Silent Film Child Star Baby Marie Osborne 1911-2010
jlp
Marie Osborne Yeats, one of the first child stars of the silent
screen, the celebrated “Baby Marie,” passed away, Thursday, November
11, 2010 in San Clemente, California. Born Helen Alice Myres, November
5, 1911, Marie was a native of Denver, Colorado. Her foster parents,
Leon and Edyth Osborn(e), introduced their daughter to the movies when
they left Colorado in 1914 to work at the Balboa Studios of Long
Beach, California. Baby Marie appeared for the first time on screen in
Maid of the Wild (1915), playing the part of a small boy. At Balboa,
the famous director, Henry King, launched Marie’s stardom with Little
Mary Sunshine (1916), and most of Marie’s ten movies at Balboa co-
starred Henry King. From age three to eight, Baby Marie made 28 films
and most of these movies were produced at her own studio called the
Diando Studios, the former Kalem movie studio in Glendale.
By age 12, Marie had left the movie screen, only to return in her
twenties with the help of Henry King for his film Caroline (1934). At
Fox, Marie also did stand-in work for Ginger Rogers in Change of Heart
(1934) and also appeared in the Gay Divorcée (1934); she later did
stand-in work for Deanna Durbin. At Paramount, Marie did stand-in work
for Betty Hutton. Marie would stop working before the camera
altogether as she developed a new talent as a costumer, beginning with
the Western Costume Company, then with Republic.
Her work as a costumer included these films: Guys and Dolls (1955)
with Marlon Brando and Jean Simmons; This Earth is Mine (1959) with
Rock Hudson and Jean Simmons; Spartacus (1960) with Kirk Douglas,
Laurence Olivier, and Jean Simmons; Circus World (1964) with John
Wayne and Rita Hayworth; The Chase (1966) with Jane Fonda and Robert
Redford; The Legend of Lylah Clare (1968) with Kim Novak and Peter
Finch; The Way We Were (1973) with Barbra Streisand and Robert
Redford; Mame (1974) with Lucille Ball and Bea Arthur, and many
others, including The Godfather, Part II, as well as becoming special
costumer for Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra (1963).
Marie married twice, to Frank J. Dempsey on May 2, 1931, whom she
divorced in 1937. Dempsey was the father of Marie’s only child, Joan,
born May 13, 1932. In the 1940s, Marie married Murray F. Yeats on June
14, 1945, a fellow actor with whom she enjoyed a conjugal life till
his death on January 27, 1975.
After her retirement, Marie moved to San Clemente in 1977 until her
death with her daughter, Joan, and son-in-law Don Young.
Baby Marie always savored the moment, exhibiting a kind and
responsible tenderness toward those around her: family, friends, and
all living things, including her special appreciation of the animal
world. In order of importance, Marie was most grateful for her Roman
Catholicism, for her excellent health throughout her full and
interesting life, for her cherished daughter, Joan, and for the beauty
of nature.
Marie is survived by her loving daughter Joan and son-in-law, Don
Young, and their five children, Mark, Gary, Brian, Joyce, and Karen.
Lenona
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31W0AzalOV8
As I said to friend who hadn't seen it: "She sings like a tenor."
Does the above obit prove she was.....22 at the time?!? I wonder. (The
IMDb says she was born in 1923.)
For more on this wonderful movie (it includes George, Gracie, Cab, and
W.C. Fields):
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0024183/
Lenona.
Charlene
>
> Marie married twice, to Frank J. Dempsey on May 2, 1931, whom she
> divorced in 1937. Dempsey was the father of Marie’s only child, Joan,
> born May 13, 1932. In the 1940s, Marie married Murray F. Yeats on June
> 14, 1945, a fellow actor with whom she enjoyed a conjugal life till
> his death on January 27, 1975.
"Enjoyed a conjugal life"?
wd46
>
Charlene
Different actress. That's *Rose* Marie, not Marie.
wd46
BobF
Previously on alt.obituaries Mon, 15 Nov 2010 17:04:21 -0800 (PST) to
be exact, Charlene <charlene...@gmail.com> wrote thusly:
They were both Latin teachers in their spare time.
--
Forget the AMEX. Don't leave home without your appetite.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wax-up and drop-in of Surfing's Golden Years: <http://www.surfwriter.net
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Lenona
>
> Different actress. That's *Rose* Marie, not Marie.
Oops. Thanks.
R H Draney
>
>On Nov 15, 8:09=A0pm, Charlene <charlene.vick...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>
>> Different actress. That's *Rose* Marie, not Marie.
>
>Oops. Thanks.
Yet another near miss for me....r
--
Me? Sarcastic?
Yeah, right.
Brad Ferguson
<9108a7a9-091c-482e...@g26g2000vba.googlegroups.com>,
Lenona <leno...@yahoo.com> wrote:
There may have been some confusion back in the day, too. Rose Marie
started her career at the age of three, and was billed as Baby Rose
Marie until she was about ten. Rose Marie turned 87 last August.