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Dorothy Green (silent film actress)

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For the actress born in 1920, see Dorothy Green (actress).
Dorothy Green
Green in 1919
BornMarch 5, 1892 (1892-03-05)
Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S.
DiedNovember 16, 1963(1963-11-16) (aged 71)
New York City
Resting placeMount Zion Cemetery
Maspeth, Queens, New York City, New York, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1914–1929
Spouses
Samuel Harry Pomerance
​
​
(m. 1911; div. 1918)​
Norman November
​
​
(m. 1930; died 1963)​
Signature

Dorothy Green (March 5, 1892 – November 16, 1963) was an American silent film actress.[1][2]

Biography

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Dorothy Green was born to Benny and Anna Green on March 5, 1892, in Manhattan, New York City.[3] Her birth certificate lists her first name as “Vera”, but she appears later in United States Census records as “Dorothy”.[4] Her parents immigrated from what was then the Russian Empire in 1886, and her father worked as a tailor.[5] She was the oldest of six children — Bella (b. 1895), Mamie (b.1898), Sadie (b. 1900), Harry (b.1902) and William (b. 1903). Belle also had a brief career as an actress, using the stage name "Belle Green".[6]

Green claimed to have been born in St. Petersburg, before immigrating to the United States at the age of three, however her vital records indicate she was born in New York to parents of Russian extraction.[7][8][9] At the time, it was not unusual for actors to lie about or embellish their origin story — similarly, Green also claimed to have been born in 1895.[8]

Career

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Green had film roles in Forest Rivals (1919), The Lesson (1917), The Wonderful Adventure (1915), A Parisian Romance, Her Mother's Secret, The American Way Souls Aflame, The Devils at His Elbow, The Good Bad Wife, Patria (a serial), The Praise Agent with Arthur Ashley, and The Grouch.[10] Green also performed on stage with the New Shakespeare Company, where fellow performer John Gielgud viewed her acting favorably.[11]

She was best known for playing "vamp" roles, such as in Patria, The Devils at His Elbow, and A Parisian Romance[12][13]

Personal life

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Green married Samuel Harry Pomerance (b. 1886), a fellow Russian-American, in New York City in March 1911.[14] In October 1916, Pomerance brought an alienation of affection suit against Emanuel S. “Manny” Chapelle (d. 1920), a wine agent and the husband of ice skater Grace Helaine (d. 1936), the sister of actress Billie Burke.[15][16] Pomerance hired private detectives who testified they had seen Green and Chapelle together, and had Green's apartment raided, where she was found with Chapelle. When Helaine filed for divorce against Chapelle in 1918, she named Green as a co-respondent.[17]

Green retired from acting in 1930. She remarried Hungarian-American lawyer Norman November (1888-1966).[10] She died in 1963 at the age of 71 in New York City.

Filmography

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  • The Spirit of the Poppy (1914, as Celeste)
  • The Country Boy (1915, as Amy Leroy)
  • The Model (1915, as Marcelle Rigadout)
  • After Dark (1915, as Fanny Dalton)[18]
  • The Wonderful Adventure (1915, as Mazora)
  • Her Mother's Secret (1915, as Lorna)
  • A Parisian Romance (1916, as Rosa)
  • The Devil at His Elbow (1916, as Meg)
  • Patria (1917, as Fanny Blair)
  • The Lesson (1917, as Ada Thompson)
  • The Grouch (1918, as Fleurette)
  • The American Way (1919, as Betty Winthrop)[19]
  • The Dark Star (1919, as Princess Naia)
  • The Praise Agent (1919, as Nell Eubanks)
  • Forest Rivals (1919, as Julie Lamont)
  • The A.B.C. of Love (1919, as Diana Nelson)
  • The Good-Bad Wife (1920, as Fanchon La Fare)
  • The Informer (1929)[20]

References

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  1. ^ The Film Daily. 1963.
  2. ^ Vazzana, Eugene Michael (2001). Silent Film Necrology. ISBN 9780786410590.
  3. ^ "New York, New York City Births, 1846-1909". FamilySearch. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  4. ^ "United States Census, 1910". FamilySearch.
  5. ^ "New York Naturalization Index (Soundex), 1792-1906". FamilySearch.
  6. ^ The Film Daily. New York, Wid's Films and Film Folk, Inc. Jan–Jun 1921. p. 2.
  7. ^ Motion Picture News. Exhibitors' Times, inc. Mar–Apr 1916. p. 1316.
  8. ^ a b Picture-Play Magazine. Street & Smith. Mar–Aug 1920.
  9. ^ Motography. Electricity Magazine Corp. Jan–Mar 1916.
  10. ^ a b Blum, Da (June 1964). Daniel Blum's Screen World, 1964. ISBN 9780819603050.
  11. ^ Croall, Jonathan (2011-05-05). John Gielgud: Matinee Idol to Movie Star. A&C Black. ISBN 9781408131077.
  12. ^ Motion Picture Classic. Brooklyn, N.Y. : M.P. Pub. Co. 1920.
  13. ^ Photoplay. Chicago, Photoplay Magazine Publishing Company. 1 September – 31 December 1918.
  14. ^ "New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940". FamilySearch. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  15. ^ "Mannie (Manny) Chappelle and Dorothy Green Polerance (wife of Samuel H. Pomerance)". The Greenville News. 5 February 1918. p. 5. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  16. ^ Variety. Variety Publishing Company. July 1919.
  17. ^ Variety. New York, NY: Variety Publishing Company. February 1918. p. 47.
  18. ^ Langman, Larry; Finn, Daniel (1994). A guide to American silent crime films. Greenwood Press. p. 4. ISBN 9780313288586.
  19. ^ Katchmer, George A. (2015-05-20). A Biographical Dictionary of Silent Film Western Actors and Actresses. McFarland. ISBN 9781476609058.
  20. ^ Parrill, William B. (2015-06-08). European Silent Films on Video: A Critical Guide. McFarland. p. 188. ISBN 9781476610214.
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