May Kitson born Mary Ann Morrell, was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 silent film

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...

 character actor

Character actor

A character actor is one who predominantly plays unusual or eccentric characters. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a character actor as "an actor who specializes in character parts", defining character part in turn as "an acting role displaying pronounced or unusual characteristics or...

 active between 1917 and 1925, known to close family as "De-ah."

Family

Kitson was born in London, England on 29 October 1864 to Tom Morrell and Elizabeth Chandler. Her family moved to New Jersey 1873. Her father died prior to immigration. Beginning in 1910 until her passing Kitson continually claimed much younger ages in all census reports, altering even her eldest child's age in 1910 to support her younger claimed age.

May and John William Kitson were married in 1882 and their first child Howard Waldo was born in March 1883; a daughter Velma May followed in 1887. Kitson was widowed in February 1888 (see New York Times Feb 8, 1888 "Death of Mr. Kitson"). Robert Ellin

Robert Ellin

Robert Ellin, a stone and wood sculptor, was active in the United States 1867 to 1904. He was most likely born in West Yorkshire about 1838. Not much is known about his life until his association with a fellow Englishman and Yorkshireman John William Kitson...

 and Kitson were co-executors of (John) William Kitson's estate until their son reached maturity.

Kitson was widowed again following a brief marriage in 1896 and again her third husband William J. Swan widowed her about 1909. She applied to the NY Court to change her name back to Mary Morrell Kitson.

In November 1914 her son Waldo married Lela Cole Kitson

Lela Cole Kitson

Lela Margaret Cole Kitson was a freelance writer of primarily western romances from 1920 to 1955.-Newspapers:...

 a short story writer of western romances. In 1910 her daughter Velma married Commodore Byron McCandless

Byron McCandless

Commodore Byron McCandless was a longtime U.S. Navy officer who was awarded the Navy Cross during World War I and the Legion of Merit during World War II. He was also prominent in the field of vexillology , and helped design two separate versions of the Flag of the President of the United States...

 a 1905 Naval Academy graduate.

Career

According to family oral history, Kitson was approached by a New York movie agent while selling "War Bonds" in a New York bank with "Have you ever thought of working in the movies?"

Kitson died on 17 June 1945 on the U. S. Naval Repair Base in San Diego, California

San Diego, California

San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...

 at her daughter's home, the Commanding Officer's Quarters. Her ashes are near her son Waldo's in Hollywood Forever Cemetery

Hollywood Forever Cemetery

Hollywood Forever Cemetery, originally called Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery, is one of the oldest cemeteries in Los Angeles, California. It is located at 6000 Santa Monica Boulevard in the Hollywood...

, Los Angeles

Los Ángeles

Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

 formerly The Hollywood Cemetery, located opposite Paramount Studios, not to be confused with the one on the east coast.

Filmography

• The Firing Line (1919) Constance Paliser
• Come Out of the Kitchen (1919) Mrs. Daingerfield
• The Burning Question (1919)
• The Woman God Sent (1920)
• Father Tom (1921) Mary
• The Family Closet (1921) Mrs. Dinsmore
• Flesh and Spirit (1922) Mrs. Wallace
• Other Woman's Clothes (1922) Mrs. Roger Montayne
• The New School Teacher (1924) Mrs. Buck

She was also in a film with 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...

, whose title has been lost.