Born in St. Clair Township, Benton County, Iowa, Chedister was the daughter of Thomas Cooney and his wife Frances McFadden. Her stage name came from her maternal grandmother, America Susannah Chidester. She was discovered by Edward H. Griffith while working as a showgirl, and they married.[1]
Edward H. Griffith in 1920
Chedister's film career ran between 1921 and 1926. In 1922 she appeared in The Sea Riders, a moving picture written and directed by her husband, set in a Cape Breton fishing village.[2][3]
In 1929, Edward Griffith bought a one-acre plot in a new area of Laguna Beach, California, called Three Arch Bay, and by 1932 had built one of the first houses there as a beach getaway. Called "The Lugger", the building included porthole windows and stairs salvaged from ships. The Map Room came from a ship called the Mary Dollar, and the Griffiths built a lighthouse between the house and the sea, as well as two separate guesthouses. The property was used for entertaining many guests, who included Lionel Barrymore and Claudette Colbert, and in retirement the Griffiths lived there until their deaths. The property is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[1][6]
Three Arch Bay, center, with "The Lugger" nearest the cliff edge
Chedister died at Laguna Beach in November 1975[7][8] and was buried in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale. In her will, she left money to the recently-created Laguna Beach library, which was used to build a picture book room.[9]
^ abDianne Russell, "The Griffith Three Arch Bay property added to National Register of Historic Places", Stu News Laguna, March 19, 2021, accessed 8 October 2023
^Peter Morris, Embattled Shadows: A History of Canadian Cinema, 1895-1939 (McGill-Queen's University Press, 1978, reprinted 1991), p. 86
^"Griffith, Edward H." in Antonio Mendez, Guía de Cine Clásico: Protagonistas (2006), p. 141 (in Spanish): "...casado con la actriz America Chedister"
^Dan Dietz, The Complete Book of 1920s Broadway Musicals (2019), p. 153
^The New York Times Theater Reviews Vol. 2 (1972), p. 162
^"A Little Piece of Hollywood History – Edward H. Griffith's Three Arch Bay Estate", Luxatic, updated August 31, 2017, accessed 8 October 2023
^"Chedister, America: b. Iowa, 21 Oct 1895; d. South Laguna, CA, 1 Nov 1975" in Billy H. Doyle, The Ultimate Directory of the Silent Screen Performers (1995), p. 127
^Karen Wilson Turnbull, Three Arch Bay: an Illustrated History (Santa Ana: Friis-Pioneer Press, 1977), p. 12
^Clara Beard, "Laguna Beach Library Celebrates its 50th Anniversary", Laguna Beach Library Independent, January 20, 2023, accessed October 12, 2023
^"Chedister, America, Miss, portrait photograph", Library of Congress, accessed 8 October 2023
^ abcd"Chedister, America" in Richard P. Krafsur, Kenneth White Munden, The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States (1971), p. 1,013
america, chedister, october, 1895, november, 1975, maiden, name, america, cooney, american, actress, singer, musical, theatre, portrait, photograph, arnold, genthe, 1921bornamerica, cooney, 1895, october, 1895diednovember, 1975, 1975, aged, resting, placefores. America Chedister October 21 1895 November 1 1975 maiden name America Cooney was an American actress and singer in musical theatre America ChedisterPortrait photograph by Arnold Genthe 1921BornAmerica Cooney 1895 10 21 October 21 1895DiedNovember 1 1975 1975 11 01 aged 80 Resting placeForest Lawn Memorial Park Glendale NationalityAmericanOther namesAmerica GriffithOccupationActressYears active1915 1926SpouseEdward H Griffith 1920 1975 Born in St Clair Township Benton County Iowa Chedister was the daughter of Thomas Cooney and his wife Frances McFadden Her stage name came from her maternal grandmother America Susannah Chidester She was discovered by Edward H Griffith while working as a showgirl and they married 1 Edward H Griffith in 1920 Chedister s film career ran between 1921 and 1926 In 1922 she appeared in The Sea Riders a moving picture written and directed by her husband set in a Cape Breton fishing village 2 3 In 1923 at the Globe Theatre on Broadway she originated the part of Mrs DePuyster Fish in the musical comedy Jack and Jill 4 5 In 1929 Edward Griffith bought a one acre plot in a new area of Laguna Beach California called Three Arch Bay and by 1932 had built one of the first houses there as a beach getaway Called The Lugger the building included porthole windows and stairs salvaged from ships The Map Room came from a ship called the Mary Dollar and the Griffiths built a lighthouse between the house and the sea as well as two separate guesthouses The property was used for entertaining many guests who included Lionel Barrymore and Claudette Colbert and in retirement the Griffiths lived there until their deaths The property is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places 1 6 Three Arch Bay center with The Lugger nearest the cliff edge Chedister died at Laguna Beach in November 1975 7 8 and was buried in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Glendale In her will she left money to the recently created Laguna Beach library which was used to build a picture book room 9 A portrait of Chedister by Arnold Genthe dating from November 1921 is in the Library of Congress 10 Films editDawn of the East 1921 as Mariya 11 Scrambled Wives 1921 as Mrs Halsey 11 A Stage Romance 1922 as Lady Anne Boyle 11 Enemies of Women 1923 as French Beauty Atta Boy 1926 as Fashionable Woman 11 Notes edit a b Dianne Russell The Griffith Three Arch Bay property added to National Register of Historic Places Stu News Laguna March 19 2021 accessed 8 October 2023 Peter Morris Embattled Shadows A History of Canadian Cinema 1895 1939 McGill Queen s University Press 1978 reprinted 1991 p 86 Griffith Edward H in Antonio Mendez Guia de Cine Clasico Protagonistas 2006 p 141 in Spanish casado con la actriz America Chedister Dan Dietz The Complete Book of 1920s Broadway Musicals 2019 p 153 The New York Times Theater Reviews Vol 2 1972 p 162 A Little Piece of Hollywood History Edward H Griffith s Three Arch Bay Estate Luxatic updated August 31 2017 accessed 8 October 2023 Chedister America b Iowa 21 Oct 1895 d South Laguna CA 1 Nov 1975 in Billy H Doyle The Ultimate Directory of the Silent Screen Performers 1995 p 127 Karen Wilson Turnbull Three Arch Bay an Illustrated History Santa Ana Friis Pioneer Press 1977 p 12 Clara Beard Laguna Beach Library Celebrates its 50th Anniversary Laguna Beach Library Independent January 20 2023 accessed October 12 2023 Chedister America Miss portrait photograph Library of Congress accessed 8 October 2023 a b c d Chedister America in Richard P Krafsur Kenneth White Munden The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States 1971 p 1 013External links editAmerica Chedister at IMDb America Chedister Find a Grave America Chedister Playbill Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title America Chedister amp oldid 1199910167, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
