods'' is a 1917 American silent fantasy film directed by Chester M. Franklin and Sidney Franklin and starring Francis Carpenter, Virginia Lee Corbin and Violet Radcliffe.Solomon p.243-44 Cast * Francis Carpenter as Roland ...

'' (1917) *''

A Tale of Two Cities ''A Tale of Two Cities'' is a historical novel published in 1859 by Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. The novel tells the story of the French Doctor Manette, his 18-year-long imprisonment in the ...

'' (1917) *''

Madame Du Barry Jeanne Bécu, Comtesse du Barry (19 August 1743 – 8 December 1793) was the last ''maîtresse-en-titre'' of King Louis XV of France. She was executed, by guillotine, during the French Revolution due to accounts of treason—particularly being ...

'' (1917) *'' The Clever Mrs. Carfax'' (1917) *''

Good Night, Paul ''Good Night, Paul'' is a 1918 American silent comedy romance film directed by Walter Edwards. It was based on a successful stage play with book and lyrics by Roland Oliver and Charles Dickson and music by Harry B. Olsen. The film was produced b ...

'' (1918) * ''

Rosemary Climbs the Heights ''Rosemary Climbs the Heights'' is a 1918 American silent drama film directed by Lloyd Ingraham and starring Mary Miles Minter, Allan Forrest, and Margaret Shelby. It is the only one of Minter's feature films not listed in the Library of Congre ...

'' (1918) *''

The Veiled Adventure ''The Veiled Adventure'' is a 1919 American silent comedy film directed by Walter Edwards and starring Harrison Ford, Constance Talmadge, and Stanhope Wheatcroft Stanhope Nelson Wheatcroft (May 11, 1888 – February 13, 1966) was an American ...

'' (1919) *'' Widow by Proxy'' (1919) *''

The Luck of Geraldine Laird ''The Luck of Geraldine Laird'' is a lost 1920 silent film drama directed by Edward Sloman and starring Bessie Barriscale. It was produced by Bessie Barriscale Productions and released through the Robertson Cole Distributing Corp. Cast *Bessie ...

'' (1920) *''

Silk Husbands and Calico Wives ''Silk Husbands and Calico Wives'' is a 1920 American silent drama film directed by Alfred E. Green and starring House Peters. The film was produced by Harry Garson and based on an original by Monte Katterjohn. The film is preserved at the Lib ...

'' (1920) *'' ''The Evil Eye'''' (1920) *''

The Outside Woman ''The Outside Woman'' is a lost 1921 American comedy film directed by Sam Wood and written by Douglas Bronston. The film stars Wanda Hawley, Clyde Fillmore, Sidney Bracey, Rosita Marstini, Misao Seki, and Thena Jasper. The film was released in F ...

'' (1921) *'' Blood and Sand'' (1922) *'' Shadows of Paris'' (1924) *'' The Redeeming Sin'' (1925) * ''

We Americans ''We Americans'' is a 1928 American silent drama film directed by Edward Sloman and starring George Sidney, Patsy Ruth Miller and George J. Lewis.Erens p.96 Synopsis Two young couples try to cross the mixed ethnic divide in America, something w ...

'' (1928) *''

In Love with Life ''In Love with Life'' is a 1934 American pre-Code film directed by Frank R. Strayer. Plot summary Sharon is a penniless widow, forced to seek help from her father, Morley, a wealthy financier, who didn't approve of her marriage. Morley agrees t ...

'' (1934) *''The Big Parade'' (1925) *''

Flame of the Argentine ''Flame of the Argentine'' is a 1926 American silent action film directed by Edward Dillon and starring Evelyn Brent, Orville Caldwell and Frank Leigh. It was produced by Film Booking Offices of America, and was released in Britain by Ideal F ...

'' (1926) *''

No Other Woman ''No Other Woman'' is a 2011 Filipino romantic drama film starring Anne Curtis, Derek Ramsay, and Cristine Reyes. The film is notable for breaking box office records in the Philippines. It currently holds the title of third highest grossing Fil ...

'' (1928) *''Mexicana'' (1945) *'' Rose of Santa Rosa'' (1947) *''

'' (1948, final film role)

References

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...

, ''Rialto'', September 14, 1916, Page II3. *Los Angeles Times, ''Rosita Marstini'', April 27, 1948, Page A12. *

Sheboygan, Wisconsin Sheboygan () is a city in and the county seat of Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 49,929 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Sheboygan, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a populatio ...

Press-Telegram, ''Did Hollywood Mystery Man Forecast Own Murder? His Music Yields Clue'', Wednesday, November 19, 1924, Page 3. *

Woodland, California Woodland is a city in and the county seat of Yolo County, California, located approximately northwest of Sacramento, California, Sacramento, and is a part of the Sacramento metropolitan area. The population was 61,032 at the 2020 United States ...

Daily Democrat, ''Women Thought To Have Killed Society Musician'', Tuesday, November 11, 1924.

External links

* French emigrants to the United States 1887 births 1948 deaths American film actresses 20th-century American actresses American stage actresses {{US-film-actor-1880s-stub