Mary Charleson


Mary Charleson was an Irish silent film actress who starred in about 80 films in the U.S. between 1912 and 1920.

Early life

Born in Dungannon in Ireland to George Charleson, a hairdresser and Jane Steele. She was part of a theatrical family, related to the actress Kate Price, Charleson's family moved to California while she was still at school. Intent on following in the family tradition, Charleson took to the stage when she completed her schooling. Her first performance was with the Grand Opera Stock Company playing a variety of parts. She worked with a number of companies on the Pacific coast and then began her career in the silent film.

Acting career

When started in the films her first film was The Ancient Bow in 1912 by the Vitagraph Company of America. The main highlights of her career are The Strange Story of Sylvia Gray, by Vitagraph, The Road o'Strife in 1915 by the Lubin Manufacturing Company, Satan's Private Door in 1917 by the Essanay Film Manufacturing Company and Upstairs and Down, by the Selznick Pictures Corporation.
Charleson worked with names like Rex Ingram and Rollin S. Sturgeon. In 1918 Charleson married her husband, co-star of some of her films, Henry B. Walthall. He had recently divorced his first wife. Their daughter, Patricia Walthall was born the same year. Patricia Walthall later had some small film roles but she married an engineer from Buenos Aires and left the industry.
After the Western Human Stuff in 1920 by Universal Pictures, Charleson left acting to focus on her husband's business and became one of the forgotten stars of the silent era.
Mary Charleson died in Los Angeles, California on December 3, 1961 and was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Hollywood.

Films