Clarine Seymour
| Clarine Seymour | |
|---|---|
Seymour in 1920
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| Born |
Clarine E. Seymour December 9, 1898 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Died | April 25, 1920 (aged 21) New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Pneumonia |
| Resting place | Greenwood Union Cemetery |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1917–1920 |
Clarine E. Seymour (December 9, 1898 – April 25, 1920) was an American silent film actress.
Seymour was the eldest of two children born to Albert V. and Florence Seymour in Brooklyn, a wealthy couple who were devout Methodists. She had one younger brother. Albert Seymour ran a prosperous ribbon manufacturing business. Seymour began appearing in "entertainments" at the family's church as a child. In early 1916, Albert Seymour became ill and was forced to close his business. The family moved to New Rochelle, New York where Seymour found work at the Thanhouser Film Company as a film extra to help support her family. While at Thanhouser, she appeared in two shorts, Pots-and-Pans Peggy and It Happened to Adele. As a result of her work through that company, she obtained work through Pathé in a Pearl White serial.
In 1917, Seymour appeared in Pathé's Mystery of the Double Cross opposite actress Mollie King. Hal Roach saw her performance and offered her a film contract with his Rolin Film Company. Seymour accepted and relocated to Los Angeles to perform as the leading lady in the Toto the Clown (played by Armando Novello) film comedy serials. Throughout 1918, she appeared in the Toto serial and also had a supporting role in the comedy short Just Rambling Along (1918), opposite Stan Laurel. The deal with Roach soon soured after Seymour claimed she was fired for refusing to do her own stunts. She filed suit against the company and was awarded $1,325 (approximately $21,000 today) in damages. While the case was pending, Seymour appeared in comedy shorts for Al Christie's comedy shorts.
In 1918, Seymour met Victor Heerman. Heerman directed a screen test featuring Seymour and one of D.W. Griffith's Artcraft stock company actors Robert Harron. Griffith was pleased with the pairing and with Seymour's knack for light comedy and hired her as member of his stock company. Griffith cast Seymour with Harron, Richard Barthelmess and Carol Dempster in the drama The Girl Who Stayed at Home (1919). Although the film was not well received by critics, Seymour's performance was and the public interest in her began to grow. Later that year, she was paired with Robert Harron again in True Heart Susie (1919) which also featured Lillian Gish. Seymour followed with role in Scarlet Days (1919), also opposite Richard Barthelmess and Carol Dempster. In 1920, Griffith cast Seymour in the lead role in The Idol Dancer. The film was not well received by audiences but they were taken by Seymour's performance. Shortly after the film's release, Seymour was featured on the cover of Motion Picture Magazine.
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