Dorothy Sebastian

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Dorothy Sebastian (born Stella Dorothy Sabiston; April 26, 1903[note 1][1] – April 8, 1957) was an American film and stage actress.[2]

Early years

Sebastian was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, the daughter of Lycurgus (Lawrence) Robert and Stella Armstrong Sabiston.[3] In her early years she aspired to be a missionary, as her grandparents were missionaries. She would be taken to a theater during this time and would change her aspirations to be an actress.[4] She would attend the University of Alabama but only for a short while. She then would marry her "High school Sweetheart" some time in 1920. She would live with Allen Stafford in Birmingham and would help operate the Stafford's laundry store. Her marriage would come to an end in 1924 and she would leave for New York sometime after.

After leaving Alabama and starting a career on the stage, she changed the spelling of her name to Sebastian.[5] Upon her arrival in New York City, Sebastian's southern drawl was thick enough to "cut with a knife".[6] She followed around theatrical agents before returning at night to a $12-a-month room, after being consistently rejected.[7]

Career

Her first break would be securing a role in George White's Scandals.[8] as a chorus girl. She would then meet Max Aitken, otherwise known as Lord Beaverbrook. Through this connection she would score a screen test with Henry King. She would successfully acquire a lead role in the movie Sackloth and Scarlet, making this the first film she would star in. This role would get her a five year contract with MGM where she co-starred with Joan Crawford and Anita Page in a popular series of MGM romantic dramas, including Our Dancing Daughters (1928) and Our Blushing Brides (1930). Sebastian appeared in 1929's Spite Marriage, where she was cast opposite the then-married Buster Keaton, with whom she began an affair.[3]

MGM released Sebastian in 1930; her last film for the studio was a short subject starring the young Jack Benny. Harry Cohn of then-low-budgeted Columbia Pictures seized on Sebastian's availability by signing her to a Columbia contract; Cohn welcomed any former MGM players for their name value. Columbia released Sebastian after one year and she began freelancing, mostly at low-budget independent studios. Her most familiar appearance in sound films is probably in Allez Oop (1934), a short comedy produced by Educational Pictures that reunited her with Buster Keaton.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

In 1930 Sebastian married outdoor-adventure star William Boyd (the future Hopalong Cassidy). After their 1936 divorce, she returned to acting, appearing in mostly bit parts. Her last onscreen appearance was in the 1948 film The Miracle of the Bells.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

Songwriting

Sebastian co-wrote the ballad "The Leaves Mustn't Fall" with Jack Kenney.[9]

Personal life

File:William Boyd and Dorothy Sebastian.jpg
Sebastian and William Boyd in His First Command (1929)

While still in Birmingham, Sebastian married her high-school sweetheart, Allen Stafford, on November 9, 1920. The marriage ended four years later just before she moved to New York.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

Sebastian married actor William Boyd in December 1930 in Las Vegas, Nevada. They began a relationship after meeting on the set of His First Command in 1929.[10] They divorced in 1936.[2][11]

In 1947, Sebastian married Miami Beach businessman Harold Shapiro, to whom she remained married until her death.[12]

Legal issues

On November 7, 1938, Sebastian was found guilty of drunk driving in a Beverly Hills, California Justice Court. The night she was arrested, she had been dining at Buster Keaton's home with her nephew. She was given a 30-day suspended jail sentence and paid a fine of $75.[13]

In 1940, Sebastian was denied an award of $10,000 from a San Diego court. She had appeared at a Red Cross benefit in San Francisco in 1937, and failed to pay her hotel bill. She contended the promoter for the event should have paid the bill. An employee of the Plaza Hotel took out the suit, charging "defrauding an innkeeper". The State Supreme Court of California reversed the lower court's decision, which had awarded her the money on grounds of malicious prosecution.[14]

Death and legacy

On April 8, 1957, Sebastian died of cancer at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California. She was several weeks shy of her 54th birthday.[2][12] She is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, California.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

For her contribution to the motion picture industry, Sebastian has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6655 Hollywood Boulevard. It was dedicated on February 8, 1960.[15]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1925 Bluebeard's Seven Wives Gilda La Bray Lost film
1925 Sackcloth and Scarlet Polly Freeman Lost film
1925 Why Women Love Pearl Lost film
1925 Winds of Chance Laura
1926 Torrent Woman in Audience Uncredited
1926 You'd Be Surprised Ruth Whitman
1927 The Show Salvation Army Worker Uncredited
1927 The Demi-Bride Lola Lost film
1927 On Ze Boulevard Gaby de Sylva
1927 The Isle of Forgotten Women Marua Incomplete film
1927 Slide, Kelly, Slide Train Passenger Uncredited
1927 California Carlotta del Rey Lost film
1927 Twelve Miles Out Chiquita
1927 Tea for Three Annette Lost film
1927 The Arizona Wildcat Regina Schyler Lost film
1927 Love Spectator Extra at Races Uncredited
1927 The Haunted Ship Goldie Kane Lost film
1928 Our Dancing Daughters Beatrice
1928 Show People Dorothy Sebastian Uncredited
1928 A Woman of Affairs Constance
1928 Their Hour Cora Lost film
1928 The House of Scandal Ann Rourke Lost film
1928 Wyoming Samantha Jerusha Farrell Lost film
1928 The Adventurer Dolores de Silva Lost film
1929 Spite Marriage Trilby Drew
1929 His First Command Judy Gaylord
1929 Morgan's Last Raid Judith Rogers Lost film
1929 The Devil's Apple Tree Dorothy Ryan Lost film
1929 The Rainbow Lola
1929 The Spirit of Youth Betty Grant
1929 The Single Standard Mercedes
1929 The Unholy Night Lady Efra Cavender Alternative title: The Green Ghost
1930 Brothers Norma Moore
1930 Montana Moon Elizabeth "Lizzie" Prescott
1930 Officer O'Brien Ruth Dale
1930 Free and Easy Dorothy Sebastian - Actress in Cave Scene
1930 Hell's Island Marie
1930 Our Blushing Brides Francine Daniels
1930 The Rounder Ethel Dalton MGM short, costarring Jack Benny.
1930 Ladies Must Play Norma Blake
1930 The Utah Kid Jennie Lee
1931 The Big Gamble Beverly
1931 The Deceiver Ina Fontanne
1931 The Lightning Flyer Rose Rogers
1931 Ships of Hate Grace Walsh
1932 They Never Come Back Adele Landon
1933 Ship of Wanted Men Irene Reynolds
1934 The Life of Vergie Winters Lulu
1937 The Mysterious Pilot Jean McNain
1939 The Arizona Kid Bess Warren
1939 Days of Jesse James Zerilda James
1939 Rough Riders' Round-up Rose
1939 The Women Saleswoman Pat
1941 Among the Living Woman in Cafe
1941 Kansas Cyclone Helen King
1942 True to the Army Gloria Uncredited
1942 Reap the Wild Wind Guest at Ball Uncredited
1945 George White's Scandals Gloria Uncredited
1948 The Miracle of the Bells Miss Katie Orwin Uncredited

Notes

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  1. ↑ The book Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries: A Directory gives Sebastian's date of birth as April 26, 1907.

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References

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  1. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  9. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  12. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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  • Los Angeles Times, "Alabama Steps To Top", August 10, 1930, Page B16.
  • Oakland Tribune, "Kin of Actress Burns To Death", May 14, 1938, Page 1.

External links

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