Florence Roberts
Florence Roberts circa 1938
Born(1864-03-16)March 16, 1864 (Some sources state 1861)
New York City
Died(1940-06-06)June 6, 1940
Hollywood, California, U.S.
Years active1917–1940
SpouseWalter Gale
Children1

Florence Roberts (March 16, 1861/1864 – June 6, 1940[1] was an American actress of the stage and in motion pictures.

Stock company actress

Born in New York City, she began acting onstage there. Her career began at the Brooklyn Opera House in Hoop of Gold.[1] She secured her first stage role with the Denman Thompson Company and played leads with the N.B. Curtis Company. This experience led to appearances on Broadway. She once starred in Zala, a production of David Belasco. She headed a stock company in Philadelphia, for a period of 15 years. The actress made three world tours in stock. There was a South African repertoire and a tour of Australia with the Henry Duffy players. She also played in stock companies in Boston and other cities.[1]

In the early 1900s, she made annual tours under the direction of Frederick Belasco.[2]

Film career

Roberts' success in motion pictures began with a Mack Sennett comedy. The film producer saw her on the stage in Your Uncle Dudley and cast her in Grandma's Girl (1930). Her earliest roles were in A Wife's Suspicion and A Wise Dummy, both in 1917. Among her film performances, the Jones Family series is the most renowned. She played the role of Grandma.[1]

Personal life

Roberts married actor Walter Gale, and they had a son, Robert Gale.[1]

Death

Roberts died from cardiovascular disease at her home in Hollywood. She was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, with funeral services performed at Wee Kirk of the Heather.

Her eulogy was read by her adopted son, Edward Everett Horton, with whom she appeared in stock. The actress' death came unexpectedly three weeks after she had returned from a vacation trip to Panama. She went there following completion of 20th Century Fox's Jones Family series for the 1939–1940 season.[1][3]

Partial filmography

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Special to The New York Times (June 7, 1940). "Florence Roberts, Screen Actress, Veteran of Character Parts Took Role of Grandma in 'Jones Family' Films / Began on Stage When 19 / Made First Appearance at the Brooklyn Opera House—Got Film Start With Sennett [photo included]". The New York Times. Retrieved June 26, 2022.(photo included)
  2. ↑ "California Theatre". California Review. III (1): 20. July 1904. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Famed Film Actress Dies", Los Angeles Times, June 7, 1940, p. A1.
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