Violet Wilkey

Violet Wilkey
Born Violet Louise Wilkey
(1903-01-10)January 10, 1903
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Died June 5, 1976(1976-06-05) (aged 73)
North Hollywood, California, U.S.
Occupation Actress
Years active 1913–1917
Spouse(s) Russell Gilbert Kauffmann (1927–?)

Violet Wilkey (January 10, 1903 – June 5, 1976) was an American child actor who appeared in films over a four-year period during the early silent film era.

Violet Wilkey was born in St. Louis, Missouri, to an English father named Arthur Wilkey and an American mother named Anna Dora (Winter) Wilkey. Violet made her motion picture debut at age ten in a 1913 dramatic short entitled The Little Mother opposite actress Ruth Stonehouse. Her follow-up film would be 1914 release The Old Maid opposite such popular stars of the era as Blanche Sweet, Spottiswoode Aitken, Mary Alden and Jack Conway.

She is possibly best recalled today for her appearance as 'young Flora' in director D.W. Griffith's controversial 1915 classic The Birth of a Nation.[1] Wilkey portrayed the character 'Flora Cameron' as a child in flashback scenes; the character of 'Flora' as an adult in the film was portrayed by actress Mae Marsh.

Wilkey spent the next few years in relatively minor roles; including one of actor/director Tod Browning's early efforts The Burned Hand from 1915. Other notable films of the period were the Lloyd Ingraham directed and Anita Loos penned drama The Children Pay (1916), opposite Lillian Gish and Alma Rubens and the 1917 drama Cheerful Givers opposite Bessie Love, Spottiswoode Aitken, Kenneth Harlan and Pauline Starke.

Wilkey's final film performance was the role of 'Minnie Smellie' in the 1917 comedy-drama Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. The film was directed by Marshall Neilan and starred Mary Pickford in the title role.

Wilkey subsequently retired from the screen at the age of fifteen in 1917.

Later life

Wilkey married Russell Gilbert Kauffmann on January 27, 1927 and the couple had two children, Robert Russell and Patricia. The marriage ended in divorce.

Filmography

References

  1. ↑ New York Times Movies
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