Louise Lovely

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Louise Lovely (born Nellie Louise Carbasse;Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 28 February 1895 – 18 March 1980) was an Australian film actress of Swiss-Italian descent. She is credited by film historians as being the first Australian actress to have a successful career in Hollywood, signing a contract with Universal Pictures in the United States in 1914. Lovely appeared in 50 American films and ten Australian films before retiring from acting in 1925.

Early life

Louise Lovely was born Nellie Louise Carbasse in Paddington, Sydney to an Italian musician and composer father, Ferruccio Carlo Alberti, and a Swiss mother, Elise Louise Jeanne de Grüningen Lehmann,[1] who had come to Australia in 1891, in the company of Sarah Bernhardt, and had decided to remain in Sydney once Bernhardt had left Australia.[2]

Louise Lovely made her professional debut at age nine as Eva in a stage production of the classic Uncle Tom's Cabin, using the name Louise Carbasse.[3]

Career

Early work

Lovely was acting with George Marlow's[4] theatre company in Western Australia when she received a telegram from Gaston Mervale to appear in a series of movies for Australian Life Biograph Company.[5]

Hollywood films

File:Louise Carbasse ca. 1913 photographed by Rudolph Buchner.jpg
Louise Carbasse (Louise Lovely), Australia, ca. 1913

In 1914, Lovely moved to the United States with her husband, hoping to replicate her Australian success, settling in Los Angeles, California.Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". In California, Lovely caught the attention of Universal Studios head Carl Laemmle who both gave her a contract with his studio and re-christened her Louise Lovely.[3] She made her American debut alongside the legendary Lon Chaney in Father and the Boys in 1915, receiving strong reviews.[6] She starred with Chaney again in several other films including her next release US film Stronger Than Death (1915) and The Gilded Spider and Tangled Hearts (both 1916).

File:Louise Lovely by Hartsook.jpg
Lovely, c. 1920.

Lovely became one of Universal's major early stars and a challenger to Mary Pickford's status as the golden girl of early silent cinema,[7] but was dropped by the studio in 1918 following a contract dispute. Though she was subsequently picked up by 20th Century Fox, where she starred in a series of Westerns with William Farnum, her career never reached its earlier heights. Over a course of four years, she had appeared in fifty American films.[7]

As a consequence of having her hair singed on an American movie set, she permanently changed her hair style from long flowing locks to a bob cut.[8]

Return to Australia

In 1924, Lovely and her husband returned to Australia in pursuit of a new interest - film production. Lovely had maintained a long-time interest in the behind-the-scenes aspects of film, and had collaborated with Welch on a successful short documentary feature, A Day at the Studio, but her plans for her return to Australia were far more ambitious. Lovely and Welch undertook a nationwide talent search to encourage budding new movie actresses. Over 23,000 actors and actresses attended Lovely's auditions, which included demonstrations of movie equipment and acting technique, and which took place at prestigious locations such as Melbourne's Princess Theatre. Twenty were selected to appear in Lovely's next film venture Jewelled Nights (1925), which was written and directed by herself and her husband.Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

Based on the novel by Marie Bjelke Petersen, Jewelled Nights told the story of a young woman who escaped from an unhappy marriage, instead posing as a young man and finding refuge in a tough mining community, where she finds love with a fellow miner (played by Gordon Collingridge).[9] Though it was an outstanding success, it did not recoup its high costs. The Australian film industry, once one of the most productive in the world, was about to fall into a slump that was to last for fifty years. Lovely was offered no more roles and could not afford any further independent productions, and thus, Jewelled Nights was her last film. Today, very little of the film survives other than outtakes and stills.

Prior to the production of Jewelled Nights, between 1921 and 1925, Lovely and Welch traveled throughout the United States and Australia, leading "A Day at the Studio", a traveling show in which audience members volunteered for on-stage "screen tests".[7]

Personal life

Lovely married fellow actor Wilton Welch in February 1912,[10] when she was sixteen years old, and relocated to the United States with him.[3] Lovely testified at the Royal Commission on the Moving Picture Industry in Australia, suggesting a number of measures that might stimulate the struggling local film industry. Soon afterwards, she made a return to the stage. It was at around this time that Lovely's marriage to Wilton Welch disintegrated; Welch was homosexual,[11] and from their return to Australia in 1924 they no longer lived together.[9] Lovely and Welch were divorced in November 1928.[12][13][3]

She married Melbourne theatre manager Andrew Bertie Cowen,Template:Efn known as "Bert Cowan", at the Melbourne Registry Office on Monday, 26 November 1928; the same day as her divorce was granted in Sydney.[14] Her marriage to Cowan lasted for the rest of her life.[3] Cowan had a background of drama, revue and pantomime before becoming involved with the picture theatre business. He was in turn manager of Hoyts' Regent, Plaza and Lyceum theatres in Melbourne before in 1934 taking on the Metro Theatre in Collins Street for MGM.[15]

The couple moved to Hobart, Tasmania in 1946, where Cowan became the manager of the Prince of Wales Theatre.[16] Lovely managed the theatre's sweet shop, where she worked until her death in 1980.[17][18]

Filmography

File:Bobbie of the Ballet 2.jpg
Bobbie of the Ballet (1916).
File:Johnny on the Spot 1919.jpg
With Hale Hamilton in Johnny on the Spot (1919).
Key
Template:Dagger Denotes a lost or presumed lost film.Template:Efn
Year Title Role Notes
1911 One Hundred Years Ago Template:Dagger Judith As Louise Carbasse
1911 A Ticket in Tatts Template:Dagger Mrs. Fallon As Louise Carbasse
1911 The Colleen Bawn Template:Dagger The Colleen As Louise Carbasse
1911 A Tale of the Australian Bush Template:Dagger Mrs. Hall As Louise Carbasse
1912 Hands Across the Sea Template:Dagger As Louise Carbasse
1912 A Daughter of Australia Template:Dagger As Louise Carbasse
1912 Conn, the Shaughraun Template:Dagger As Louise Carbasse
1912 The Wreck of the Dunbar or The Yeoman's Wedding Template:Dagger Short film; as Louise Carbasse
1912 The Ticket of Leave Man Template:Dagger As Louise Carbasse
1915 Father and the Boys Template:Dagger Bessie Brayton
1915 Stronger Than Death Template:Dagger June Lathrop
1916 The Measure of a Man Template:Dagger Pattie Batch
1916 Dolly's Scoop Dolly Clare Short film; as Louise Welch
1916 The Grip of Jealousy Template:Dagger Virginia Grant
1916 Tangled Hearts Template:Dagger Vera Lane
1916 The Gilded Spider Leonita & Elisa
1916 The Grasp of Greed Alice Gordon
1916 Bobbie of the Ballet Template:Dagger Bobbie Brent
1916 Bettina Loved a Soldier Template:Dagger Bettina Scott
1916 The Social Buccaneer Marjorie Woods
1916 Stronger Than Steel Template:Dagger Daphne of the Follies Short film
1917 Blood Money Template:Dagger Belle Blaire Short film
1917 The Fugitive Template:Dagger Nan Donovan Short film
1917 The Diamonds of Destiny Template:Dagger Jane Lowe Short film
1917 The Outlaw and the Lady Template:Dagger Ruth Carter Short film
1917 The Fourth Witness Template:Dagger Margaret Bryant Short film
1917 The Gift Girl Rokaia Feature film
1917 The Grip of Love Template:Dagger Ruth Overholt Short film
1917 Her Great Dilemma Template:Dagger Mary Blanton Short film
1917 The Field of Honor Laura Sheldon
1917 Her Strange Experience Template:Dagger Marie Short film
1917 The Reed Case Template:Dagger Helen Reed
1917 Sirens of the Sea Template:Dagger Lorelei
1918 The Wolf and His Mate Template:Dagger Bess Nolan
1918 Painted Lips Template:Dagger Lou McTavish[19]
1918 Nobody's Wife Template:Dagger Hope Ross
1918 The Girl Who Wouldn't Quit Template:Dagger Joan Tracy
1918 A Rich Man's Darling Template:Dagger Julie Le Fabrier
1919 Life's a Funny Proposition Template:Dagger Mary Austin
1919 Johnny-on-the-Spot Template:Dagger Ann Travers
1919 The Man Hunter Template:Dagger Helen Garfield
1919 The Usurper Template:Dagger Beatrice Clive
1919 The Lone Star Ranger Template:Dagger Ray Longstreth[20]
1919 Wolves of the Night Template:Dagger Isabel Hollins
1919 The Last of the Duanes Template:Dagger Jenny Lee
1919 Wings of the Morning Template:Dagger Iris Deane
1920 The Third Woman Eleanor Steele
1920 The Butterfly Man Template:Dagger Bessie Morgan
1920 The Orphan Template:Dagger Helen Fields
1920 Twins of Suffering Creek Template:Dagger Little Casino
1920 The Joyous Trouble-Maker Template:Dagger Beatrice Corlin
1920 The Skywayman Template:Dagger Grace Ames
1920 The Little Grey Mouse Template:Dagger Beverly Arnold
1921 Partners of Fate Template:Dagger Helen Meriless
1921 While the Devil Laughs Template:Dagger Mary Franklin
1921 The Old Nest Kate at 21–31
1921 The Heart of the North Patricia Graham
1921 The Poverty of Riches Template:Dagger Grace Donaldson
1921 Life's Greatest Question Template:Dagger Nan Cumberland
1922 Shattered Idols Template:Dagger Diana Chichester
1925 Jewelled Nights Template:Dagger Elaine Fleetwood

Notes

Template:Notelist

References

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  1. ↑ Madame Alberti, The Sydney Morning Herald, (Monday, 16 August 1926), p.12; Deaths: Alberti, The Sydney Morning Herald, (Monday, 16 August 1926), p.10.
  2. ↑ Louise Lovely, Table Talk, (Thursday, 16 October 1924), p.49.
  3. ↑ a b c d e Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ George Marlow's Names, The (Wagga Wagga) Daily Advertiser, (Tuesday, 30 May 1939), p.2.
  5. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ Maher, Louise, "Silent film star Louise Lovely's 1916 fan letter and photos acquired by National Archive", ABC Radio Canberra, Wednesday, 4 April 2018.
  9. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ Mr. Wilton Welch and Mademoiselle Louise Carbasse, Table Talk, (Thursday, 29 February 1912), p.8; Marriages: Welch—Carbasse Alberti, The Sydney Morning Herald, (Tuesday, 27 February 1912), p.8.
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ In Divorce: Welch v Welch, The Sydney Morning Herald, (Friday, 3 September 1926), p.8; Miss Louise Lovely: Wants Her Husband Back, The (Adelaide) Advertiser, (Friday, 3 September 1926), p.16; Not so Lovely now, The (Sydney Truth, (Sunday, 5 September 1926), p.17.
  13. ↑ "The decree nisi granted in the suit of Nellie Louise Welch v William Harry Welch, was made absolute, and the marriage declared dissolved": In Divorce, The Sydney Morning Herald, (Tuesday, 27 November 1928), p.8.
  14. ↑ Miss Lovely Gets Divorce: Marries Again on the Same Day, The Northern Territory Times, (Tuesday, 27 November 1928), p.5. Miss Louise Lovely: Married in Melbourne, The (Adelaide) Advertiser, Tuesday, 27 November 1928), p.15; Topics of Feminine Interest: Louise Loveley's Wedding, The Countryman, (Friday, 30 November 1928), p.10; Theatrical Party Filmed, The Mercury, (Friday, 8 February 1929), p.5.
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ Theatre Director Entertained, The Mercury, (Tuesday, 1 February 1949), p.6.
  17. ↑ McIntyre, Paul, "Louise Lovely: The silent film star who tried to bring Hollywood to Tasmania", ABC Radio Hobart, 10 September 2017.
  18. ↑ Actress Dies, The Canberra Times, (Thursday, 20 March 1980), p.3.
  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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Sources

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External links

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