Helene Chadwick
Helene Chadwick (November 25, 1897 – September 4, 1940) was an American actress in Silent and early sound films. Chadwick was born in the small town of Chadwicks, New York, which was named for her grandfather. Her mother was a singer who performed on the stage and her father was a businessman. She began making films for Pathe Pictures in Manhattan, New York. A director was impressed by Chadwick's talent as an equestrian, thus she began acting as a western star, but this did not continue with the exodus of film production from the east to the west coast. Signed by Samuel Goldwyn, Chadwick went to California in 1913 and entered silent movies in 1916. She was a star from 1920 through 1925. At the pinnacle of her acting career, she earned a salary estimated to have been $2,000 per week. From 1929 until 1935, she found success as a character actress when sound was being introduced to films. In the final five years of her life she was reduced to taking roles as an extra, playing "atmospheric parts". She was always optimistic that her fortunes would turn for the better. Helene made movies with Warner Brothers, Columbia Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Paramount Pictures, and other studios. Her most noteworthy performances came in The Long Arm of Mannister (1919), The Cup of Fury (1920), Heartsease (1919), The Sin Flood (1922), Dangerous Curve Ahead (1921), From The Ground Up (1921), The Glorious Fool (1922), Yellow Men and Gold (1922), Dust Flower (1922), Godless Men (1920), and Quicksands (1923). In January 1919, Chadwick became engaged to Lieutenant William A. Wellman, an American pilot with the Lafayette Flying Corps. He had just returned from France and was cited for bravery for his valour in World War I. The couple had met at a party at the house of a friend. Wellman was signed to play a prominent role in an upcoming movie with Douglas Fairbanks Sr. The couple wed in July 1921, but in the summer of 1923 Chadwick sued Wellman for divorce on grounds of desertion and non-support. At the time of their separation William was directing movies for Fox Film. Wellman directed Wings, the first film to win an Academy Award for Best Picture, as well as many other notable films. Helene Chadwick died at St. Vincent's Hospital, Los Angeles, California, aged 42, in 1940. Her death was indirectly the result of an accident she suffered in June 1939.
Filmography
The Perfect Set-Up
as Mary (uncredited)
The Perfect Set-Up
as Mary (uncredited)
Frisco Kid
as Saloon Girl (uncredited)
Frisco Kid
as Saloon Girl (uncredited)
Mary Burns, Fugitive
as Prison Matron (uncredited)
Mary Burns, Fugitive
as Prison Matron (uncredited)
Mississippi
as Atendee at Opening (uncredited)
Mississippi
as Atendee at Opening (uncredited)
A Wicked Woman
as Mother (uncredited)
A Wicked Woman
as Mother (uncredited)
School for Girls
as Larson
School for Girls
as Larson
Good Dame
as Mrs. Crosby
Good Dame
as Mrs. Crosby
Managed Money
as Mrs. George Myers
Managed Money
as Mrs. George Myers
Merrily Yours
as Mrs. Rogers
Merrily Yours
as Mrs. Rogers
Morning Glory
as Secretary (uncredited)
Morning Glory
as Secretary (uncredited)
Employees' Entrance
as Attendee at Meeting of Department Heads (uncredited)
Employees' Entrance
as Attendee at Meeting of Department Heads (uncredited)
Night World
as Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Night World
as Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
So Big!
as Townsperson (uncredited)
So Big!
as Townsperson (uncredited)
Hell Bound
as Sanford's Sister
Hell Bound
as Sanford's Sister
The Bad Sister
as Amy, Sam's Wife (uncredited)
The Bad Sister
as Amy, Sam's Wife (uncredited)
Men Are Like That
as Clara Hyland
Men Are Like That
as Clara Hyland
Father and Son
as Miss White
Father and Son
as Miss White
Say It with Sables
as Helen Caswell
Say It with Sables
as Helen Caswell
Modern Mothers
as Adele Dayton
Modern Mothers
as Adele Dayton
Women Who Dare
as Stella Mowbray
Women Who Dare
as Stella Mowbray
The Bachelor's Baby
as Eleanor Carter
The Bachelor's Baby
as Eleanor Carter
Stolen Pleasures
as Doris Manning
Stolen Pleasures
as Doris Manning
Wise Guys Prefer Brunettes
as Helene
Wise Guys Prefer Brunettes
as Helene
Dancing Days
as Alice Hedman
Dancing Days
as Alice Hedman
Hard Boiled
as Marjorie Gregg
Hard Boiled
as Marjorie Gregg
The Still Alarm
as Lucy Fay
The Still Alarm
as Lucy Fay
Pleasures of the Rich
as Mary Wilson
Pleasures of the Rich
as Mary Wilson
The Golden Cocoon
as Molly Shannon
The Golden Cocoon
as Molly Shannon
The Woman Hater
The Woman Hater
The Re-Creation of Brian Kent
as Betty Joe
The Re-Creation of Brian Kent
as Betty Joe
The Dark Swan
as Cornelia Quinn
The Dark Swan
as Cornelia Quinn
The Border Legion
as Joan Randle
The Border Legion
as Joan Randle
Trouping with Ellen
as Ellen Llewellyn
Trouping with Ellen
as Ellen Llewellyn
Her Own Free Will
as Nan Everard
Her Own Free Will
as Nan Everard
Love of Women
as Cynthia Redfield
Love of Women
as Cynthia Redfield
Why Men Leave Home
as Irene Emerson
Why Men Leave Home
as Irene Emerson
The Masked Dancer
as Betty Powell
The Masked Dancer
as Betty Powell
Reno
as Mrs. Emily Dysart Tappan
Reno
as Mrs. Emily Dysart Tappan
Quicksands
as The Girl
Quicksands
as The Girl
Gimme
as Fanny Daniels
Gimme
as Fanny Daniels
The Sin Flood
as Poppy
The Sin Flood
as Poppy
The Dust Flower
as Letty Gravely
The Dust Flower
as Letty Gravely
Yellow Men and Gold
as Bessie
Yellow Men and Gold
as Bessie
The Glorious Fool
as Jane Brown
The Glorious Fool
as Jane Brown
Dangerous Curve Ahead
as Phoebe (Mabee) Jones
Dangerous Curve Ahead
as Phoebe (Mabee) Jones
The Old Nest
as Emily at 22
The Old Nest
as Emily at 22
Made in Heaven
as Claudia Royce
Made in Heaven
as Claudia Royce
Godless Men
as Ruth Lytton
Godless Men
as Ruth Lytton
Cupid the Cowpuncher
as Macie Sewell
Cupid the Cowpuncher
as Macie Sewell
The Cup of Fury
as Marie Louise - 'Mamise'
The Cup of Fury
as Marie Louise - 'Mamise'
An Adventure in Hearts
as Countess Lucia Bonavia D'Orano
An Adventure in Hearts
as Countess Lucia Bonavia D'Orano
The Long Arm of Mannister
as Sylvia De La Mere
The Long Arm of Mannister
as Sylvia De La Mere
A Very Good Young Man
as Ruth Douglas
A Very Good Young Man
as Ruth Douglas
The Solitary Sin
as Mary
The Solitary Sin
as Mary
Girls
as Kate West
Girls
as Kate West
Go-Get-Em Garringer
as Wilma Wharton
Go-Get-Em Garringer
as Wilma Wharton
The Honest Thief
as Edith Marbury
The Honest Thief
as Edith Marbury
The Yellow Ticket
as Miss Seaton
The Yellow Ticket
as Miss Seaton
The Naulahka
as Kate Sheriff
The Naulahka
as Kate Sheriff
The House of Hate
as Queenie Kate
The House of Hate
as Queenie Kate
Vengeance Is Mine
as Marion De Long
Vengeance Is Mine
as Marion De Long
The Angel Factory
as Florence Lamont
The Angel Factory
as Florence Lamont
The Last of the Carnabys
as The Kept Woman
The Last of the Carnabys
as The Kept Woman
Blind Man's Luck
as Helen
Blind Man's Luck
as Helen
The Mystery of the Double Cross
The Mystery of the Double Cross
The Challenge
as Alberta Bradley
The Challenge
as Alberta Bradley