Ethel Clayton — Blue Book of the Screen (1923) 🇺🇸
One of the fortunate thespians who “grew up with the films” to become a leading star of present-day productions, is Ethel Clayton, born at Champaign, Illinois.
Perhaps the fact that her early education was secured amid the quiet surroundings of St. Elizabeth’s Convent, at Chicago, explains the general type of character chosen for this actress, who so frequently was seen as the wife in home life, or the woman, oppressed by life’s reverses, suffering silently. Repression is a part of her stock in trade; the quiet repression which hints of the convent training.
Miss Clayton passed through the usual experience of the amateur seeking work upon the stage. She was more fortunate than the majority, for she was of leadingwoman type, and had a personality which was easily observed by the seekers of new material.
Therefore, after the inevitable “bits,” she found her opportunity with the then well known T. Daniel Frawley, whose stock companies attracted wide attention.
Her first role of importance was with Edwin Stevens in The Devil. It is very true in this case that the leading lady scored an immediate success. The Country Boy added greatly to her reputation and thereafter she was looked upon as a stage fixture.
When feature photodramas began appearing, Miss Clayton’s curiosity, like that of many stage people, was greatly aroused. She visited a studio and was as interested as she was amused at the strange proceedings, so different from those of the theatre.
Lubin, one of the leading producers at the time, invited Miss Clayton to play in a feature which made great demands upon the leading woman. It was “The Great Divide.”
Miss Clayton consented to do “just this one.” When the production was completed and shown to Miss Clayton, she was shown the lure of another famous play, “The Lion and the Mouse.” So she consented to do that one, and, from that time forth the stage lost one of its favorites.
Continuing with Lubin, Miss Clayton scored in many features, among them being “The Fortune Hunter” and “Dollars and the Woman.”
Since that time Miss Clayton has been cast by leading producers in productions constantly. But she has not continued solely as the actress of repression. Instead she has surprised her closest followers with high dramatic action, colorful portrayals and greater depth of feeling than she had been allowed to display in previous features.
Recently Miss Clayton has been at the head of her own company at the Robertson-Cole studios.
Miss Clayton has golden brown hair and gray eyes. She weighs 130 pounds, and is five feet five inches tall.
—
The majestic Ethel Clayton with her German police cop.
Collection: The Blue Book of the Screen (1923)