Mary Claire Fuller (October 5, 1888 – December 9, 1973) was an American actress active in both stage and silent films. She also was a screenwriter and had several films produced. An early major star, by 1917 she could no longer gain roles in film or on stage. A later effort to revive her career in Hollywood failed in the 1920s after talkies began to dominate film. After suffering a nervous breakdown, she was admitted to St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, DC in 1947 and lived there until her death.
Born in Washington, D.C. in 1888, to Nora Swing and attorney Miles Fuller, she spent her childhood on a farm. As a child, she was interested in music, writing and art. Her father died in 1902,[1] and by 1906, she was working in the theater under the name Claire Fuller. She worked briefly with the Lyceum Stock Company in Toledo, Ohio.
CareerEdit
Cover of 1916 news magazine The Masses, featuring profile of Fuller's character in the film The Heart of a Mermaid (1916); graphic by Frank Walts
Fuller began her acting career on stage. At age 18 she was working in live theatre. In 1907, she signed with the new Vitagraph Studios in Brooklyn, New York, where she made silent films such as the one-reel adaptation of Elektra (released in April 1910).[2] Later Fuller joined the Edison Film Company in 1910. That year, she appeared in the first film version of Frankenstein,[3] based on the Mary Shelley novel.
Fuller became a major early silent movie star who, by 1914, rivaled Mary Pickford in popularity.[4] She appeared in a wide variety of roles, and starred in such melodramas as The Witch Girl, A Daughter of the Nile, Dolly of the Dailies (1914),[5] and Under Southern Skies, her first feature-length production. Also, Fuller wrote numerous screenplays, eight of which were produced as films from 1913 to 1915.
Fuller's career, however, was over by 1917. As quoted in Sally Dumaux's King Baggot: A Biography and Filmography of the First King of the Movies, an August 18, 1917 article in Variety stated though Fuller was
"one of the best drawing cards of the Universal for a long time ..her last few pictures were both financial and productional disappointments...and at the expiration of her contract she was allowed to depart...Miss Fuller has offered her services to several concerns along Broadway, but it is understood that they were turned down with the remark 'You are no longer film type.'"
Following this episode, Fuller disappeared from public view, and her whereabouts remained a mystery for decades.
Later lifeEdit
After the demise of the first stage of her film career, Fuller apparently suffered a nervous breakdown following a failed affair with a married opera singer. She retired from the film business, and went to live with her mother in Washington, D.C.[6] In her early years, Fuller had talked about a constant feeling of loneliness that film stardom never filled. In 1926, she returned to Hollywood and unsuccessfully attempted to resume her screen career, which was more difficult since "talkies" had replaced silent films.
The death of her mother in 1940 brought a second nervous breakdown. After her sister cared for her, she arranged for Fuller to be admitted to Washington's St. Elizabeths Hospital on July 1, 1947. She lived there for 26 years, until her death. When Fuller died, the hospital was unable to locate any relatives, and she was buried in an unmarked grave in Congressional Cemetery.[7][3] In the 2010s, a memorial bench was installed on the site of her grave, bearing a "Hollywood Star of Fame" and the inscription "A Personality of Eloquent Silence."[8]
^Staff writer (2 June 1902). "Death of Miles Fuller". The Washington Star. No. 15371. Washington, D.C. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
^Douglass, Harvey (21 February 1933). "Stock Movie Star of 1907 Got $20 Per Week". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Vol. 92, no. 51. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
^ abRoberts, Rebecca Boggs; Schmidt, Sandra K. (2012). Historic Congressional Cemetery. Arcadia Publishing. p. 73. ISBN9780738592244. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
^(October 1914). The Great Artist Contest: First Honors Go to Earle Williams and Clara Kimball Young, Motion Picture Magazine (Fuller placed fifth in the 1914 Motion Picture Magazine popularity contest; Pickford was third)
^Kehr, Dave. "Long-Lost Silent Films Return to America", The New York Times, June 6, 2010
^Staff writer (31 May 1925). "Star of Yesteryear Shine No Longer in Screenland; What Has Become of the Them". The Lincoln Star. Vol. 23. Lincoln, Nebraska. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
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For the sculptor see Mary Fuller sculptor This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Mary Fuller news newspapers books scholar JSTOR October 2010 Learn how and when to remove this template message Mary Claire Fuller October 5 1888 December 9 1973 was an American actress active in both stage and silent films She also was a screenwriter and had several films produced An early major star by 1917 she could no longer gain roles in film or on stage A later effort to revive her career in Hollywood failed in the 1920s after talkies began to dominate film After suffering a nervous breakdown she was admitted to St Elizabeths Hospital in Washington DC in 1947 and lived there until her death Mary FullerFuller c 1914BornMary Claire Fuller 1888 10 05 October 5 1888Washington D C U S DiedDecember 9 1973 1973 12 09 aged 85 Washington D C U S Other namesClaire FullerOccupation s Actress screenwriterYears active1907 1917 Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Later life 4 Selected filmography 5 Notes 6 External linksEarly life EditBorn in Washington D C in 1888 to Nora Swing and attorney Miles Fuller she spent her childhood on a farm As a child she was interested in music writing and art Her father died in 1902 1 and by 1906 she was working in the theater under the name Claire Fuller She worked briefly with the Lyceum Stock Company in Toledo Ohio Career Edit nbsp Cover of 1916 news magazine The Masses featuring profile of Fuller s character in the film The Heart of a Mermaid 1916 graphic by Frank WaltsFuller began her acting career on stage At age 18 she was working in live theatre In 1907 she signed with the new Vitagraph Studios in Brooklyn New York where she made silent films such as the one reel adaptation of Elektra released in April 1910 2 Later Fuller joined the Edison Film Company in 1910 That year she appeared in the first film version of Frankenstein 3 based on the Mary Shelley novel Fuller became a major early silent movie star who by 1914 rivaled Mary Pickford in popularity 4 She appeared in a wide variety of roles and starred in such melodramas as The Witch Girl A Daughter of the Nile Dolly of the Dailies 1914 5 and Under Southern Skies her first feature length production Also Fuller wrote numerous screenplays eight of which were produced as films from 1913 to 1915 Fuller s career however was over by 1917 As quoted in Sally Dumaux s King Baggot A Biography and Filmography of the First King of the Movies an August 18 1917 article in Variety stated though Fuller was one of the best drawing cards of the Universal for a long time her last few pictures were both financial and productional disappointments and at the expiration of her contract she was allowed to depart Miss Fuller has offered her services to several concerns along Broadway but it is understood that they were turned down with the remark You are no longer film type Following this episode Fuller disappeared from public view and her whereabouts remained a mystery for decades Later life EditAfter the demise of the first stage of her film career Fuller apparently suffered a nervous breakdown following a failed affair with a married opera singer She retired from the film business and went to live with her mother in Washington D C 6 In her early years Fuller had talked about a constant feeling of loneliness that film stardom never filled In 1926 she returned to Hollywood and unsuccessfully attempted to resume her screen career which was more difficult since talkies had replaced silent films The death of her mother in 1940 brought a second nervous breakdown After her sister cared for her she arranged for Fuller to be admitted to Washington s St Elizabeths Hospital on July 1 1947 She lived there for 26 years until her death When Fuller died the hospital was unable to locate any relatives and she was buried in an unmarked grave in Congressional Cemetery 7 3 In the 2010s a memorial bench was installed on the site of her grave bearing a Hollywood Star of Fame and the inscription A Personality of Eloquent Silence 8 Selected filmography EditFrankenstein 1910 Jean the Match Maker 1910 Turned to the Wall 1911 The Modern Dianas 1911 A Personal Affair 1912 What Happened to Mary 1912 Who Will Marry Mary 1913 Dolly of the Dailies 1914 Under Southern Skies 1915 A Huntress of Men 1916 The Long Trail 1917 Public Be Damned 1917 Notes Edit Staff writer 2 June 1902 Death of Miles Fuller The Washington Star No 15371 Washington D C p 3 via Newspapers com Douglass Harvey 21 February 1933 Stock Movie Star of 1907 Got 20 Per Week The Brooklyn Daily Eagle Vol 92 no 51 p 15 via Newspapers com a b Roberts Rebecca Boggs Schmidt Sandra K 2012 Historic Congressional Cemetery Arcadia Publishing p 73 ISBN 9780738592244 Retrieved 27 July 2017 October 1914 The Great Artist Contest First Honors Go to Earle Williams and Clara Kimball Young Motion Picture Magazine Fuller placed fifth in the 1914 Motion Picture Magazine popularity contest Pickford was third Kehr Dave Long Lost Silent Films Return to America The New York Times June 6 2010 Staff writer 31 May 1925 Star of Yesteryear Shine No Longer in Screenland What Has Become of the Them The Lincoln Star Vol 23 Lincoln Nebraska p 6 via Newspapers com http stelizabethsdevelopment com docs Full History of St Elizabeths pdf bare URL PDF Maxfield Lipp Terri 5 October 2016 Mary Fuller actress writer TML Arts External links Edit nbsp Biography portal nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mary Fuller Mary Fuller at IMDb Mary Fuller portraits at the New York City Public Library Billy Rose Collection Mary Fuller at Find a Grave Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mary Fuller amp oldid 1180661036, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
