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Nell Shipman

Nell Shipman
Nell Shipman 1916.jpg
In 1916
Born Helen Foster-Barham
(1892-10-25)October 25, 1892
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Died January 23, 1970(1970-01-23) (aged 77)
Cabazon, California, US
Occupation Actress, screenwriter, director, producer, animal trainer
Years active 1910–1947
Spouse(s) Ernest Shipman (1871–1931) – married to Nell from 1910 to 1920; one child, a son named Barry, born 1912.
Bert Van Tuyle (1878–1951) co-founder of Nell Shipman Productions (relationship lasted from ca 1918 to 1924. They were never married).
Charles H. Austin Ayers (1889–1964) – married to Nell from 1925 until his death; twin daughters born 1928.

Nell Shipman (October 25, 1892 – January 23, 1970) was a Canadian actress, author and screenwriter, producer, director, and animal trainer. She was a Canadian pioneer in early Hollywood. She is best known for her work in James Oliver Curwood stories and for portraying strong, adventurous women. In 1919, she and her producer husband, Ernest Shipman, made the most successful silent film in Canadian history, Back to God's Country in which she did one of the first on-screen nude scenes.

Nell Shipman was born Helen Foster-Barham in Victoria, British Columbia. Her family moved to Seattle, Washington when she was 13 years old. Nell started stage acting and joined theatrical stock companies before working in film. From an early age, she developed a respect toward animals and later fought for animal rights in Hollywood speaking out against animal cruelty. She rescued as many as she could accommodate and ultimately ended up with her own zoo containing over 200 animals of all sorts. When Nell was 18 years old, she met and married 39 year old theatrical impresario, Ernest Shipman (December 17, 1871 – August 7, 1931).

After marrying, Ernest and Nell moved to Hollywood to start working in the film industry. During this time, Nell sold the rights of her book, Under the Crescent Moon to Universal Studios (they wanted to make a six film serial of the story). Nell also started acting in Universal, Selig & Vitagraph productions. Between 1915–1918, she played several leading roles including her big debut film God's Country and the Woman (1915). Nell directed, produced, and acted in the film that was based on a James Oliver Curwood short story. She was one of the first directors to shoot her films almost entirely on location.

In 1918, Nell Shipman suffered from Spanish influenza and nearly died. She also lost all of her beautiful thick long hair and was forced to wear a wig. Fortunately her distinctive locks grew back. During her recovery, she decided to create a production company called "Shipman-Curwood Producing Company". Through the efforts of Ernest Shipman, who convinced a consortium of Calgary businessmen to invest in the potential of Alberta becoming a major film location destination, a company, Canadian Photoplays Ltd., was incorporated on February 7, 1919, with a $250,000 investment. The first and only film the company would produce was based on another Curwood story, "Wapi the Walrus" and adapted to the screen by Nell herself. The name was changed to Back to God's Country for no other reason than to capitalize on Nell's success in God's Country and the Woman.


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