Kate Lester — Blue Book of the Screen (1923) 🇺🇸

On stage and screen, dowagers, mothers and grand duchesses are born, not made, as the saying goes. In filmdom especially must “royalty” have the foundation of high breeding, while the society mother herself cannot hope for elegance of gown and make-up to cover lack of natural graces.

In the screen world, as well as upon the earlier stage, Kate Lester is the true type of the elderly social scion, for her family were the Suydams of New York’s most inner circle.

Infant Suydam was born in Shouldham Thorpe, England, while the family was abroad. She was reared in the New York home as a child of wealth, and educated in the most select schools.

From childhood she had dreamed of a stage career, but there was the barrier always of family pride and objection. After she graduated from Normal College she followed the prevailing society fad of studying dramatic art.

Dion Boucicault was the dramatic lion of the time, and it was under his tutelage that Miss Suydam and other girls of her set pursued their studies. Classes were held on the stage of the Madison Square theater.

Boucicault was approached one day by the manager of Partners, whose Lady Silverdale had been taken ill. He desired a “grand dame” to take her role. Although Miss Suydam was in her early twenties, the instructor recommended her, and she played the role with complete success, and also, to the annoyance of the family, she retained the role.

She adopted the stage name of Kate Lester and, in a few seasons won a place with Richard Mansfield’s company, playing leading lady. One of her roles was that of Acte, the slave in Nero.

Her stage career was long and filled with triumphs. She played with John Drew, William H. Crane, Madame Fiske, Henrietta Crossman [Henrietta Crosman], Robert Mantell and Julia Marlowe. Her list of roles assumes the proportions of a library.

Later she became famous for her roles as “mother,” dowager, and royal, personages of advanced age.

Some of Miss Lester’s recent appearances have been in “Doubling for Romeo,” One Glorious Day, “Dangerous Curves Ahead” and “Gimmie.”

She is five feet, seven inches tall, weighs 170 pounds, has dark blue eyes and almost white hair.

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Portrait by Clarence Sinclair Bull • Los Angeles

Collection: The Blue Book of the Screen (1923)