Stephanie Longfellow (born March 1882) was an American stage and film actress. She started as the understudy of

Mabelle Gilman Corey Mabelle Gilman Corey (December 4, 1874 – November 14, 1960) was an American actress. She had an affair with William Ellis Corey which led to the dissolution of his marriage, and they later married. Biography She was born Mabelle Gilman to ...

. Her first leading role was as Pert in the 1908 rendition of the play ''Checkers''. She garnered positive reception for her stage performances. She was the grand-niece of the poet

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (February 27, 1807 – March 24, 1882) was an American poet and educator. His original works include "Paul Revere's Ride", ''The Song of Hiawatha'', and ''Evangeline''. He was the first American to completely transl ...

Career

After completing school, Longfellow was the understudy of

in the play ''The Runaway Girl''. Her later roles were as Susan in ''When Johnny Comes Marching Home'' and as Poppy in ''San Toy''. She had

ingénue The ''ingénue'' (, , ) is a stock character in literature, film and a role type in the theater, generally a girl or a young woman, who is endearingly innocent. ''Ingénue'' may also refer to a new young actress or one typecast in such roles ...

roles in plays for F. F. Proctor Stock Company and the Empire Stock Company in Boston. Longfellow was in the play ''The Cow Puncher'' from 1906 to 1907. Her first leading role was as Pert in the 1908 rendition of the play ''Checkers''. She played the thief Nance Olden in the 1909 play ''In the Bishop's Carriage'' which was, at the time, "one of the most novel and difficult roles known to contemporary drama". The ''

Quad-City Times The ''Quad-City Times'' is a daily morning newspaper based in Davenport, Iowa, and circulated throughout the Quad Cities metropolitan area ( Davenport, Bettendorf and Scott County in Iowa; and Moline, East Moline, Rock Island and Rock Isla ...

'' wrote that Longfellow made the character "exceedingly fascinating". The ''Harrisburg Daily Independent'' wrote that "it would be difficult to find another actress as capable to fill this exacting part". ''Portage Daily Democrat'', in a review of the 1909 play ''Graustark'', said that Longfellow was "herself a leading lady of the younger generation of more than ordinary ability". The ''Waukegan News-Sun'' said of her role in ''Graustark'', "In the part of Princess Yetive, the role necessitates the services of an artist who combines dignity, humor, pathos, etc. These Miss Longfellow possesses in a high degree". Longfellow also acted in over a dozen silent films.

Personal life

Longfellow was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and attended school there. She later attended Woodside and Mt. St. Vincent in New York. Longfellow was known for writing poems while attending school. After she completed school, Longfellow began training to become a singer. Due to her poetry recitation, she received an offer to become an actress. Longfellow said of her grand-uncle Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, "I sometimes wish I had been born just plain 'Miss Nobody' and then I could make a name all by myself". She also said, "I am proud of my name, proud of the man who made it so great. The poet, you know, is only my grand-uncle. Not very close, is it?"

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Longfellow, Stephanie Year of death missing American film actresses American silent film actresses Date of birth missing Actresses from Boston Writers from Boston Place of death missing 20th-century American actresses 1882 births