Vera Lewis (June 10, 1873 – February 8, 1956) was an American film and stage actress, beginning in the silent film era. She appeared in more than 180 films from 1915 to 1947. She was married to actor Ralph Lewis.

Vera Lewis
Lewis in Lady Gangster (1942)
Born(1873-06-10)June 10, 1873
DiedFebruary 8, 1956(1956-02-08) (aged 82)
OccupationActress
Years active1915–1947
SpouseRalph Lewis
Children1

Biography

edit

She was born in Manhattan, where she began acting in stage productions. Her film career started in 1915 with the film Hypocrites, which starred Myrtle Stedman and Courtenay Foote. From 1915 to 1929, she appeared in 63 silent films, including the film classic Intolerance (1916), where she played the "old maid" Miss Jenkins.

Unlike many silent film stars, she made a smooth transition to sound films, starting with her 1930 appearance in Wide Open, starring Patsy Ruth Miller and Edward Everett Horton. Already age 56 by the time of her first sound film, she appeared in 58 films during the 1930s and another 60 during the 1940s, almost all of them as a character actress. She retired after 1947 and resided at the Motion Picture Country House in Woodland Hills, California at the time of her death on February 8, 1956.

Family

edit

Vera and Ralph Lewis had a daughter, Monica. During her marriage to Fred Johnson, Monica had four children. Thus in addition to her four grandchildren, Vera and Ralph had 10 great-grandchildren.[1][2]

Selected filmography

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Services for Vera Lewis, Veteran of Films, Set", latimes.com, February 12, 1956.
  2. ^ 2nd version of clip article Profile, google.com; accessed September 23, 2015.
edit