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Marcia Harris

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Marcia Harris
Harris in The Poor Little Rich Girl (1917)
Born
Lena Harris Hill

(1868-02-14)February 14, 1868
Providence, Rhode Island
DiedJune 18, 1947(1947-06-18) (aged 79)
Northampton, Massachusetts, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1905–1932

Marcia Harris (born Lena Hill,[1] February 14, 1868 – June 18, 1947) was an American actress. A native of Providence, Rhode Island, she initially appeared as an amateur actress with the Chelsea Woman's Club in Chelsea, Massachusetts in the first years of the twentieth century under her married name Lena H. Burnett. In 1903-1904 she studied in acting in New York City, and began appearing on the stage as professional actress in 1905 using the stage name Marcia Harris. She appeared in both musicals and plays in American regional theatre and on Broadway. She also worked as a film actress; appearing in 48 films between 1915 and 1932.

Early life and amateur actress

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The daughter of George H. Hill and his wife Mary E. Hill,[2][3] Lena Harris Hill[4] was born in Providence, Rhode Island on February 14, 1868.[1][5] She married William Burton Burnett on October 17, 1893 in Chelsea, Massachusetts.[4] According to the 1900 United States Federal Census her husband was a plumber and tinsman, and the couple resided at that time with their young children, Marston and Edith, in Suffolk, Massachusetts.[6]

Lena initially acted on the stage as an amateur with the Chelsea Woman's Club (CWC).[7] She performed primarily male characters with this group;[7] appearing as early as December 1900 under her her married name Lena H. Burnett as a male courtier in From Ye Court to Ye Colony at the Academy of Music in Chelsea, Massachusetts.[8] She gave a dramatic reading with CWC at Boston's First Universalist Church in 1901,[9] and in 1902 portrayed Joseph Surface in Richard Brinsley Sheridan's The School for Scandal at the Chelsea Academy of Music.[10] Other plays she performed in with the CWC in Chelsea included Shakespeare's As You Like It (as Adam)[11] in January 1903[12] and Hannah Cowley's The Belle's Stratagem in April 1903.[13]

In January 1904 it was reported in The Boston Globe that Lena had in the recent past gone to New York City to train as a professional actress with her school's tuition being paid for by her father. She had returned home due to illness, and wanted to return to school in New York, but her husband refused to continue assisting with her food and lodging expenses. Lena sued her husband in civl court for support but was unsuccessful.[14] Her decision to become a professional actress came at a social cost, and she was forced to resign her membership in the CWC.[11]

Professional career

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Marcia Harris. Published in 1912.

Lena adopted the stage name Marcia Harris;[1] appearing as early as January 1905 under this name in variety theatre at the Hartford Opera House in Connecticut.[15] In the 1905-1906 season she performed in a touring production of Hal Reid's play A Runaway Boy with a large cast led by Joseph Santley for performances at theaters in New Jersey,[16] Pennsylvania,[17] Delaware,[18] Connecticut,[19] Wisconsin,[20] and Ontario, Canada.[21] After this tour ended she performed with Al Haynes in the B. F. Keith Circuit in vaudeville[22] as Cordelia[23] in the sketch "Too Much Married" for performances in 1906[22][24][25] and 1907.[26][23] In 1907 she also performed in vaudeville in the one act comedy A False Start by Ernest L. Waitt.[27]

In 1907-1908 season Harris toured as Marie Dinglebender in Victor Herbert's operetta Dream City for performances in Wisconsin,[28] Texas,[29] Arkansas,[30] Missouri,[31] Pennsylvania,[32] Minnesota,[33] Montana,[34] Washington state,[35] Oregon,[36] California,[37] Utah,[38] Colorado,[39] Tennessee,[40] Virginia,[41] and British Columbia, Canada.[42] In September 1908 she portrayed Mrs Eichorn in Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch at the Lyceum Theatre in New London, Connecticut.[43] She toured in this production in the 1908-1909 season to theaters in Massachusetts,[44] Vermont,[45] Maine,[46] New York,[47] Pennsylvania,[48] New Jersey,[49] In September 1909 she joined Joe Weber's company for a touring production of the musical parody The Merry Widow and The Devil by George V. Hobart;[50] playing the role of Elsie Iceberg.[51]

By January 1910 Harris was appearing in Raymond Hubbell's musical comedy The Midnight Sons with Lew Fields's company; making up one part of the show's comedy quartet whose other members included George W. Munroe, Harry Fisher, and Alan Brooks.[52] The show at this time had just completed its lengthy Broadway run, and still had some of its original cast members in their roles.[52] She took over the role of Lily Burns for the production's 1910 tour.[53] She was still in this show as late as January 1911.[54] Later that year she performed in Joe Weber's musical play Alma, Where Do You Live?,[55] and portrayed the housekeeper Miranda Graves in Clara Louise Burnham's The Right Princess at the Ziegfeld Theater in Chicago.[56]

In early 1912 Harris toured as Susan in Harry Sophus Sheldon's comedy A House Divided.[57][58] After this she toured with comedy duo Murray & Mack in their show Casey Jones .[59][60] In 1913 she portrayed Mrs. Van Haan in E. Ray Goetz's Broadway musical All Aboard at Lew Fields' 44th Street Roof Garden;[61] a show she subsequently toured to New England in 1914.[62][63] In 1915 she toured in the musical The Pink Lady,[64][65] and performed in her first silent film, The Foundling, with Mary Pickford.[66] In 1916 she returned to Broadway as Mrs. Shelvin in Maximilian Foster's Rich Man, Poor Man at the 48th Street Theatre,[67] and starred opposite Ann Pennington in the Paramount Pictures film Susie Snowflake.[68]

In 1917 Harris portrayed Alvina Starlight in the Broadway revival of George Broadhurst's What Happened to Jones at the 48th Street Theatre.[69] That same year she appeared in several more films released by Paramount Pictures; including Great Expectations[70] and The Little Boy Scout.[71] In 1918 she appeared in the films Madame Jealousy and Prunella,[72] and in 1919 she portrayed Marilla Cuthbert in the film version of Anne of Green Gables with Mary Miles Minter as Anne.[73] In 1920 she performed the role of Mrs. Paddles in the Selznick Pictures film The Flapper,[74] and in 1921 she appeared as Zaida Kent in A Heart to Let under film director Edward Dillon.[75]

In 1923 Harris returned to Broadway as Mrs. One in Elmer Rice's The Adding Machine at the Garrick Theatre.[76] She portrayed the landlady in the 1932 film Three Wise Girls.[77]

Harris died in Northampton, Massachusetts at Dickinson Hospital on June 18, 1947.[2][78] She is buried at Swan Point Cemetery in Providence, Rhode Island.[2]

Partial filmography

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References

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Citations

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  1. ^ a b c "Marcia Harris". www.svenskfilmdatabas.se/. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  2. ^ a b c "Retired Actress Dies In Hospital". The Republican. June 19, 1947. p. 10.
  3. ^ Lena H. Hill in the Rhode Island, U.S., State Censuses, 1865-1935
  4. ^ a b Lena Harris Hill in the Massachusetts, U.S., Marriage Records, 1840-1915
  5. ^ "Marcia H. Hill Burnett". Rhode Island, U.S., Historical Cemetery Commission Index, 1647-2008. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  6. ^ Lena H Burnett in the 1900 United States Federal Census
  7. ^ a b "Marcia Harris Began Career Playing Man". The Minneapolis Star. Minnesota, Minneapolis. January 22, 1927. p. 6. Retrieved September 11, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Chelsea Maids". The Boston Globe. December 8, 1900. p. 7.
  9. ^ "By the Chelsea Woman's Club". The Boston Globe. February 6, 1901. p. 5.
  10. ^ "Chelsea Woman's Club Presents School for Scandal". Boston Post. April 9, 1902. p. 7.
  11. ^ a b "Shunned By Amateurs". The Boston Globe. February 7, 1910. p. 16.
  12. ^ "Women's Club". Boston Evening Transcript. January 31, 1903. p. 22.
  13. ^ "The Belle's Stratagem". The Boston Globe. April 15, 1903. p. 8.
  14. ^ "For Separate Support". The Boston Globe. January 20, 1904. p. 7.
  15. ^ "Vaudeville at the Hartford". Hartford Courant. January 20, 1905. p. 7.
  16. ^ "A Runaway Boy". The Trenton Times. August 12, 1905. p. 10.
  17. ^ "In the Theatres". The Times Leader. November 16, 1905. p. 11.
  18. ^ "Theatrical Notes". The Evening Journal. August 29, 1905. p. 4.
  19. ^ "Lyceum Theatre". The Day. New London, Connecticut. December 26, 1905. p. 10.
  20. ^ "A Runaway Boy". Green Bay Press-Gazette. January 22, 1906. p. 3.
  21. ^ "The Stage". The Standard. December 1, 1905. p. 6.
  22. ^ a b "Haynes on Keith Circuit". Fall River Globe. September 28, 1906. p. 7.
  23. ^ a b "Cook Opera House". The Times-Union. July 13, 1907. p. 12.
  24. ^ "Portland Theatre". Portland Sunday Telegram. October 28, 1906. p. 4.
  25. ^ "Keith's Vaudeville". The Boston Globe. November 13, 1906. p. 2.
  26. ^ "Plays and Players". The Evening Journal. March 28, 1907. p. 7.
  27. ^ "News, Notes, and Gossip About Plays and Players". The Boston Globe. September 15, 1907. p. 37.
  28. ^ "Dream City". Milwaukee Sentinel. November 25, 1907. p. 7.
  29. ^ "Amusements". The Houston Chronicle. October 24, 1907. p. 7.
  30. ^ "Amusements". Daily Arkansas Gazette. November 8, 1907. p. 6.
  31. ^ "Music and the Drama". Kansas City Journal. November 11, 1907. p. 3.
  32. ^ "The Alvin". The Pittsburgh Press. December 3, 1907. p. 8.
  33. ^ "Entertainments: Metropolitan". Minneapolis Star Tribune. January 27, 1908. p. 4.
  34. ^ "Mary Marble Here Tonight". The Independent-Record. February 21, 1908. p. 5.
  35. ^ "In the Theatres". The Spokesman-Review. February 27, 1908. p. 10.
  36. ^ "At the Theatres". The Oregonian. March 16, 1908. p. 4.
  37. ^ "Three Stars in Pipe Dream Fun". The San Francisco Call Bulletin. March 30, 1908. p. 14.
  38. ^ "Amusements". The Salt Lake Herald. April 9, 1908. p. 5.
  39. ^ "Audience Delighted". The Daily Sentinel. April 13, 1908. p. 7.
  40. ^ "Amusements: Bijou". The Tennessean. May 26, 1908. p. 7.
  41. ^ "Dream City All Right". Ledger-Star. June 9, 1908. p. 8.
  42. ^ "The Stage: Dream City". The Province. March 5, 1908. p. 6.
  43. ^ "Laughable Mrs. Wiggs". The Day. September 7, 1908. p. 12.
  44. ^ "Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch". Fitchburg Sentinel. September 11, 1908. p. 6.
  45. ^ "Quaint Mrs. Wiggs". The Bethel Courier. September 24, 1908. p. 10.
  46. ^ "Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch". The Bangor Commercial. October 8, 1908. p. 16.
  47. ^ "Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch". Press and Sun-Bulletin. November 24, 1908. p. 4.
  48. ^ "Theatrical Notes: Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch". Warren Times Mirror. December 12, 1908. p. 2.
  49. ^ "Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch". Perth Amboy Evening News. March 24, 1909. p. 8.
  50. ^ "Return Engagement of The Merry Widow and The Devil". Trenton Sunday Advertiser. September 5, 1909. p. 21.
  51. ^ "Newark Theatre Rings With Joe Weber's Laughter". The Star-Ledger. September 14, 1909. p. 4.
  52. ^ a b "The Midnight Sons Begins Second Week". The Brooklyn Citizen. January 18, 1910. p. 7.
  53. ^ "The Entertainments". Boston Evening Transcript. February 8, 1910. p. 13.
  54. ^ "Musical Plays". New-York Tribune. January 1, 1911. p. 58.
  55. ^ "Actress Would See Herself Act". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. September 10, 1911. p. 14. Retrieved September 11, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  56. ^ "Music and the Theaters". Chicago Tribune. November 22, 1911. p. 12.
  57. ^ "Dramatic". Wisconsin State Journal. January 23, 1912. p. 3.
  58. ^ "Play is Refreshing". Beloit Daily News. January 27, 1912. p. 4.
  59. ^ "Murray & Mack". The Lexington Herald. October 20, 1912. p. 18.
  60. ^ "Bijou Theatre". The Bismarck Tribune. April 12, 1912. p. 4.
  61. ^ Dietz 2021, p. 219.
  62. ^ "All Aboard at the Shubert". The Boston Globe. January 13, 1914. p. 4.
  63. ^ "The Theaters". Springfield Evening Union. January 29, 1914. p. 16.
  64. ^ "Lyric". The Allentown Leader. November 5, 1915. p. 8.
  65. ^ "Pink Lady is Successful Musical Play". The Roanoke Times. November 21, 1915. p. 18.
  66. ^ "Mary Pickford as The Foundling". The Roanoke Times. November 21, 1915. p. 18.
  67. ^ "Rich Man, Poor Man". The New York Times. October 6, 1916. p. 12.
  68. ^ "Ann Pennington Makes Screen Debut". Press of Atlantic City. June 24, 1916. p. 15.
  69. ^ "Drama". New-York Tribune. September 1, 1917. p. 9.
  70. ^ "Jack Devereaux, Winifred Allen at the Frontier". The Buffalo Enquirer. October 2, 1917. p. 5.
  71. ^ "Arcadia - The Little Boy Scout". Evening Public Ledger. July 6, 1917. p. 11.
  72. ^ "Pertinent Pointers About Paramount Stars". The Silver State Post. February 7, 1918. p. 6.
  73. ^ "Who's Who at Theatres Next Week". Los Angeles Evening Express. December 6, 1919. p. 25.
  74. ^ "Wherein One Flapper Flaps About a Bit and Nails Two Crooks". Chicago Tribune. May 19, 1920. p. 14.
  75. ^ "Justine and Harrison Get Along Just Fine". Chicago Tribune. August 11, 1921. p. 12.
  76. ^ "The Adding Machine Befuddled Fantasy". New York Daily News. March 20, 1923. p. 24.
  77. ^ "Trio Stars in Imperial Feature". The Ottawa Journal. August 20, 1932. p. 12.
  78. ^ "Deaths Elsewhere". Dayton Daily News. June 19, 1947. p. 12.

Bibliography

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