Esther Ralston

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Esther Ralston
Esther Ralston - 1930s.jpg
Ralston in the 1930s
Born Esther Worth
(1902-09-17)September 17, 1902
Bar Harbor, Maine, U.S.
Died Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist.
Ventura, California, U.S.
Cause of death Heart attack
Nationality American
Other names Jane Carleton
Occupation Actress
Years active 1915–1962
Spouse(s) George Webb (m. 1926–34)
Will Morgan (m. 1935–38)
Ted Lloyd (m. 1939–54)
Children 3
Relatives Howard Ralston (brother)
Bob Ralston (nephew)

Esther Ralston (September 17, 1902 – January 14, 1994) was an American film actress who was popular in the silent era.

Early life and career

Ralston was born Esther Worth in Bar Harbor, Maine. She was the older sister of Howard Ralston who also appeared in silent pictures but never achieved the stardom of his sister. She began her career as a child actress in a family vaudeville act which was billed as "The Ralston Family with Baby Esther, America's Youngest Juliet." From this, she appeared in a few small silent film roles including a role alongside her brother in the 1920 film adaptation of Huckleberry Finn. Ralston later gained attention as Mrs. Darling in the 1924 film version of Peter Pan.

In the late 1920s she appeared in many films for Paramount, at one point earning as much as $8000 a week, and garnering much popularity, especially in Britain. She appeared mainly in comedies, often portraying spirited society girls, but she also received good reviews for her forays into dramatic roles.

Retirement and later years

Despite making a successful transition to sound, she was mainly relegated to supporting roles by the mid-1930s. Her last leading role was in To the Last Man in 1933, directed by Raoul Walsh and starring Randolph Scott. Ralston made her final film, Tin Pan Alley, in 1940 and chose to retire from films. She continued working on the stage and in radio throughout the 1940s,[1] including being the leading lady for part of the run of Woman of Courage [2] She returned to the screen in the early 1950s with guest roles on television series including Kraft Television Theatre and Tales of Tomorrow. In 1962, she had a leading role in the short-lived daytime drama, Our Five Daughters, her final onscreen role.

In 1985, Ralston released her autobiography, Some Day We'll Laugh.[3]

Personal life

Ralston first married newspaper man and showman George Webb in 1926.[4] They had one child, Mary Esther, before divorcing in 1934.[5] In 1935, she married actor Will Morgan. They divorced in 1938.[6] Ralston married radio announcer and columnist Ted Lloyd on August 6, 1939 in Greenwich, Connecticut.[7] The couple had two children, Judy (born 1942) and Ted, Jr. (born 1943), before divorcing in 1954.

Death

On January 14, 1994, Ralston died of a heart attack at age 91 in her home in Ventura, California.[8]

For her contribution to the motion picture industry, Ether Ralston had a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6664 Hollywood Boulevard.[9]

Selected filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1915 The Deep Purple Bit, extra...as an Angel uncredited (debut film)
1918 For Husbands Only Bit part Uncredited
Lost film
1920 Huckleberry Finn Mary Jane Wilks
1921 The Kid Extra in Heaven Scene Uncredited
1922 The Lone Hand
1922 Oliver Twist Rose Maylie
1923 The Prisoner Marie
1923 The Phantom Fortune Mary Rogers
1923 Blinky Mary Lou Kileen
1923 The Wild Party Bess Furth
1924 The Marriage Circle Miss Hofer
1924 Wolves of the North Madge Chester
1924 Peter Pan Mrs. Darling
1925 A Kiss for Cinderella Fairy Godmother
1925 The Best People Alice O'Neil Lost film
1926 The American Venus Mary Gray Lost film
1926 Old Ironsides Esther
1927 Children of Divorce Jean Waddington
1927 Ten Modern Commandments Donna Latour Lost film
1928 Love and Learn Nancy Blair Lost film
1929 The Case of Lena Smith Lena Smith Short film
Lost
1929 Betrayal Vroni Lost film
1929 The Wheel of Life Ruth Dangan
1931 Lonely Wives Madeline Smith
1932 Rome Express Asta Marvelle
1932 After the Ball Elissa Strange
1933 To the Last Man Ellen Colby Alternative title: Law of Vengeance
1933 By Candlelight Baroness von Ballin
1934 Sadie McKee Dolly Merrick
1934 The Marines Are Coming Dorothy Manning
1935 Ladies Crave Excitement Miss Winkler
1935 Shadows of the Orient Viola Avery
1935 Streamline Express Elaine Vincent
1936 Hollywood Boulevard Flora Moore
1936 Reunion Janet Fair
1936 We're in the Legion Now! Louise Rillette
1937 As Good as Married Miss Danforth
1937 Jungle Menace Valerie Shield Chapters 1,3,6,7,15
1937 The Mysterious Pilot Vivian McNain Chapters 10-11
1938 Letter of Introduction Mrs. Sinclair Uncredited
1938 Slander House Ruth De Milo
1940 Tin Pan Alley Nora Bayes
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1952 Kraft Television Theatre Episode: "September Tide"
1952 Tales of Tomorrow The Collector Episode: "All the Time in the World"
1953 Broadway Television Theatre Mrs. Bancroft Episode: "The Noose"
1962 Our Five Daughters Helen Lee

References

Notes
  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Dunning, John. (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-507678-3. P. 726.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Bibliography
  • Drew, William H. Speaking of Silents: First Ladies of the Screen. Vestal: New York, 1989.

External links

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