Mary Nolan
Encyclopedia
Mary Nolan was an American actress and dancer.
, Robertson's childhood was beset with hardship that included the death of her mother in 1908 and an absent father. As a child, she worked as a farm laborer, before moving to New York City
in 1919 where she worked as a model
. She was discovered by Florenz Ziegfeld
, who hired her under the name Imogene Wilson (the first of three name changes she was to have) as a dancer in his follies
. As a showgirl in New York she was called Bubbles. Her impact as a dancer was so profound that columnist Mark Hellinger
once said of her in 1922: "Only two people in America would bring every reporter in New York to the docks to see them off. One is the President. The other is Imogene "Bubbles" Wilson."
and subsequently moved to Germany for two years. While in Germany, she made a large number of films, including Das Panzergewölbe and Verborgene Gluten.
for United Artists
in 1927, but her film career declined afterwards. In 1928 she co-starred with two great actors, Lon Chaney and Lionel Barrymore
, in West of Zanzibar directed by legendary Tod Browning
in what is arguably today her most well-known and heartbreaking silent film role as Chaney's defiled daughter raised in the dives of an African coastal town. In 1933, she made her final screen appearance in File 113. The same year, she sued Hollywood producer
Eddie Mannix
for $500,000 in damages. She accused him of beating her. In 1937, Nolan was jailed for an unpaid dress bill.
She turned up "sick and broke" at the Actor's Fund Home in Amityville, New York
. She regained her health and returned to Hollywood in 1939. She lived there in obscurity with her sister, Mrs. Mabel Rondeau.
on Halloween, October 31, 1948. She suffered from a chronic gall bladder ailment and had recently been discharged from Cedars of Lebanon Hospital. She was 42 years old and reportedly weighed only 90 pounds when she died in a small stucco bungalow at 1504 South Mansfield Avenue, Los Angeles, California
.
Her tiny apartment was simply furnished except for a single possession. There was a huge antique piano formerly owned by Rudolph Valentino
, which almost filled her living room. She bought it from the possessions which were once a part of Falcon Lair
, Valentino's home. Nolan revered the deceased film actor and kept his photo on the music rack. Nolan had only recently completed negotiations for the sale of her life story, in screenplay and novel form. She previously sold a similar account to a popular magazine, the second installment of which had only recently been printed. When she died, the former dancer was still married to Wallace McCreary, who likewise had a tumultuous Hollywood career.
Ziegfeld Follies dancer
Born Mary Imogene Robertson in KentuckyKentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, Robertson's childhood was beset with hardship that included the death of her mother in 1908 and an absent father. As a child, she worked as a farm laborer, before moving to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1919 where she worked as a model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
. She was discovered by Florenz Ziegfeld
Florenz Ziegfeld
Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr. , , was an American Broadway impresario, notable for his series of theatrical revues, the Ziegfeld Follies , inspired by the Folies Bergère of Paris. He also produced the musical Show Boat...
, who hired her under the name Imogene Wilson (the first of three name changes she was to have) as a dancer in his follies
Follies
Follies is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by James Goldman. The story concerns a reunion in a crumbling Broadway theatre, scheduled for demolition, of the past performers of the "Weismann's Follies," a musical revue , that played in that theatre between the World Wars...
. As a showgirl in New York she was called Bubbles. Her impact as a dancer was so profound that columnist Mark Hellinger
Mark Hellinger
Mark Hellinger was an American journalist, theatre columnist, and film producer.-Early life and career:Hellinger was born into an Orthodox Jewish family in New York City, although in later life he became a non-practicing Jew. When he was fifteen, he organized a student strike at Townsend Harris...
once said of her in 1922: "Only two people in America would bring every reporter in New York to the docks to see them off. One is the President. The other is Imogene "Bubbles" Wilson."
German interlude
It was at this point that she began a long and abusive relationship with comedian Frank Tinney, which would culminate in being hospitalised for injuries he inflicted on her during an argument. Because Tinney was married to another woman, the affair caused a scandal. Nolan was fired from the Ziegfeld FolliesZiegfeld Follies
The Ziegfeld Follies were a series of elaborate theatrical productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 through 1931. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air....
and subsequently moved to Germany for two years. While in Germany, she made a large number of films, including Das Panzergewölbe and Verborgene Gluten.
Hollywood actress
Moving back to the United States in 1927, Robertson adopted the stage name Mary Nolan and had a brief film career, starring in films such as The Foreign Legion, Shanghai Lady, and Docks of San Francisco. She made Sorrell and SonSorrell and Son
Sorrell and Son is a silent film released on December 2, 1927 and nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director in the 1st Academy Awards the following year...
for United Artists
United Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
in 1927, but her film career declined afterwards. In 1928 she co-starred with two great actors, Lon Chaney and Lionel Barrymore
Lionel Barrymore
Lionel Barrymore was an American actor of stage, screen and radio. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in A Free Soul...
, in West of Zanzibar directed by legendary Tod Browning
Tod Browning
Tod Browning was an American motion picture actor, director and screenwriter.Browning's career spanned the silent and talkie eras...
in what is arguably today her most well-known and heartbreaking silent film role as Chaney's defiled daughter raised in the dives of an African coastal town. In 1933, she made her final screen appearance in File 113. The same year, she sued Hollywood producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
Eddie Mannix
Eddie Mannix
Edgar Joseph "Eddie" Mannix was an American film studio executive....
for $500,000 in damages. She accused him of beating her. In 1937, Nolan was jailed for an unpaid dress bill.
She turned up "sick and broke" at the Actor's Fund Home in Amityville, New York
Amityville, New York
Amityville is a village in the town of Babylon in Suffolk County, New York, in the United States. The population was 9,441 at the 2000 census.-History:...
. She regained her health and returned to Hollywood in 1939. She lived there in obscurity with her sister, Mrs. Mabel Rondeau.
Drug addiction and death
Unable to gain work, she became addicted to heroin and died of cardiac arrestCardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest, is the cessation of normal circulation of the blood due to failure of the heart to contract effectively...
on Halloween, October 31, 1948. She suffered from a chronic gall bladder ailment and had recently been discharged from Cedars of Lebanon Hospital. She was 42 years old and reportedly weighed only 90 pounds when she died in a small stucco bungalow at 1504 South Mansfield Avenue, Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
.
Her tiny apartment was simply furnished except for a single possession. There was a huge antique piano formerly owned by Rudolph Valentino
Rudolph Valentino
Rudolph Valentino was an Italian actor, and early pop icon. A sex symbol of the 1920s, Valentino was known as the "Latin Lover". He starred in several well-known silent films including The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, The Sheik, Blood and Sand, The Eagle and Son of the Sheik...
, which almost filled her living room. She bought it from the possessions which were once a part of Falcon Lair
Falcon Lair
Falcon Lair is an estate above Benedict Canyon in Beverly Hills, California that was owned by Rudolph Valentino and later by Doris Duke, who called it Falcon's Lair....
, Valentino's home. Nolan revered the deceased film actor and kept his photo on the music rack. Nolan had only recently completed negotiations for the sale of her life story, in screenplay and novel form. She previously sold a similar account to a popular magazine, the second installment of which had only recently been printed. When she died, the former dancer was still married to Wallace McCreary, who likewise had a tumultuous Hollywood career.
As Imogene Robertson
- Verborgene Gluten (1925)
- Wenn die Liebe nicht wär! (1925)
- Das Parfüm der Mrs. Worrington (1925)
- Die Feuertänzerin (1925)
- Die Unberührte Frau (1925)
- Fünf-Uhr-Tee in der Ackerstraße (1926)
- Unser täglich Brot (1926)
- Die Elf schillschen Offiziere (1926)
- Wien, wie es weint und lacht (1926)
- Das Süße Mädel (1926)
- Die Welt will belogen sein (1926)
- Die Abenteuer eines Zehnmarkscheines aka Adventures of a Ten Mark Note (1926)
- Die Königin des Weltbades (1926)
- Das Panzergewölbe aka The Armored Vault (1926)
- Die Mädchen von Paris (1927)
- Halloh - Caesar! (1927)
As Mary Nolan
- Topsy and Eva (Uncredited, 1927)
- Sorrell and SonSorrell and SonSorrell and Son is a silent film released on December 2, 1927 and nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director in the 1st Academy Awards the following year...
(1927) - Good Morning, Judge (1928)
- The Foreign Legion (1928)
- West of Zanzibar (1928)
- Silks and Saddles aka Thoroughbreds (1929)
- Desert NightsDesert NightsDesert Nights, also known as Thirst, is a 1929 drama film. It was the last silent film for star John Gilbert. Two thieves victimize a diamond mine and kidnap its manager, but he gains the upper hand when they flee into the hostile desert.The film is available for download or DVD purchase from...
aka Thirst (1929) - Eleven Who Where Loyal (1929)
- Charming Sinners aka The Constant Wife (1929)
- Shanghai Lady aka Girl from China (1929)
- Undertow (1930)
- Young Desire (1930)
- Outside the LawOutside the Law (1930 film)Outside the Law is a crime film directed by Tod Browning and starring Edward G. Robinson. It is a remake of the 1920 film of the same name, also directed by Browning.-Cast:* Edward G...
(1930) - Enemies of the Law (1931)
- X Marks the Spot (1931)
- The Big Shot aka The Optimist (1931)
- Docks of San FranciscoDocks of San Francisco-Cast:* Mary Nolan as Belle* Jason Robards Sr. as John Banning* Marjorie Beebe as Rose Gillen* John Davidson as Vance* William Haynes as Reggie, the Detective* Max Davidson as Max Ranovich, the Detective...
(1932) - The Midnight Patrol (1932)
- File 113 (1933)