Mabel Normand — Blue Book of the Screen (1923) 🇺🇸

Models for famous artists have provided the screen with quite a few notable stars. Mabel Normand was one of these, but needs no words of description for a public which has admired her from early film days to the present time.

Miss Normand was born in New York, November 10, back in the nineties. The first thirteen years were passed in the seclusion of St. Mary’s convent, at Northwest Port, Mass. It was all arranged for her to become a nun, she avers.

She became an artist model at the flapperish age of 14 years, when her unusual type attracted the attention of Charles Dana Gibson. She first posed for him. Other notable artists soon sought her services, among them being James Montgomery Flagg, Henry Hutt, C. Coles Phillips and Hamilton King.

During the time she became the best known model in New York, she formed a strong friendship for another model, Alice Joyce. It was the latter who prompted Miss Normand to enter pictures.

She made her first film appearance at the Biograph studio in New York, in August, 1910. Her director was D. W. Griffith.

Next she worked for Vitagraph, playing comedy with the famous John Bunny and Flora Finch in the “Betty” series. Returning to Biograph, Miss Normand worked both in comedy and drama, but eventually she headed a comedy unit, playing opposite Sennett, who also directed.

Her next contract was with Keystone, with whom the star still plays.

In 1917 the actress turned to special features, starring in Mickey that same year. She shifted to Goldwyn [Samuel Goldwyn], making “Sis Hopkins,” “The Slim Princess” and others. Returning to Sennett, she played Molly O and her most recent one, “Suzanna.”

Mabel Normand, off screen, is a vivacious, intelligent young woman, with more than her share of sympathy for the unfortunate.

—

Mabel Normand is going through the process of “making-up” with the aid of her hairdresser.

Below she is arguing with the Sennett studio mascot.

Portrait by Edwin Bower Hesser • Los Angeles

Collection: The Blue Book of the Screen (1923)