Esther Ralston
| Esther Ralston | |
|---|---|
Ralston in the 1930s
|
|
| Born |
Esther Worth September 17, 1902 Bar Harbor, Maine, U.S. |
| Died | January 14, 1994 (aged 91) Ventura, California, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Heart attack |
| Nationality | American |
| 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.
Ralston was born Esther Worth in Bar Harbor, Maine, one of five siblings. She was the older sister of actor Howard Ralston (July 25, 1904, Bar Harbor, Maine – June 1, 1992, Los Angeles, California), who appeared in nine films between 1920-24.
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 received good reviews for her forays into dramatic roles.
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 Henry Hathaway 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, including being the leading lady for part of the run of Woman of Courage
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.
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