Margaret Illington
Encyclopedia
Margaret Illington ill-ing-ton (July 23, 1879 - March 11, 1934) was a stage actress popular in the first decade of the 20th century. She later made an attempt at silent film
acting by making two films with Adolph Zukor
's Famous Players-Lasky
franchise. After her film and theater career were over she settled down as the wife of Major Edward Bowes, her second husband whom she married in 1910. There were no children with either husband.
She was born Maude Light in either 1879 or 1881 in Bloomington, Illinois
to I.H. Light and wife Mary Ellen. The two different years of birth are constantly given from source to source. She was educated at Illinois Wesleyan University
and then for two years was a pupil at Conway's Dramatic School in Chicago. A very beautiful young woman,she made her Broadway debut in 1900 and a few years later she married Broadway impresario Daniel Frohman
in 1903 making her a sister-in-law of powerful theater owner Charles Frohman
. Daniel was nearly thirty years her senior. The marriage didn't last the decade and ended in 1909 but her association with Frohman was a tremendous boost to her career and without him she wouldn't have gotten the plum roles she got or ascended to the top of the Broadway heap as fast.
Illington married Edward Bowes in 1910 and desired to have a baby according to newspaper accounts that interviewed her.But it was not to be and she continued in plays. One of her best known plays at this time was Kindling later turned into a 1916 silent film by Cecil B. DeMille
, but minus Illington. In 1917 Illington decided to try her hand at moviemaking and signed with Adolph Zukor and Jesse Lasky. She starred in The Inner Shrine and Sacrifice both directed by stage actor Frank Reicher
. Zukor famously visited her on the set during the making of The Inner Shrine. When her two films were completed she returned to the stage and remained for about two years before retiring in 1919.
She died in Florida in 1934, her husband a big radio star at the time of her death.
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
acting by making two films with Adolph Zukor
Adolph Zukor
Adolph Zukor , born Adolph Cukor, was a film mogul and founder of Paramount Pictures.-Early life:...
's Famous Players-Lasky
Famous Players-Lasky
Famous Players-Lasky Corporation was an American motion picture and distribution company created on July 19, 1916 from the merger of Adolph Zukor's Famous Players Film Company -- originally formed by Zukor as Famous Players in Famous Plays -- and Jesse L...
franchise. After her film and theater career were over she settled down as the wife of Major Edward Bowes, her second husband whom she married in 1910. There were no children with either husband.
She was born Maude Light in either 1879 or 1881 in Bloomington, Illinois
Bloomington, Illinois
Bloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States and the county seat. It is adjacent to Normal, Illinois, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
to I.H. Light and wife Mary Ellen. The two different years of birth are constantly given from source to source. She was educated at Illinois Wesleyan University
Illinois Wesleyan University
Illinois Wesleyan University is an independent undergraduate university located in Bloomington, Illinois. Founded in 1850, the central portion of the present campus was acquired in 1854 with the first building erected in 1856...
and then for two years was a pupil at Conway's Dramatic School in Chicago. A very beautiful young woman,she made her Broadway debut in 1900 and a few years later she married Broadway impresario Daniel Frohman
Daniel Frohman
Daniel Frohman was a Jewish American theatrical producer and manager, and an early film producer.Frohman was born in Sandusky, Ohio...
in 1903 making her a sister-in-law of powerful theater owner Charles Frohman
Charles Frohman
Charles Frohman was an American theatrical producer. Frohman was producing plays by 1889 and acquired his first Broadway theatre by 1892. He discovered and promoted many stars of the American theatre....
. Daniel was nearly thirty years her senior. The marriage didn't last the decade and ended in 1909 but her association with Frohman was a tremendous boost to her career and without him she wouldn't have gotten the plum roles she got or ascended to the top of the Broadway heap as fast.
Illington married Edward Bowes in 1910 and desired to have a baby according to newspaper accounts that interviewed her.But it was not to be and she continued in plays. One of her best known plays at this time was Kindling later turned into a 1916 silent film by Cecil B. DeMille
Cecil B. DeMille
Cecil Blount DeMille was an American film director and Academy Award-winning film producer in both silent and sound films. He was renowned for the flamboyance and showmanship of his movies...
, but minus Illington. In 1917 Illington decided to try her hand at moviemaking and signed with Adolph Zukor and Jesse Lasky. She starred in The Inner Shrine and Sacrifice both directed by stage actor Frank Reicher
Frank Reicher
Frank Reicher , was a German-born American stage and film actor, director and producer.-Early life:Frank Reicher was born in Munich, Germany, the son of actor Emanuel Reicher and Hedwig Kindermann, a popular German prima donna who was a daughter of the famous baritone August Kindermann...
. Zukor famously visited her on the set during the making of The Inner Shrine. When her two films were completed she returned to the stage and remained for about two years before retiring in 1919.
She died in Florida in 1934, her husband a big radio star at the time of her death.
External links
- Margaret Illington at IMDb.com
- Margaret Illinton ; IBDb.com
- Margaret Illington still selections(University of Washington, Sayre collection)
- portraits(NY Public Library, Billy Rose collection)
- portrait of Margaret Illington, 1913, by Benjamin Strauss and Homer Peyton