Jean Darling, one of the child actresses from "Our Gang" and one of the last remaining stars from the silent film era, has died. She was 93.
Darling shot to fame at the age of 4 as part of the popular "Our Gang" series of short silent films. Thanks to what the New York Times dubbed "her golden locks and a face like a kewpie doll," Darling -- whose mother legally changed her name, Dorothy Jean LeVake, at 5 months old -- kept busy in Hollywood, starring in 46 silent movies and six talkies between 1927 and 1929.
She continued to act as she grew, including appearing as the young Jane Eyre in a 1934 adaptation of the novel. Darling also made a name for herself on Broadway, starring in the debut of Rodgers and Hammerstein musical classic "Carousel" in 1945, in which she originated the role of Carrie Pipperidge.
In the 1970s, Darling moved to Dublin, Ireland,...
Darling shot to fame at the age of 4 as part of the popular "Our Gang" series of short silent films. Thanks to what the New York Times dubbed "her golden locks and a face like a kewpie doll," Darling -- whose mother legally changed her name, Dorothy Jean LeVake, at 5 months old -- kept busy in Hollywood, starring in 46 silent movies and six talkies between 1927 and 1929.
She continued to act as she grew, including appearing as the young Jane Eyre in a 1934 adaptation of the novel. Darling also made a name for herself on Broadway, starring in the debut of Rodgers and Hammerstein musical classic "Carousel" in 1945, in which she originated the role of Carrie Pipperidge.
In the 1970s, Darling moved to Dublin, Ireland,...
- 9/8/2015
- by Katie Roberts
- Moviefone
Former child actress Jean Darling, best known for starring in the Our Gang comedy shorts during the silent era, has died at the age of 93.
The actress also starred in the first Broadway production of the famed Rogers & Hammerstein musical Carousel, where she played Carrie Pipperidge.
She died in Rodgau, Germany, where she lived with her son.
Darling came to fame at the age of 4 when she was cast in the Our Gang series, and subsequently played a role in Laurel and Hardy's Babes in Toyland and as the child Jane Eyre in the 1934 adaptation.
Darling was born Dorothy Jean Lavake on August 23, 1922 in Santa Monica, with her mother changing her name to Jean Darling because she wanted her daughter to make it big in showbusiness.
She married a magician called Reuben Bowen in 1954, moving to Dublin in the early '70s, where she wrote mystery crime stories for magazines...
The actress also starred in the first Broadway production of the famed Rogers & Hammerstein musical Carousel, where she played Carrie Pipperidge.
She died in Rodgau, Germany, where she lived with her son.
Darling came to fame at the age of 4 when she was cast in the Our Gang series, and subsequently played a role in Laurel and Hardy's Babes in Toyland and as the child Jane Eyre in the 1934 adaptation.
Darling was born Dorothy Jean Lavake on August 23, 1922 in Santa Monica, with her mother changing her name to Jean Darling because she wanted her daughter to make it big in showbusiness.
She married a magician called Reuben Bowen in 1954, moving to Dublin in the early '70s, where she wrote mystery crime stories for magazines...
- 9/7/2015
- Digital Spy
Virginia Bruce: MGM actress ca. 1935. Virginia Bruce movies on TCM: Actress was the cherry on 'The Great Ziegfeld' wedding cake Unfortunately, Turner Classic Movies has chosen not to feature any non-Hollywood stars – or any out-and-out silent film stars – in its 2015 “Summer Under the Stars” series.* On the other hand, TCM has come up with several unusual inclusions, e.g., Lee J. Cobb, Warren Oates, Mae Clarke, and today, Aug. 25, Virginia Bruce. A second-rank MGM leading lady in the 1930s, the Minneapolis-born Virginia Bruce is little remembered today despite her more than 70 feature films in a career that spanned two decades, from the dawn of the talkie era to the dawn of the TV era, in addition to a handful of comebacks going all the way to 1981 – the dawn of the personal computer era. Career highlights were few and not all that bright. Examples range from playing the...
- 8/26/2015
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.