Blanche “Bonnie” Earle (1882 - 1951)

Silent-film actress. Married to director William P.S. Earle. Cause of death: Heart attack

Kathryn Eames (1908 - 2004)

Actress. She spent over 50 years as an actress on radio, television, movies, and every level of the theater from Broadway to regional and dinner theaters. Her first Broadway part was in Moss Hart’s “Winged Victory.” Other plays included “Lamp at Midnight”, “Portrait of a Madonna” and “In White America.” She toured with “Morning’s at […]

Emma Eames (1865 - 1952)

Singer, Actress.  Emma Eames was an Opera Soprano. Raised in Portland and Bath Maine, she attended school in Boston, Mass. where she studied with the famous teacher Mathilde Marchesi. In 1889 she debuted at the Paris Opera playing the role of the heroine in “Romeo et Juliet” for many performances. In 1891, she debuted at […]

Clare Eames (1896 - 1930)

Actress. Fondly remembered as ‘Princess Dominica’ in “The Swan” and as ‘Queen Elizabeth’ in “Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall,” starring Mary Pickford. She was Sidney Coe Howard’s wife, actress Jennifer Howard’s mother and actor Tony Goldwyn’s grandmother. (bio by: MC)  Family links:  Parents:  Hayden Eames (1863 – 1938)  Clare Hamilton Eames (1867 – 1950)  Spouse: […]

Jeanne Eagels (1894 - 1929)

Actress. She was a former Ziegfeld Follies Girl who went on to greater fame on Broadway and in the emerging medium of sound films. Born Eugenia Eagles, the second of six children, she moved with her family at the age of 2 to Kansas City, Missouri where she often appeared in Kansas City pageants and […]

Kalina Jedrusik Dygat (1931 - 1991)

Actress. Born in Czestochowa, Poland in 1931, her parents brought her up together with two other children. In 1953 she debuted on stage and year later married famous Polish writer Stanislaw Dygat ( Bodenskie Lake, Disneyland). Her long list of theatre work includes plays by Jaroslaw Iwaszkiewicz and Bertolt Brecht among others. Jedrusik first appeared […]

Virginia Dwyer (1919 - 2012)

Actress. For over two decades, she was known as the queen of television’s daytime soap operas. From 1954 to 1962, she had lead roles on daytime programs to include “The Road of Life”, “The Secret Storm”, “Young Dr. Malone”, “Guiding Light” and “As the World Turns”. She was best remembered for her role as matriarch […]

Lorayne Duval (1910 - 1996)

Actress. American stage and silent-screen figure. She appeared with Reginald Denny in the 1929 comedy “His Lucky Day.” (bio by: A.J. Marik)

Eleonora Duse (1858 - 1924)

Eleonora Duse was considered (with Polish-American diva Helena Modjeska and Duse’s life-long rival, Sarah Bernhardt) the finest actress in the world. Born in Vigevano, in northern Italy to a show business family, she began acting at age 4. After seeing a performance in 1879 by Bernhardt, she experienced an artistic revelation. Whereas Bernhardt was often […]

Tilla Durieux (1880 - 1971)

Actress. Born Ottilie Helene Angela. Durieux made her debut in 1902 in Olmütz. From 1903 to 1933 she performed in Berlin, starting out as a member of Reinhardt’s ensemble (until 1912). In 1912 she played the Circe in Calderon’s comedy of the same name. In 1913 she played Frank Wedekind’s ‘Lulu’ in Munich. Durieux was […]

Rocío Dúrcal (1944 - 2006)

Singer and actress. Her real name was “María de los Ángeles de las Heras Ortíz”, though her friends and family called her “Marieta”. She made a total of 14 films and a myriad of top hit records, her latest just coming out months ago. The latest part of her career was dedicated to singing, becoming […]

Maud Durbin (1871 - 1936)

Actress. Born in Moberly, Missouri, she was a popular New York stage performer when she made her debut in the silent film “The Ne’er To Return Road” (1913), which she was the screen writer for. She appeared in “Tom’s Little Star” (1919) and the remake of “The Ne’er To Return Road” (1921). She was also […]

Doris Duranti (1917 - 1995)

Actress. Born Dora Durante, she is remembered for her roles in “Aldebaran,” “Under the Southern Cross,” “The King’s Jester,” “The Lion of Damascus” and “The Countess of Castiglione.” After World War II, Doris Duranti fled to South America after being involved with Corrado Pavolini, a Minister in the fascist government of Italian Social Republic led […]

Louise Duprey (1970 - 2000)

Actress. Appeared in “September Song,” and played ‘Amy Nelson’ on “Coronation Street.” After quitting ‘The Street,’ she became a virtual recluse, and her body was found after being deceased for a number of days. The cause of death was ruled as being a drug overdose.  (bio by: Jeff J)

Minnie Dupree (1873 - 1947)

Actress. A 14-year-old when she made her professional debut with a theatrical touring company in San Francisco in 1887, Dupree went on to impress New York critics with an outstanding performance in William Gillette’s “Held by the Enemy” the following year. Described as a “handsome blonde, and the possessor of a magnificent head of curly […]

Adora Dupree (1949 - 2004)

Actress. Born in Knoxville, Tennessee, she is best remembered for the role as Francis’ Mother in the film “Ernest Scared Stupid” (1991). She also was a musician, an ordained minister and a play writer for the Carpetbag Theatre Knoxville, Tennessee. (bio by: John “J-Cat” Griffith) Cause of death: Lung cancer

Martina Von Trapp Dupire (1921 - 1951)

Performer, part of the von Trapp Family singing group who inspired the film and play “The Sound of Music”. The youngest of 7 children of Georg von Trapp and Agathe Whitehead von Trapp, and the step-daughter of Maria von Trapp. Born in the town of Klosterneuburg, near Vienna, she lost her mother to scarlet fever […]

Tatzumbie DuPea (1849 - 1970)

Native American Actress. Born a full-blooded Piute Indian, in Lone Pine, California, she was a spokesperson/advocate for the Indian culture her entire life. She began appearing in films during the silent era and was most noted for her role in “Buffalo Bill” (1944). During the 1950s, she was in TV broadcasts of the series “Death […]

Ellen Beatriz Griffin Dunne (1932 - 1997)

Actress/activist. Although she suffered from multiple sclerosis since 1975, “Lenny,” as she was known to friends, became a victim’s rights activist after the murder of her daughter, actress Dominique Dunne. She later founded the organization “Justice for Homicide Victims, Inc.” Ex-wife of author Dominick Dunne. Mother of actor Griffin Dunne and author Alexander Dunne. (bio […]

Dominique Ellen Dunne (1959 - 1982)

Actress, she is best remembered for her role of Dana Freeling in the movie “Poltergeist” (1982).   Born Dominique Ellen Dunne in Santa Monica, California, she was the youngest child and only daughter of Dominick Dunne, a film producer, and Ellen Dunne, an actress.  While growing up, film stars and movie producers were regular guests […]

Vivian Duncan (1897 - 1986)

Actress. American motion picture figure of the 1920s. She performed with her sisters Rosetta and Evelyn (“Topsy and Eva” of radio and film fame) as “The Duncan Sisters”. Married to Nils Asther, she died in 1986 as the result of Alzheimer’s disease.  Family links:  Spouses:  Valentín Parera (1894 – 1986)*  Nils Asther (1897 – 1981)* […]

Rosetta Duncan (1894 - 1959)

Motion picture and radio star of the 1920s. “Topsy” of the “Topsy and Eva” musical comedy team in radio and films. She was also a composer. (bio by: A.J. Marik)

Evelyn Duncan (1893 - 1972)

Actress. She was the elder sister of actresses Rosetta and Vivian Duncan of “Topsy and Eva” fame.

Arletta Duncan (1914 - 1985)

Actress. Born Arletta Howe, Duncan was the Bridesmaid in “Frankenstein” (1931), Miss Jones in “Teacher’s Beau” (1935), and ‘Henrietta Allen Dupont’ in “Damaged Goods” (1937).  (bio by: MC) Cause of death: Cardiopulmonary arrest

Louise Dumont-Lindemann (1862 - 1932)

Actress. Founded DŸsseldorf theatre and museum of performing arts. Monument by Ernst Barlach.

Zoe Ducós (1928 - 2002)

Cinema, stage, radio and TV actress. Born in Argentina, she participated in 14 movies. She is especially remembered for her participation in the movie “Dios se lo Pague” (1948). In the 1950s she moved to Venezuela where she developed a successful career in cinema, TV, radio and stage. In the 1980s and 1990s she was […]

Paulette Dubost (1910 - 2011)

Actress. A regular on the French stage and screen, she had a career of nearly 90 years and earned roughly 250 screen credits. Born Paulette Marie Emma Deplanque, she was raised in Paris and started in show business at seven playing child roles at the Paris Opera. At 14 she reportedly had a romance with […]

Berta Drews (1901 - 1987)

Actress. Born in Germany,  she began her career on stage in 1924. After marrying actor Heinrich George she made her film debut in “Schleppzug M 17” (1933).  Drews is best remembered as Gert Fröbe’s wife in Ladislao Vajda’s film “El Cebo” (“Es Geschah am Hellichten Tag”, 1958). Her credits also include “Der Kaiser von Kalifornien” […]

Louisa Lane Drew (1820 - 1897)

Actress. She made her American debut in “Richard III” with Junius Brutus Booth in 1827 at the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia. She married actor John Drew in 1850, and was the mother of Louisa, John, Jr., and Georgiana Drew. as well as the grandmother of Lionel, Ethel, and John Barrymore, all actors. She managed […]

Mary Dresselhuys (1907 - 2004)

Dutch Actress and Comedienne. She was known as the ‘Grand Lady of comedy’ in her country. She performed more than 150 stage roles and developed into one of the best Dutch comedians ever, continuing to work and attract full theatres well into her elderly years. (bio by: Butterfly)