Dorothy Dupre Kelly[1] (February 12, 1894 - May 31, 1966) was an American motion picture actress of the early
silent film era.
Personal life
Dorothy Dupre Kelly was born in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Bessie Irene Kelly (née. Smith) and Thomas Kelly, descendants of
IrishQuakers. She had a sister, Marguerite Kelly.[2]
In August 1916, she married wealthy lumber dealer Harvey Hevenor.[3] In 1922, she gave birth to twin daughters, Ann and Bessie, who later became a portrait painter.[4] She died of a
cerebral hemorrhage in
Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1966.
Career
After attending the
National Academy of Design and earning a position in a publishing firm, Kelly decided to give up her career as an illustrator.[5] Seeking more lucrative work, she decided to become a performer and, despite having no previous acting experience, applied for a position in the stock company at
Vitagraph,[6] signing a contract in the early teens. Her first film was a bit part in a 30-minute version of A Tale of Two Cities in 1911, which also featured future silent stars
Norma Talmadge and
Mabel Normand. She continued to make 70 films with
Vitagraph and during these years she played opposite almost all of the
Vitagraph comedians, including
John Bunny and his successor
Hughie Mack, as well as child star
Bobby Connelly.
Like many stars of early film, Kelly's career dwindled with the popularity of
two-reelers. She would leave film altogether after the filming of
Vitagraph serial The Secret Kingdom in 1917.
^"Marries Movie Actress"(PDF). New York Times. September 1, 1916. Retrieved January 1, 2009. "H.H. Hevenor, lumber dealer, first saw Dorothy Kelly on the screen."
^"In Memoriam Bessie H. Acker". Garden City News Online. Archived from
the original on March 22, 2006. Retrieved January 1, 2009. "Bess was born in New York City August 19, 1922 to silent screen actress Dorothy Kelly and Harvey Hevenor."
^"Dorothy's Change of Art" Cosmopolitan Magazine, May 1917. "Dorothy Kelly effected a quick change of art when she gave up her work as an illustrator to become a photo-play actress."
^"'Dot' Kelly, Quakeress". The Green Book. 1916. Retrieved June 21, 2009. "She went to the Vitagraph studio at Flatbush and made application for a position in a stock company. The first question fired at her was: 'Have you had any experience?' 'I have not.' replied Dorothy Kelly."
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dorothy Kelly.