Julia Swayne Gordon
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October 29, 1878
Julia Swayne Gordon | |
|---|---|
Gordon in 1923 | |
| Born | Sarah Victoria Smith October 29, 1878 Columbus, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | May 28, 1933 (aged 54) |
| Resting place | Green Lawn Cemetery |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1903–1933 |
| Spouse | Hugh T. Swayne |
Julia Swayne Gordon (born Sarah Victoria Smith; October 29, 1878 – May 28, 1933)[1] was an American actress who appeared in at least 228 films between 1908 and 1933.
Gordon was born in Columbus, Ohio to Louis and Anna Smith[citation needed] and was educated there.[2] She went to Denver to study dramatics under Jessie Bonstelle.[3]
Career
Gordon moved to New York and acted in stock theater, performing with Henrietta Crosman and James A. Herne.[2]
Gordon's work in film began in 1905[4] with the Edison Company, and in 1908 she moved to Vitagraph Studios.[1] In 1911 she starred in Vitagraph's screen portrayal of the Lady Godiva legend. Perhaps her most memorable performance, however, is as Richard Arlen's mother in the World War I silent film Wings (1927), which won the first Academy Award for Best Picture. In a highly dramatic scene in that acclaimed production, Gordon bids farewell to Arlen as he departs for combat flight training in France, tearfully packing him off with his favorite childhood toy.
