Ynez Seabury (June 26, 1907 – April 11, 1973) was an American actress of the stage, silent and early sound film era. She began her career as a child actor, making her screen debut in

D. W. Griffith David Wark Griffith (January 22, 1875 – July 23, 1948) was an American film director. Considered one of the most influential figures in the history of the motion picture, he pioneered many aspects of film editing and expanded the art of the na ...

's '' The Miser's Heart'' (1911). She appeared on Broadway and occasionally appear in films during the early sound era. Her last credited feature film appearance was in Cecil B. DeMille's '' North West Mounted Police'' (1940).

Biography

Early life

Ynez Seabury was born June 26, 1907 in Portland, Oregon to actors Charlotte and Forrest Seabury. Her father was a prominent stage actor from Oakland, California, and a direct descendent of Samuel Seabury, while her maternal great-grandfather, Louis Mario Peralta—a founder of the city of Oakland—was sent to San Francisco from his native Spain by King Charles III. Seabury had an itinerant childhood due to both of her parents' careers as performers. At age two, Seabury won the prize for "Prettiest Baby" at the '' Scranton Times''s baby show in Luna Park.

Career

Kate Bruce and Ynez Seabury in The Sunbeam

Seabury was acting in movies by the age of 4, debuting as Little Kathy in

's '' The Miser's Heart'' (1911). Seabury appeared in numerous films for Griffith from 1911 to 1912, including '' A Woman Scorned'', '' The Voice of the Child'', ''Billy's Stratagem'', '' For His Son'', '' The Sunbeam'', '' A String of Pearls'', and ''

The Root of Evil ''The Root of Evil'' is a 1911 novel by Thomas Dixon, Jr. Plot summary James Stuart, a Southerner, becomes a successful attorney in New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United St ...

''. In 1912, she made her debut on Broadway in ''Racketty-Packetty House''. In June 1912, Seabury appeared opposite her father in a Portland-based stage production of '' Madame Butterfly'' for the

Baker Stock Company The Baker Stock Company was a theater group based in Portland, Oregon, United States, active from 1901 through 1923. The company was established by businessman George Luis Baker, who served as its manager from 1901 to 1915. History The Baker Sto ...

. Due to her darker features, Seabury was frequently cast in ethnic roles, portraying Italians and Native Americans. In 1924, she starred as a Native American woman in ''Red Clay'' (1924), a film which starred William Desmond and Albert J. Smith. The plot was constructed around an Indian's education and his subsequent social ostracism. In her role as the Indian maid Miss Seabury earned acclaim for the "very fine emotional quality" of her work. In March 1928, she subsequently participated in ''His Blossom Bride'', a romantic drama of the stage produced by

Richard Walton Tully Richard Walton Tully (May 7, 1877 – February 1, 1945) was an American playwright. Biography Tully was born on May 7, 1877 in Nevada City, California. Tully was married to another playwright Eleanor Gates until he divorced her in 1914. His b ...

, premiering at the Mason opera house in Los Angeles in March 1928. The scenery and lighting for the play showed an opening prologue in the Painted Desert of Arizona and the

Hopi The Hopi are a Native American ethnic group who primarily live on the Hopi Reservation in northeastern Arizona, United States. As of the 2010 census, there are 19,338 Hopi in the country. The Hopi Tribe is a sovereign nation within the Unite ...

Indian reservation. Members of the Hopi tribe were adopted by Seabury, who portrayed the Indian heroine. Seabury was revered by the Hopi because of her understanding of their lives and ambitions. Before serving as background actors in the production, twenty-nine tribesmen and their chief toured Los Angeles in Cadillacs and La Salles. On November 3, 1928, she wed broker Walter William Costello. In 1937, she was a member of the cast of the

CBS Radio Theater ''CBS Radio Mystery Theater'' (a.k.a. ''Radio Mystery Theater'' and ''Mystery Theater'', sometimes abbreviated as ''CBSRMT'') is a radio drama series created by Himan Brown that was broadcast on CBS Radio Network affiliates from 1974 to 1982, an ...

dramatization of ''

Brewster's Millions ''Brewster's Millions'' is a comedic novel written by George Barr McCutcheon in 1902, originally under the pseudonym of Richard Greaves. The plot concerns a young man whose grandfather leaves him $1 million in a will, but a competing will from an ...

'', which featured Jack Benny and Mary Livingstone.

Later years and death

Seabury died in Sherman Oaks, California on April 11, 1973. She is buried at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park cemetery in Glendale, California.

Partial filmography

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Seabury, Ynez 1907 births 1973 deaths American child actresses American film actresses American people of English descent American people of Spanish descent American silent film actresses American stage actresses Actresses from Portland, Oregon Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale) Hispanic and Latino American actresses 20th-century American actresses