She was born Minna Marie Gombel in Baltimore, Maryland, the daughter of William and Emma M. Debring Gombel. Her father was a medical doctor who came to the United States from Germany in 1880. Her mother was from Baltimore and of German descent.[1]
Life and workedit
Gombell was active in stock theater, starring with troupes in Albany, Atlanta, Cleveland, New Orleans, and Los Angeles.[2] Her Broadway credits include Indiscretion (1928), The Great Power (1928), Ballyhoo (1926), Alloy (1924), Mr. Pitt (1923), Listening in (1922), On the Hiring Line (1919), The Indestructible Wife (1917), Six Months' Option (1917), and My Lady's Garter (1915).[3]
She had a successful stage career from 1912 as Winifred Lee before being signed by the Fox Film Corporation in the late 1920s. Her first film was Doctors' Wives (1931) in which she played under the name Nancy Gardner, a name given to her by Fox. After this, she spent a time coaching several young actresses before returning to film under her real name.
Gombell married Howard Chesham Rumsey on March 9, 1916, in New York City. They divorced in 1921.[1]: 68 In 1922 she was married in secret to the aviator and press agent Ferdinand Eggena in Atlanta, Georgia. Their marriage was revealed when he was arrested for fraud in November.[4][5] She filed for divorce the next month, which was granted in 1924.[6][7] On May 19, 1933, she was married for a third time to millionaire banker Joseph W. Sefton Jr.[8] They separated in 1947 and were divorced in 1954.[1]: 70
Some sources state she was married to writer/producer Myron C. Fagan,[9] who put Gombell in several plays and films in the 1920s, but Fagan was married during this period to another woman, who died in 1966.[1]: 70
^ abcdeNissen, Axel (2016). Accustomed to Her Face: Thirty-Five Character Actresses of Golden Age Hollywood. McFarland. pp. 86–70. ISBN9781476626062. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
^"Minna Gombell Has The Usual Luck". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. New York, Brooklyn. February 15, 1925. p. 62. Retrieved May 1, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
minna, gombell, minna, marie, gombell, née, gombel, 1892, april, 1973, american, stage, film, actress, gombell, 1917bornminna, marie, gombel, 1892, 1892baltimore, maryland, diedapril, 1973, 1973, aged, santa, monica, california, other, namesnancy, gardnerwinif. Minna Marie Gombell nee Gombel May 28 1892 April 14 1973 was an American stage and film actress Minna GombellGombell in 1917BornMinna Marie Gombel 1892 05 28 May 28 1892Baltimore Maryland U S DiedApril 14 1973 1973 04 14 aged 80 Santa Monica California U S Other namesNancy GardnerWinifred LeeOccupationActressYears active1912 1961SpousesHoward C Rumsey m 1916 div 1921 wbr Ferdinand Eggena m 1922 div 1924 wbr Joseph W Sefton Jr m 1933 div 1954 wbr Contents 1 Early years 2 Life and work 3 Personal life 4 Partial filmography 5 References 6 External linksEarly years editShe was born Minna Marie Gombel in Baltimore Maryland the daughter of William and Emma M Debring Gombel Her father was a medical doctor who came to the United States from Germany in 1880 Her mother was from Baltimore and of German descent 1 Life and work editGombell was active in stock theater starring with troupes in Albany Atlanta Cleveland New Orleans and Los Angeles 2 Her Broadway credits include Indiscretion 1928 The Great Power 1928 Ballyhoo 1926 Alloy 1924 Mr Pitt 1923 Listening in 1922 On the Hiring Line 1919 The Indestructible Wife 1917 Six Months Option 1917 and My Lady s Garter 1915 3 She had a successful stage career from 1912 as Winifred Lee before being signed by the Fox Film Corporation in the late 1920s Her first film was Doctors Wives 1931 in which she played under the name Nancy Gardner a name given to her by Fox After this she spent a time coaching several young actresses before returning to film under her real name She appeared in some fifty Hollywood films including Block Heads The Merry Widow The First Year Boom Town High Sierra Hoop La The Thin Man Doomed Caravan and The Best Years of Our Lives Personal life editGombell married Howard Chesham Rumsey on March 9 1916 in New York City They divorced in 1921 1 68 In 1922 she was married in secret to the aviator and press agent Ferdinand Eggena in Atlanta Georgia Their marriage was revealed when he was arrested for fraud in November 4 5 She filed for divorce the next month which was granted in 1924 6 7 On May 19 1933 she was married for a third time to millionaire banker Joseph W Sefton Jr 8 They separated in 1947 and were divorced in 1954 1 70 Some sources state she was married to writer producer Myron C Fagan 9 who put Gombell in several plays and films in the 1920s but Fagan was married during this period to another woman who died in 1966 1 70 Gombell died in Santa Monica on April 14 1973 and was buried in Loudon Park Cemetery in Baltimore Maryland 10 1 70 Partial filmography editYear Film Role Director Notes1929 The Great Power Joan Wray1931 Doctors Wives Julia Wyndram Frank Borzage1931 Bad Girl Edna Driggs Frank Borzage1931 Skyline Minor Role Sam Taylor uncredited1931 Sob Sister Vonnie Alfred Santell1931 Good Sport Virginia Casey Kenneth MacKenna1932 The Rainbow Trail Ruth David Howard1932 Stepping Sisters Rosie La Marr Seymour Felix1932 Dance Team Cora Stuart Sidney Lanfield1932 After Tomorrow Else Taylor Frank Borzage1932 Careless Lady Yvette Logan Kenneth MacKenna1932 Bachelor s Affairs Stella Peck Alfred L Werker1932 The First Year Mrs Barstow William K Howard1932 Wild Girl Millie Raoul Walsh1933 Pleasure Cruise Judy Mills Frank Tuttle1933 Hello Sister Mona La Rue1933 What Price Innocence Amy Harper1933 The Big Brain Margy George Archainbaud1933 Wild Boys of the Road Aunt Carrie William Wellman1933 The Way to Love Suzanne Norman Taurog1933 Hoop La Carrie Frank Lloyd1934 Cross Country Cruise Nita Borden Edward Buzzell1934 Keep Em Rolling Julie Argyle Nelson assistant 1934 Marrying Widows The Press Agent Sam Newfield1934 No More Women Annie Fay Albert S Rogell1934 Registered Nurse Beulah Schloss Robert Florey1934 Strictly Dynamite Miss LaSeur Elliott Nugent unbilled 1934 The Thin Man Mimi Wynant Jorgenson W S Van Dyke1934 The Hell Cat Pauline McCoy Albert S Rogell1934 The Lemon Drop Kid Maizie Marshall Neilan1934 The Merry Widow Marcelle Ernst Lubitsch1934 Cheating Cheaters Nell Brockton Richard Thorpe1934 Babbitt Zilla Reisling William Keighley1935 The White Cockatoo Grete Lovscheim Alan Crosland1935 Women Must Dress Linda Howard Reginald Barker1935 Two Sinners Mrs Pym Arthur Lubin1935 Miss Pacific Fleet Sadie Freytag Ray Enright1936 Champagne Charlie Lillian Wayne James Tinling1936 Banjo on my Knee Ruby John Cromwell1937 Make Way for Tomorrow Nellie Chase Leo McCarey1937 Slave Ship Mabel Tay Garnett1937 Wife Doctor and Nurse Constance Walter Lang1938 Block Heads Mrs Hardy John G Blystone1938 The Great Waltz Mrs Hofbauer Josef von Sternberg uncredited 1938 Comet Over Broadway Tim Adams John Farrow uncredited 1938 Going Places Cora Withering Ray Enright1939 Second Fiddle Jenny Sidney Lanfield1939 Stop Look and Love Emma Haller Otto Brower1939 The Hunchback of Notre Dame Queen of Beggars William Dieterle1940 Boom Town Spanish Eva Jack Conway1941 Doomed Caravan Jane Travers Lesley Selander1941 High Sierra Mrs Baughmam Raoul Walsh1941 Thieves Fall Out Ella Barnes Ray Enright1942 Cadets on Parade Della Lew Landers1942 Mexican Spitfire Sees a Ghost Edith Fitzbadden Leslie Goodwins1943 Salute for Three Myrt Ralph Murphy1944 Chip Off the Old Block Milly Charles Lamont1944 Johnny Doesn t Live Here Any More Mrs Collins Joe May1944 The Town Went Wild Marian Harrison Ralph Murphy1944 Destiny Marie Julien Duvivier uncredited 1945 Night Club Girl Rita Edward F Cline1945 Penthouse Rhythm Taffy Edward F Cline1945 Swingin on a Rainbow Minnie Regan William Beaudine1945 Sunbonnet Sue Mrs Fitzgerald Ralph Murphy1945 Man Alive Aunt Sophie Ray Enright1946 Perilous Holiday Mrs Latham Edward H Griffith1946 The Best Years of Our Lives Mrs Parrish William Wyler1947 Wyoming Queenie Lassiter Joseph Kane1948 Mr Reckless Ma Hawkins Frank McDonald1948 Return of the Bad Men Emily Ray Enright1948 The Snake Pit Miss Hart Anatole Litvak1949 The Last Bandit Winnie McPhail Joseph Kane1950 Pagan Love Song Kate Bennett Robert Alton1951 Here Comes the Groom Mrs Godfrey Frank Capra1951 I ll See You in My Dreams Mrs LeBoy Michael Curtiz final film roleReferences edit a b c d e Nissen Axel 2016 Accustomed to Her Face Thirty Five Character Actresses of Golden Age Hollywood McFarland pp 86 70 ISBN 9781476626062 Retrieved 2 May 2017 Minna Gombell Has The Usual Luck The Brooklyn Daily Eagle New York Brooklyn February 15 1925 p 62 Retrieved May 1 2017 via Newspapers com nbsp Minna Gombell search results Playbill Vault Playbill Retrieved 2 May 2017 Arrest Reveals Fraud The Seattle Star 1922 11 24 p 10 More Trouble for Eggena The Billboard December 30 1922 p 27 Asked for bail gets served with summons Minna Gombel answers plea from husband with divorce action Variety December 15 1922 p 12 Divorces The Billboard April 26 1924 p 131 Sefton Gombell The Billboard 1933 05 27 p 52 Parish James Robert 1978 Hollywood Character Actors Arlington House p 229 ISBN 978 0 87000 384 4 Minna Gombell 81 of Stage and Films The New York Times April 16 1973 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Minna Gombell Minna Gombell at IMDb Minna Gombell at the Internet Broadway Database Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Minna Gombell amp oldid 1192699288, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
