Irene Fenwick: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Added dated, cited it and other content
Tags: Visual edit Mobile edit Mobile web edit Advanced mobile edit
Added engagement, cited with announcement in Time 1923
Tags: Visual edit Mobile edit Mobile web edit Advanced mobile edit
Line 20: Line 20:


==Life==
==Life==
Frizell was born in Chicago and began acting in local theatre. She had a few chorus roles overseas including one in a musical comedy that won critics praise for her "nearly natural performance".<ref name=":0" /> In New York she met Broadway producer [[Charles Frohman]] who gave her the stage name Fenwick and the ingénue role in ''The Brass Bottle'' (1910).<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=puxAAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA368&lpg=PA368&dq=irene+fenwick&source=bl&ots=07GYUbdNY7&sig=ACfU3U1XnaU00X_sNwasUCnLPxAgcs2DVg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwinj5r935PoAhV_CTQIHbAqDYY4KBDoATAIegQICRAB#v=onepage&q=irene%20fenwick|title=The Theatre|date=1910|publisher=Meyer Bros. & Company|language=en}}</ref> A vivacious redhead, adept at both drama and comedy, she had a forceful stage presence that belied her tiny stature of 4'11". She continued on stage opposite [[Douglas Fairbanks]] in ''Hawthorne of the U.S.A.'' and was touted as a young actress with "the tact and intelligence of a veteran player" in ''The Family Cupboard''.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Thorold|first=W. J.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QmV9k7QhEssC&pg=RA1-PA117&lpg=RA1-PA117&dq=irene+fenwick+broadway&source=bl&ots=ggVdrKLmXj&sig=ACfU3U11gNMCdGFBrzHDWGh0s4QUSOzi7g&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj8harmj5ToAhX0NX0KHcD8Dz44FBDoATADegQIBRAB#v=onepage&q=irene%20fenwick%20broadway&|title=Theatre Magazine|last2=Hornblow (Jr.)|first2=Arthur|last3=Maxwell|first3=Perriton|last4=Beach|first4=Stewart|date=1913|publisher=Theatre Magazine Company|language=en}}</ref> Fenwick often played wronged women and vamps in such [[Silent film|silent films]] as ''[[The Sentimental Lady]]'' (1915), ''[[The Woman Next Door (1915 film)|The Woman Next Door]]'' (1915),<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4HchsRptQ_AC&pg=PA1593&lpg=PA1593&dq=irene+fenwick&source=bl&ots=WAIdJMHrLQ&sig=ACfU3U2DSE9kjpJR5A9wGDSPGqKNUPafjg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi9qpOh4ZPoAhXWFzQIHUYwCZ04MhDoATABegQIBBAB#v=onepage&q=irene%20fenwick&|title=The Moving Picture World|date=1915|publisher=World Photographic Publishing Company|language=en}}</ref> ''[[A Coney Island Princess]]'' (1916), with her performance as Princess Zim-Zim highlighted as the films "chief force",<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6AtKAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA1345&lpg=PA1345&dq=irene+fenwick+actress+edison+short&source=bl&ots=3bzPTa7jX4&sig=ACfU3U3fa8z2uXjNYByHlnO8gJFzoo37Sg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjo_6ry25XoAhWEHjQIHfYRACYQ6AEwEnoECAYQAQ#v=onepage&q=irene%20fenwick%20actress%20edison%20short|title=Motography|date=1916|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Parascandola|first=Louis J.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NDMzBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA318&dq=irene+fenwick&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiw3Yi53ZPoAhXCoFsKHemnDsEQ6AEIaDAJ#v=onepage&q=irene%20fenwick|title=A Coney Island Reader: Through Dizzy Gates of Illusion|last2=Parascandola|first2=John|date=2014-12-09|publisher=Columbia University Press|isbn=978-0-231-53819-0|language=en}}</ref> and ''[[The Sin Woman]]'' (1917), but she felt restricted by them and returned to the stage. In the hit plays ''The Claw'' (1921)<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=acfQAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA2-PA36&dq=lionel+barrymore+irene+fenwick&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjN4uzz1JXoAhVpGDQIHZttA8sQ6AEITjAF#v=onepage&q=lionel%20barrymore%20irene%20fenwick&|title=American Magazine|date=1922|publisher=Colver Publishing House|language=en}}</ref> and ''Laugh, Clown, Laugh'' (1923) she co-starred with Lionel Barrymore, whom she married on June 14, 1923.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Menefee|first=David W.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9QJWDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA1862&lpg=PA1862&dq=irene+fenwick+married+july+14+1923&source=bl&ots=xB-6dTb0HW&sig=ACfU3U3YjJ3IRKqB63JjqgqFEmQqCBuJ7A&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiNz7yv8ZXoAhUfGDQIHemsBEMQ6AEwB3oECAYQAQ#v=onepage&q=irene%20fenwick%20married%20july%2014%201923|title=The First Male Stars: Men of the Silent Era|date=2007-10-20|publisher=BearManor Media|language=en}}</ref> It was his second marriage and her third. She retired in 1926 after her husband chose a Hollywood career.<ref name=":1" />
Frizell was born in Chicago and began acting in local theatre. She had a few chorus roles overseas including one in a musical comedy that won critics praise for her "nearly natural performance".<ref name=":0" /> In New York she met Broadway producer [[Charles Frohman]] who gave her the stage name Fenwick and the ingénue role in ''The Brass Bottle'' (1910).<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=puxAAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA368&lpg=PA368&dq=irene+fenwick&source=bl&ots=07GYUbdNY7&sig=ACfU3U1XnaU00X_sNwasUCnLPxAgcs2DVg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwinj5r935PoAhV_CTQIHbAqDYY4KBDoATAIegQICRAB#v=onepage&q=irene%20fenwick|title=The Theatre|date=1910|publisher=Meyer Bros. & Company|language=en}}</ref> A vivacious redhead, adept at both drama and comedy, she had a forceful stage presence that belied her tiny stature of 4'11". She continued on stage opposite [[Douglas Fairbanks]] in ''Hawthorne of the U.S.A.'' and was touted as a young actress with "the tact and intelligence of a veteran player" in ''The Family Cupboard''.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Thorold|first=W. J.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QmV9k7QhEssC&pg=RA1-PA117&lpg=RA1-PA117&dq=irene+fenwick+broadway&source=bl&ots=ggVdrKLmXj&sig=ACfU3U11gNMCdGFBrzHDWGh0s4QUSOzi7g&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj8harmj5ToAhX0NX0KHcD8Dz44FBDoATADegQIBRAB#v=onepage&q=irene%20fenwick%20broadway&|title=Theatre Magazine|last2=Hornblow (Jr.)|first2=Arthur|last3=Maxwell|first3=Perriton|last4=Beach|first4=Stewart|date=1913|publisher=Theatre Magazine Company|language=en}}</ref> Fenwick often played wronged women and vamps in such [[Silent film|silent films]] as ''[[The Sentimental Lady]]'' (1915), ''[[The Woman Next Door (1915 film)|The Woman Next Door]]'' (1915),<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4HchsRptQ_AC&pg=PA1593&lpg=PA1593&dq=irene+fenwick&source=bl&ots=WAIdJMHrLQ&sig=ACfU3U2DSE9kjpJR5A9wGDSPGqKNUPafjg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi9qpOh4ZPoAhXWFzQIHUYwCZ04MhDoATABegQIBBAB#v=onepage&q=irene%20fenwick&|title=The Moving Picture World|date=1915|publisher=World Photographic Publishing Company|language=en}}</ref> ''[[A Coney Island Princess]]'' (1916), with her performance as Princess Zim-Zim highlighted as the films "chief force",<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6AtKAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA1345&lpg=PA1345&dq=irene+fenwick+actress+edison+short&source=bl&ots=3bzPTa7jX4&sig=ACfU3U3fa8z2uXjNYByHlnO8gJFzoo37Sg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjo_6ry25XoAhWEHjQIHfYRACYQ6AEwEnoECAYQAQ#v=onepage&q=irene%20fenwick%20actress%20edison%20short|title=Motography|date=1916|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Parascandola|first=Louis J.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NDMzBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA318&dq=irene+fenwick&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiw3Yi53ZPoAhXCoFsKHemnDsEQ6AEIaDAJ#v=onepage&q=irene%20fenwick|title=A Coney Island Reader: Through Dizzy Gates of Illusion|last2=Parascandola|first2=John|date=2014-12-09|publisher=Columbia University Press|isbn=978-0-231-53819-0|language=en}}</ref> and ''[[The Sin Woman]]'' (1917), but she felt restricted by them and returned to the stage. In the hit plays ''The Claw'' (1921)<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=acfQAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA2-PA36&dq=lionel+barrymore+irene+fenwick&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjN4uzz1JXoAhVpGDQIHZttA8sQ6AEITjAF#v=onepage&q=lionel%20barrymore%20irene%20fenwick&|title=American Magazine|date=1922|publisher=Colver Publishing House|language=en}}</ref> and ''Laugh, Clown, Laugh'' (1923) she co-starred with Lionel Barrymore, whom she married on June 14, 1923,<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Menefee|first=David W.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9QJWDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA1862&lpg=PA1862&dq=irene+fenwick+married+july+14+1923&source=bl&ots=xB-6dTb0HW&sig=ACfU3U3YjJ3IRKqB63JjqgqFEmQqCBuJ7A&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiNz7yv8ZXoAhUfGDQIHemsBEMQ6AEwB3oECAYQAQ#v=onepage&q=irene%20fenwick%20married%20july%2014%201923|title=The First Male Stars: Men of the Silent Era|date=2007-10-20|publisher=BearManor Media|language=en}}</ref>after a brief engagement.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=adwLAQAAIAAJ&pg=RA3-PP1&dq=irene+fenwick+married+rome&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi4qpm-45XoAhXLJDQIHZIBBKUQ6AEIaDAJ#v=onepage&q=irene%20fenwick%20married%20rome|title=Time|date=1923|publisher=Time Incorporated|language=en}}</ref> It was his second marriage and her third. She retired in 1926 after her husband chose a Hollywood career.<ref name=":1" />


==Death==
==Death==

Revision as of 21:43, 12 March 2020

Irene Fenwick
Husband Lionel Barrymore with Fenwick
Born
Irene Frizell

(1887-09-05)September 5, 1887
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
DiedDecember 24, 1936(1936-12-24) (aged 49)
Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
OccupationActress
Spouses
  • Felix Isman
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1906; div. 1909)​
  • ​
    ​
    (m. 1918; div. 1923)​
  • ​
    ​
    (m. 1923; "her death" is deprecated; use "died" instead. 1936)​
FamilyBarrymore

Irene Fenwick (born Irene Frizell; September 5, 1887 – December 24, 1936) was an American stage and silent film actress.[1] She was married to Lionel Barrymore[2] from 1923 until her death in 1936. Fenwick has several surviving features, mainly because she worked for Edison-Kleine, an affiliate of the Edison Company, which has numerous surviving shorts, which is fortunate considering the vintage of these films.

Years before marrying Lionel, Irene had dated Lionel's brother, John.[3][4]

Life

Frizell was born in Chicago and began acting in local theatre. She had a few chorus roles overseas including one in a musical comedy that won critics praise for her "nearly natural performance".[5] In New York she met Broadway producer Charles Frohman who gave her the stage name Fenwick and the ingénue role in The Brass Bottle (1910).[5] A vivacious redhead, adept at both drama and comedy, she had a forceful stage presence that belied her tiny stature of 4'11". She continued on stage opposite Douglas Fairbanks in Hawthorne of the U.S.A. and was touted as a young actress with "the tact and intelligence of a veteran player" in The Family Cupboard.[6] Fenwick often played wronged women and vamps in such silent films as The Sentimental Lady (1915), The Woman Next Door (1915),[7] A Coney Island Princess (1916), with her performance as Princess Zim-Zim highlighted as the films "chief force",[8][9] and The Sin Woman (1917), but she felt restricted by them and returned to the stage. In the hit plays The Claw (1921)[10] and Laugh, Clown, Laugh (1923) she co-starred with Lionel Barrymore, whom she married on June 14, 1923,[11]after a brief engagement.[12] It was his second marriage and her third. She retired in 1926 after her husband chose a Hollywood career.[11]

Death

Fenwick died on Christmas Eve, 1936, from complications of anorexia nervosa (called "overdieting" then) at age 49. Barrymore was replaced by his brother John in his famous annual radio broadcast as Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol for that year.[13] He never remarried.


Filmography

The Child of Destiny (1916)

The Commuters (1915)

The Spendthrift (1915)

The Woman Next Door (1915)

The Green Cloak (1915)

The Sentimental Lady (1915)

The Child of Destiny (1916)

A Coney Island Princess (1916) with Owen Moore

A Girl Like That (1917)

The Sin Woman (1917)

National Red Cross Pageant (1917)

References

  1. ^ Irene Fenwick;biography, Hans J. Wollstein
  2. ^ "Lionel Barrymore – Actor, Director, Writer, Composer". goldensilents.com. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
  3. ^ Alpert, Hollis (1964). The Barrymores. New York: The Dial Press. OCLC 194133.
  4. ^ Kobler, John (1977). Damned in Paradise: The Life of John Barrymore. New York: Atheneum. OCLC 3001896.
  5. ^ a b The Theatre. Meyer Bros. & Company. 1910.
  6. ^ Thorold, W. J.; Hornblow (Jr.), Arthur; Maxwell, Perriton; Beach, Stewart (1913). Theatre Magazine. Theatre Magazine Company.
  7. ^ The Moving Picture World. World Photographic Publishing Company. 1915.
  8. ^ Motography. 1916.
  9. ^ Parascandola, Louis J.; Parascandola, John (December 9, 2014). A Coney Island Reader: Through Dizzy Gates of Illusion. Columbia University Press. ISBN 978-0-231-53819-0.
  10. ^ American Magazine. Colver Publishing House. 1922.
  11. ^ a b Menefee, David W. (October 20, 2007). The First Male Stars: Men of the Silent Era. BearManor Media.
  12. ^ Time. Time Incorporated. 1923.
  13. ^ Inc, Time (December 25, 1944). LIFE. Time Inc. {{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help)

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Irene Fenwick.
Stub icon

This article about an American theatre actor born in the 1880s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Stub icon

This article about a United States film actor born in the 1880s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Irene_Fenwick&oldid=945268566"