Kate Lester
| Kate Lester | |
|---|---|
Kate Lester 1923
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| Born |
Sarah Cody 12 June 1857 Shouldham Thorpe, Norfolk, England |
| Died | 12 October 1924 (aged 67) Hollywood, California |
| Cause of death | burns from an explosion |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1880-1924 |
Kate Lester (12 June 1857 – 12 October 1924) born Sarah Cody was an English theatrical and silent film actress. Her family, the Suydams of New York, were staying in Britain at the time of her birth.
Her family had been well known for some five hundred years. One of her ancestors, Sir William Butts, was physician to King Henry VIII. The character, Dr. Butts, was in the play Henry VIII by William Shakespeare. His portrait hangs in the National Gallery in London. Lester was brought up in New York and educated in the most exclusive schools. After completing normal school she studied dramatic art, which was the custom of the time. She learned drama from Dion Boucicault, a famed instructor.
Lester was a beauty of the stage in the late 19th century. Later she began to play maternal characters in films. It was as a grand dame that she made her debut on the New York stage. The woman scheduled to play Lady Silverdale in Partners became ill on the eve of the premiere. During Lester's stage career she acted with Richard Mansfield, John Drew Jr., William H. Crane, Mrs. Fiske, Robert B. Mantell, Henrietta Crosman, Julia Marlowe, Margaret Anglin and even James J Corbett.
Her first silent features were in 1916. The film titles are Molly Make-Believe, Destiny's Toy, The Social Secretary, The Kiss, and A Coney Island Princess. Lester's last films were released in 1925. They are The Meddler, Raffles, and The Price of Pleasure. She attained initial success in emotional roles. She began to develop her grand dame line of characters when her hair turned white prematurely.
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