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IMDbPro

Edna Purviance(1895-1958)

  • Actress
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Edna Purviance
Edna Purviance began working as a stenographer in San Francisco. Charles Chaplin invited her to join him at Essanay Studio in 1915, the year of her film debut in Chaplin's His Night Out. Over the next seven years she appeared as his leading lady in over 20 Chaplin films made by Essanay, Mutual, and First National, including the classics The Tramp (1915), The Immigrant (1917), Easy Street (1917), The Kid (1921), and The Idle Class (1921). As a repayment for years of work with him, Chaplin intended real stardom for her with A Woman of Paris: A Drama of Fate (1923). The movie was a commercial failure though it advanced the career of Adolphe Menjou. She remained on Chaplin's payroll until her death, her last two appearances being non-speaking extra parts in his Monsieur Verdoux (1947) and Limelight (1952).
BornOctober 21, 1895
DiedJanuary 11, 1958(62)
BornOctober 21, 1895
DiedJanuary 11, 1958(62)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank

Photos219

Charles Chaplin and Edna Purviance in Triple Trouble (1918)
Charles Chaplin and Edna Purviance in A Dog's Life (1918)
Charles Chaplin and Edna Purviance in A Dog's Life (1918)
Charles Chaplin and Edna Purviance in A Dog's Life (1918)
Edna Purviance in A Dog's Life (1918)
Charles Chaplin and Edna Purviance in A Dog's Life (1918)
Edna Purviance in A Dog's Life (1918)
Charles Chaplin, Eric Campbell, and Edna Purviance in The Rink (1916)
Charles Chaplin and Edna Purviance in The Immigrant (1917)
Charles Chaplin and Edna Purviance in The Immigrant (1917)
Charles Chaplin and Edna Purviance in The Immigrant (1917)
Charles Chaplin, Henry Bergman, and Edna Purviance in The Immigrant (1917)

Known for:

Edna Purviance in A Woman of Paris: A Drama of Fate (1923)
A Woman of Paris: A Drama of Fate
6.9
  • Marie St. Clair
  • 1923
Charles Chaplin and Edna Purviance in The Immigrant (1917)
The Immigrant
7.6
Short
  • Immigrant
  • 1917
The Kid (1921)
The Kid
8.3
  • The Woman
  • 1921
Edna Purviance in A Woman of the Sea (1926)
A Woman of the Sea
6.9
  • Joan
  • 1926

Credits

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IMDbPro

Actress

  • Charles Chaplin and Claire Bloom in Limelight (1952)
    Limelight
    • Mrs. Parker (uncredited)
    • 1952
  • Monsieur Verdoux (1947)
    Monsieur Verdoux
    • Garden Party Guest (uncredited)
    • 1947
  • Edna Purviance in Éducation de prince (1927)
    Éducation de prince
    • La reine Liska de Silistrie
    • 1927
  • Edna Purviance in A Woman of the Sea (1926)
    A Woman of the Sea
    • Joan
    • 1926
  • Edna Purviance in A Woman of Paris: A Drama of Fate (1923)
    A Woman of Paris: A Drama of Fate
    • Marie St. Clair
    • 1923
  • Charles Chaplin in The Pilgrim (1923)
    The Pilgrim
    • The Girl
    • 1923
  • Pay Day (1922)
    Pay Day
    • Foreman's Daughter
    • Short
    • 1922
  • The Idle Class (1921)
    The Idle Class
    • Edna, Neglected Wife
    • Short
    • 1921
  • The Kid (1921)
    The Kid
    • The Woman
    • 1921
  • A Day's Pleasure (1919)
    A Day's Pleasure
    • Mother
    • Short
    • 1919
  • Sunnyside (1919)
    Sunnyside
    • Village Belle
    • Short
    • 1919
  • Charlie Chaplin: The Essanay Comedies (1918)
    Charlie Chaplin: The Essanay Comedies
    • The farmer's daughter
    • Her sister
    • 1918
  • Charles Chaplin in How to Make Movies (1918)
    How to Make Movies
    • Actress (uncredited)
    • Short
    • 1918
  • Shoulder Arms (1918)
    Shoulder Arms
    • The Girl
    • Short
    • 1918
  • Charles Chaplin and Syd Chaplin in The Bond (1918)
    The Bond
    • Charlie's Wife
    • Liberty
    • Short
    • 1918

Personal details

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  • Official site
    • Official Site
  • Height
    • 5′ 2″ (1.57 m)
  • Born
    • October 21, 1895
    • Paradise, Nevada, USA
  • Died
    • January 11, 1958
    • Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA(throat cancer)
  • Spouse
    • John P. Squire1938 - 1945 (his death)
  • Publicity listings
    • 1 Portrayal
    • 12 Articles
    • 2 Magazine Cover Photos

Did you know

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  • Trivia
    After her retirement in 1926, Charles Chaplin kept her on his payroll for decades, showing her much more concern and consideration than he did to any of his former wives.
  • Quotes
    Mr. Chaplin [Charles Chaplin] asked me if I would like to act in pictures with him. I laughed at the idea, but agreed to try it. I guess he took me because I had nothing to unlearn and he could teach me in his own way. I want to tell you that I suffered untold agonies. Eyes seemed to be everywhere. I was simply frightened to death. But he had unlimited patience in directing me and teaching me.

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