Lucille La Verne (November 7, 1872 – March 4, 1945) was an American actress known for her appearances in early sound films, as well as for her triumphs on the American stage. She is most widely remembered as the voices of the Old Witch in the 1932 ''

Silly Symphony ''Silly Symphony'' is an American animated series of 75 musical short films produced by Walt Disney Productions from 1929 to 1939. As the series name implies, the ''Silly Symphonies'' were originally intended as whimsical accompaniments to pieces ...

'' short, ''

Babes in the Woods ''Babes in the Woods'' is a 1932 Silly Symphonies animated film. It is a re-working of the British folk tale ''Babes in the Wood'', with some material incorporated from ''Hansel and Gretel'' by the Brothers Grimm, and the addition of a village ...

'', and the first Disney villain, the

Evil Queen The Evil Queen, also called the Wicked Queen, is a fictional character and the main antagonist of "Snow White", a German fairy tale recorded by the Brothers Grimm; similar stories exist worldwide. Other versions of the Queen appear in subsequent ...

Snow White "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" is a 19th-century German fairy tale that is today known widely across the Western world. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812 in the first edition of their collection ''Grimms' Fairy Tales'' and numbered as Ta ...

's wicked stepmother from ''

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" is a 19th-century German fairy tale that is today known widely across the Western world. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812 in the first edition of their collection ''Grimms' Fairy Tales'' and numbered as T ...

'' (1937),

Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...

's first full-length animated feature film as well as her final film role.

Biography

La Verne was born near

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...

, on November 7, 1872. She began her career as a child in local

summer stock In American theater, summer-stock theater is a theater that presents stage productions only in the summer. The name combines the season with the tradition of staging shows by a resident company, reusing stock scenery and costumes. Summer stock the ...

. As a teenager, she performed in small touring theater troupes. When she was 14, she played both

Juliet Juliet Capulet () is the female protagonist in William Shakespeare's romantic tragedy ''Romeo and Juliet''. A 13-year-old girl, Juliet is the only daughter of the patriarch of the House of Capulet. She falls in love with the male protagonist R ...

and

Lady Macbeth Lady Macbeth is a leading character in William Shakespeare's tragedy '' Macbeth'' (). As the wife of the play's tragic hero, Macbeth (a Scottish nobleman), Lady Macbeth goads her husband into committing regicide, after which she becomes quee ...

back to back. Her ability to play almost any part quickly caught the attention of more prolific companies, and she made her Broadway debut in 1888. She then became a leading lady with some of the best stock companies in America, scoring triumphs in San Francisco, Boston, and other cities. She eventually ran her own successful stock company. On the New York stage, she was known for her range and versatility. Among her hits on Broadway were principal roles in ''Uncle Tom's Cabin'', ''Seven Days'' and ''Way Down East''. She was also known for her

blackface Blackface is a form of theatrical makeup used predominantly by non-Black people to portray a caricature of a Black person. In the United States, the practice became common during the 19th century and contributed to the spread of racial stereo ...

roles. Her biggest stage triumph came in 1923 when she created the role of Widow Caggle in the hit play ''Sun Up''. With her Broadway run, US tour, and European tour, La Verne gave over 3,000 performances. She also worked on Broadway as a playwright and director. In the late 1920s, a Broadway theater was named for her for a short period of time. She made her motion picture debut in 1915 in the movie ''Over Night'' directed by James Young. She also performed small parts in the movies '' Polly of the Circus'', directed by Charles Thomas Horan and

Edwin L. Hollywood Edwin L. Hollywood (October 9, 1892 – May 15, 1958) was an American actor and film director. He was born in New York City. Hollywood was in charge of Vitagraph's film unit that starred Harry Morey. He died in Glendale, California. Filmog ...

, and ''

Orphans of the Storm ''Orphans of the Storm'' is a 1921 American silent drama film by D. W. Griffith set in late-18th-century France, before and during the French Revolution. The last Griffith film to feature both Lillian and Dorothy Gish, it was a commercial fail ...

'', directed by

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 ...

. Her best known part is that of the voice of the

, and her alter ego the

old hag Sleep paralysis is a state, during waking up or falling asleep, in which one is conscious but is completely paralyzed. During an episode, one may hallucinate (hear, feel, or see things that are not there), which often results in fear. Episodes ...

, from

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...

's 1937 animated film ''

'', which was her final film performance.

Death

Lucille La Verne died at the age of 72 in

Culver City Culver City is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 40,779. Founded in 1917 as a "whites only" sundown town, it is now an ethnically diverse city with what was called the "third-most ...

, California on March 4, 1945, after suffering from

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

. She was interred at Inglewood Park Cemetery. La Verne's grave was unmarked for nearly 75 years before fans took up a collection to ensure that she had a stone.

Filmography

*1915: ''Over Night'' as Minor Role *1916: ''

Sweet Kitty Bellairs ''Sweet Kitty Bellairs'' is a 1930 American historical musical comedy film directed by Alfred E. Green. The film is based on the 1900 novel, ''The Bath Comedy'' by Agnes Castle and Egerton Castle. Shot entirely in Technicolor, the film stars ...

'' as Lady Maria (as Lucille Lavarney) *1916: '' The Thousand-Dollar Husband'' as Mme. Batavia (as Lucille La Varney) *1917: '' Polly of the Circus'' as Mandy *1918: ''The Life Mask'' as Sarah Harden *1918: ''Tempered Steel'' as Old Mammy *1919: ''The Praise Agent'' as Mrs. Eubanks *1921: ''

'' as Mother Frochard *1923: ''

The White Rose The White Rose (german: Weiße Rose, ) was a non-violent, intellectual resistance group in Nazi Germany which was led by five students (and one professor) at the University of Munich: Willi Graf, Kurt Huber, Christoph Probst, Alexander Schmo ...

'' as 'Auntie' Easter (as Lucille Laverne) *1923: ''

Zaza Zaza may refer to: Ethnic group * Zazas, a group of people in eastern Anatolia (southeastern Turkey) * Zaza–Gorani languages, Indo-Iranian languages ** Zaza language, spoken by the Zazas People Given name * Zaza Sor. Aree (born 1993), Thai k ...

'' as Aunt Rosa *1923: ''Among the Missing'' as The Mother *1924: ''

America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

'' as Refugee Mother (as Lucile La Verne) *1924: '' His Darker Self'' as Aunt Lucy *1925: '' Sun-Up'' as Mother *1928: ''

The Last Moment ''The Last Moment'' is a 1928 American drama film conceived and directed by Paul Fejos. The film starred Otto Matieson and Georgia Hale. Fejos made ''The Last Moment'' on a budget of US$13,000. The film told its story without intertitles, w ...

'' as Innkeeper *1930: ''

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...

'' as mid-wife *1930: ''

Sinners' Holiday ''Sinners' Holiday'' is a 1930 American pre-Code all-talking crime drama film starring Grant Withers and Evalyn Knapp, and featuring James Cagney (in his film debut), Lucille La Verne, and Joan Blondell. It is based on the 1930 play ''Penny ...

'' as Mrs. Delano (as Lucille LaVerne) *1930: ''

Du Barry, Woman of Passion ''Du Barry, Woman of Passion'' is a 1930 American pre-Code dramatic film starring Norma Talmadge, produced by her husband Joseph Schenck, released through United Artists, and based on a 1901 stage play ''Du Barry'' written and produced by David ...

'' as Minor Role (voice, uncredited) *1930: ''The Comeback '' (Short) *1931: '' Little Caesar'' as Ma Magdalena (uncredited) *1931: ''

The Great Meadow ''The Great Meadow'' is a 1931 American Pre-Code adventure film, produced and distributed by MGM with direction by Charles Brabin. The film starred Eleanor Boardman and Johnny Mack Brown. It is based on the novel ''The Great Meadow'' by Elizabe ...

'' as Elvira Jarvis *1931: ''

An American Tragedy ''An American Tragedy'' is a 1925 novel by American writer Theodore Dreiser. He began the manuscript in the summer of 1920, but a year later abandoned most of that text. It was based on the notorious murder of Grace Brown in 1906 and the trial of ...

'' as Mrs. Asa Griffiths *1931: '' 24 Hours'' as Mrs. Dacklehorse *1931: ''

The Unholy Garden ''The Unholy Garden'' is a 1931 American pre-Code drama film directed by George Fitzmaurice and starring Ronald Colman and Fay Wray. It was based on a story by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur.''The American Film Institute Catalog Feature Films: ...

'' as Lucie Villars *1932: '' Union Depot'' as lady with pipe (uncredited) *1932: ''

She Wanted a Millionaire ''She Wanted a Millionaire'' is a 1932 American pre-Code film starring Joan Bennett and Spencer Tracy. The film, produced and distributed by Fox Film Corporation, was directed by John G. Blystone and also features Una Merkel. It is the only film ...

'' as Mother Norton *1932: '' Alias the Doctor'' as Martha Brenner, Karl's foster mother (as Lucille LaVerne) *1932: '' While Paris Sleeps'' as Mme. Golden Bonnet *1932: '' Hearts of Humanity'' as Mrs. Sneider *1932: ''

Breach of Promise Breach of promise is a common law tort, abolished in many jurisdictions. It was also called breach of contract to marry,N.Y. Civil Rights Act article 8, §§ 80-A to 84. and the remedy awarded was known as heart balm. From at least the Middle ...

'' as Mrs. Flynn *1932: ''

'' (Short) as Witch (voice, uncredited) *1932: '' A Strange Adventure'' as Miss Sheen *1932: '' Wild Horse Mesa'' as Ma he GeneralMelberne *1933: ''

Father Noah's Ark ''Father Noah's Ark'' is a 1933 Walt Disney ''Silly Symphonies'' animated film. It is based on the story of Noah's Ark. The short's musical score is an adaptation of the first dance in Ludwig van Beethoven's ''12 Contredanses''. The cartoon was ...

'' (short) as Noah's Wife *1933: ''

Pilgrimage A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, aft ...

'' as Mrs. Kelly Hatfield *1933: '' The Last Trail'' as Mrs. Wilson *1934: ''

Beloved Beloved may refer to: Books * ''Beloved'' (novel), a 1987 novel by Toni Morrison * ''The Beloved'' (Faulkner novel), a 2012 novel by Australian author Annah Faulkner *''Beloved'', a 1993 historical romance about Zenobia, by Bertrice Small Film ...

'' as Mrs. Briggs *1934: ''

School for Girls ''School for Girls'' is a 1935 American drama film directed by William Nigh and starring Sidney Fox, Paul Kelly and Lois Wilson.

'' as Miss Keeble *1934: ''

Kentucky Kernels ''Kentucky Kernels'' is a 1934 American comedy directed by George Stevens and starring the comedy duo of Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey. The screenplay was written by Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby, and Fred Guiol, from a story by Kalmar and Ruby. P ...

'' as Aunt Hannah (as Lucille LaVerne) *1934: ''

The Mighty Barnum ''The Mighty Barnum'' is a 1934 film starring Wallace Beery as P.T. Barnum. The movie was written by Gene Fowler and Bess Meredyth, adapted from their play of the same name, and directed by Walter Lang. Beery had played Barnum four years earlier ...

'' as Joice Heth *1935: ''

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 ...

'' as The Vengeance (as Lucille LaVerne) *1936: '' Hearts of Humanity'' as Minor Role *1936: ''

Ellis Island Ellis Island is a federally owned island in New York Harbor, situated within the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, that was the busiest immigrant inspection and processing station in the United States. From 1892 to 1954, nearly 12 mi ...

'' as Radio (voice, uncredited) *1937: ''

'' as the Evil Queen / Old Hag (voice, uncredited) (final film role)

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:La Verne, Lucille 1872 births 1945 deaths Actresses from Tennessee American film actresses American silent film actresses 19th-century American actresses American stage actresses American voice actresses People from Nashville, Tennessee 20th-century American actresses Deaths from cancer in California Burials at Inglewood Park Cemetery