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A photo of Evelyn Brent

Evelyn Brent 1895 - 1975

Evelyn Brent of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California United States was born on October 20, 1895 in Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida, and died at age 79 years old on June 4, 1975 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA. Evelyn Brent was buried at San Fernando Mission Catholic Cemetery Stranwood Ave, in Mission Hills.
Evelyn Brent
Mary Elizabeth Riggs, Betty, Mary Elizabeth Riggs, Betty Riggs
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California United States
October 20, 1895
Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
June 4, 1975
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States
Female
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Evelyn Brent's History: 1895 - 1975

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  • Introduction

    Born to Arthur and Eleanor(Warner) Riggs On October 20, 1895 in Tampa Florida, Mary's mother died when she was 10.

    As a teenager, she moved to New York City and became a model. Although she studied to become a teacher, her modeling career led to the new motion picture industry and she became an actress, at first working as an extra for $3 a day in New Jersey.

    As an actress, Mary Elizabeth Riggs changed her name to "Evelyn Brent" and a career began.

    By 1919 Betty Riggs was listed in the Motion Picture Studio Directory and Trade Annual as "Evelyn Brent". Later that year she sailed for London and appeared in a few films in Europe. She also appeared on the London stage in a comedy by George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950). She was back in New York to marry her first husband, movie executive Bernard Powell Fineman (1895-1971) in November 1922. The couple divorced in 1927.

    After marrying her second husband Harry John Edwards (1887-1952) in November 1928 at Tijuana, Mexico, she transitioned into the "talkies", though the parts she was given were increasingly secondary roles. She appeared in fewer films throughout the 1930s and 1940s. No longer in demand by the major studios, she continued to appear in lower budget films. Evelyn Brent's third marriage in 1948 was to vaudevillian Harry Fox (1882-1959) (real name - Harry Messman or Arthur Carringford), a comedian who was known as being the dancing inspiration for Harry Fox's Trot (foxtrot).

    Evelyn Brent made her last film in 1950. Throughout her 35 years in the industry she is credited with appearing in no less than 126 films. In her later years she worked for the Thelma White Talent Agency in Hollywood. She died 4 June 1975 aged 79 and is buried in Mission Hills, Los Angeles, California.

    Evelyn's parents were Arthur and Eleanor (Warner) Riggs. When Evelyn was 10, her mother died and she was subsequently raised by her single father.

    Then, as a teenager, she moved to New York City and studied to be a teacher. But since she was so striking, she found jobs as a model. And after visiting a local film studio in New Jersey, Evelyn was offered a job as an extra. Extras were earning $3/day and dreams of teaching were soon left in the rear-view mirror.

    Evelyn's first big film was in 1915, the silent film "The Shooting of Dan McGrew". After shooting the film, she took a brief hiatus and visited London, unexpectedly remaining there for 4 years. In those years, she appeared on the London stage. Returning to the States, she picked up her silent film career, making more than 2 dozen more silent films.

    Although Evelyn made a successful transition to "talkies", her career waned as her looks did. She began touring with vaudeville shows and taking increasingly smaller roles in movies. By 1960, she moved on to television, appearing in an episode of the popular show "Wagon Train".

    Married 3 times (her 3rd husband died in 1959), Evelyn died of a heart attack in 1959 in Los Angeles.
  • 10/20
    1895

    Birthday

    October 20, 1895
    Birthdate
    Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida United States
    Birthplace
  • Ethnicity & Family History

    Evelyn was caucasian.
  • Nationality & Locations

    United States (Born in Tampa Florida, Evelyn was a citizen of the United States.)
  • Early Life & Education

    Evelyn attended a normal school in New York City and studied to become a teacher.
  • Professional Career

    Evelyn begam her career in New York as a model. She then moved on to silent movies, where she enjoyed a lucrative career. She made the transition to "talkies" but wasn't quite as successful and as she became older, her parts dried up.
  • Personal Life & Family

    Evelyn's mother died when she was 10 years old, which spurred her to move to New York City as a teenager and started her career in movies. In 1960, she was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contribution to the film industry. The star is located at 6548 Hollywood Boulevard.
  • 06/4
    1975

    Death

    June 4, 1975
    Death date
    heart attack
    Cause of death
    Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California United States
    Death location
  • Gravesite & Burial

    mm/dd/yyyy
    Funeral date
    San Fernando Mission Catholic Cemetery Stranwood Ave, in Mission Hills, Los Angeles County, California 91345, United States
    Burial location
  • Obituary

    New York Times June 8, 1975 LOS ANGELES, June 7 (UPI) —Evelyn Brent, a movie star of the nineteen‐twenties, died Wednesday of a heart attack at her home here. Her age was 75. Silents to Talkies Miss Brent successfully made the transition from the silent screen to the talkies in 1929. but became less active in films in the late thirties. A petite, brown‐haired woman with dark brown eyes, she appeared opposite such oldtime stars as George Bancroft, Clive Brook, Bert Lytell, Emil Jannings, Thomas Meighan and Adolphe Menjou. Among her more memorable pictures were “Pagan Lady” with Conrad Nagel, the Alaskan epic “The Silver Horde” and “Broadway.” Her later films included “Dangerous Lady.” “Mystery of the Golden Eye,” “The Mad Empress” and “Again, Pioneers!” In 1950 she appeared in a “Wagon Train” episode on television. She was named Mary Elizabeth Riggs at her birth in Tampa, Fla., on Oct. 20, 1899, and originally studied to be a teacher. While she was attending a normal school here, her class visited the World Film Studio in Fort Lee, N.J. Two days later, she was working there as an extra at $3 a day. After several months of that, she went to England for a rest. But there she met Oliver Cromwell, an American playwright, who got her to accept an important role in “The Ruined Lady,” which was presented on the London stage. She remained four years in England, appearing in films produced by British companies. On her return to the United States, she was signed to long‐term contract by Douglas Fairbanks Sr. He could, not, however, find a story for her, and she left him to join Associated Authors. There she played featured roles in 14 melodramas. In 1929 she was made a star by Paramount‐FamousLasky and later appeared with Radio Pictures. Her husband, Harry Fox, a vaudeville actor, died in 1959. She had earlier been married to Harry Edwards and to Bernard P. Fineman, a movie executive.
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3 Memories, Stories & Photos about Evelyn

Evelyn Brent 002
Evelyn Brent 002
A photo of Evelyn Brent (1895-1975) - Film and stage actress was born as "Mary Elizabeth Riggs" on 20 October 1895 in Syracuse, New York to parents Arthur Riggs and Eleanor Warner. In 1914 she got a job as an extra at the World Film Studio in Fort Lee, New Jersey and was selected for a debut in "The Shooting of Dan McGrew" released on 2 May 1915.

By 1919 Betty Riggs is listed in the Motion Picture Studio Directory and Trade Annual as "Evelyn Brent". Later that year she sailed for London and appeared in a few films in Europe. She also appeared on the London stage in a comedy by George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950). She was back in New York to marry her first husband, movie executive Bernard Powell Fineman (1895-1971) in November 1922. The couple divorced in 1927.

After marrying her second husband Harry John Edwards (1887-1952) in November 1928 at Tijuana, Mexico, she transitioned into the "talkies", though the parts she was given were increasingly secondary roles. She appeared in fewer films throughout the 1930s and 1940s. No longer in demand by the major studios, she continued to appear in lower budget films. Evelyn Brent's third marriage in 1948 was to vaudevillian Harry Fox (1882-1959) (real name - Harry Messman or Arthur Carringford), a comedian who was known as being the dancing inspiration for Harry Fox's Trot (foxtrot).

Evelyn Brent made her last film in 1950. Throughout her 35 years in the industry she is credited with appearing in no less than 126 films. In her later years she worked for the Thelma White Talent Agency in Hollywood. She died 4 June 1975 aged 79 and is buried in Mission Hills, Los Angeles, California.

additional information:

The Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers (WAMPAS) in 1923 elected Evelyn Brent as one of their "Baby Stars". She appeared in one television show, a 1960 episode of "Wagon Train".
Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.
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For some reason, a little glamor from the past seems appropriate today. Actress Evelyn Brent (1895 - 1975) in her heyday. She *was* a beauty.
Joy Midkiff Alba
via Facebook
11/02/2020
That is the most beautiful example of the classic resting b face I've ever seen.
Evelyn Brent
Evelyn Brent
A photo of actress Evelyn Brent in 1930's high fashion.
Date & Place:
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Actress Evelyn Brent (1895 - 1975) may not be well known today. But in her day, she was quite famous both as a model and an actor. After modeling in New York, she starred in more than 2 dozen silent films and made a fairly successful transition to "talkies" (what films with sound were called in those days). She even appeared on television in 1960 as a character on the popular show "Wagon Train".

Married 3 times, Evelyn died of a heart attack in 1975 in Los Angeles. When this photo was taken in 1932 she was at the height of her glamor. I personally love the opulence of high style clothing at the height of the Depression!

Do you remember Evelyn in silent films, talkies, or Wagon Train? Leave a comment or story.
Facebook Fan
via Facebook
07/08/2022
Stunning 🤩
Evelyn Brent 001
Evelyn Brent 001
A photo of Evelyn Brent (1895-1975) - Film and stage actress was born as "Mary Elizabeth Riggs" on 20 October 1895 in Syracuse, New York to parents Arthur Riggs and Eleanor Warner. In 1914 she got a job as an extra at the World Film Studio in Fort Lee, New Jersey and was selected for a debut in "The Shooting of Dan McGrew" released on 2 May 1915.

By 1919 Betty Riggs is listed in the Motion Picture Studio Directory and Trade Annual as "Evelyn Brent". Later that year she sailed for London and appeared in a few films in Europe. She also appeared on the London stage in a comedy by George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950). She was back in New York to marry her first husband, movie executive Bernard Powell Fineman (1895-1971) in November 1922. The couple divorced in 1927.

After marrying her second husband Harry John Edwards (1887-1952) in November 1928 at Tijuana, Mexico, she transitioned into the "talkies", though the parts she was given were increasingly secondary roles. She appeared in fewer films throughout the 1930s and 1940s. No longer in demand by the major studios, she continued to appear in lower budget films. Evelyn Brent's third marriage in 1948 was to vaudevillian Harry Fox (1882-1959) (real name - Harry Messman or Arthur Carringford), a comedian who was known as being the dancing inspiration for Harry Fox's Trot (foxtrot).

Evelyn Brent made her last film in 1950. Throughout her 35 years in the industry she is credited with appearing in no less than 126 films. In her later years she worked for the Thelma White Talent Agency in Hollywood. She died 4 June 1975 aged 79 and is buried in Mission Hills, Los Angeles, California.

additional information:

The Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers (WAMPAS) in 1923 elected Evelyn Brent as one of their "Baby Stars". She appeared in one television show, a 1960 episode of "Wagon Train".
Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.
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Did you know?
In 1895, in the year that Evelyn Brent was born, on May 18th, Italy's first motor race was held. The race was 58 miles long - from Turin to Asti and back. Five cars started but only three completed the race. It was won by Simone Federman who drove a Daimler Omnibus - his average speed was 9.6 mph.
Did you know?
In 1904, when she was merely 9 years old, the United States acquired the Panama Canal Zone. Now an unincorporated territory of the U.S., the Canal Zone had been previously held by the French, who were constructing a canal. The U.S. took over the construction of the Panama Canal and it was finally finished in 1914, when it was opened to commercial shipping. The United States held the Canal Zone until 1979.
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Evelyn Brent's Family Tree & Friends

Evelyn Brent's Family Tree

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Friendships

Evelyn's Friends

Friends of Evelyn Friends can be as close as family. Add Evelyn's family friends, and her friends from childhood through adulthood.
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5 Followers & Sources
Felicia Fields
About me: I haven't shared any details about myself.
Anjel Candy
About me: I haven't shared any details about myself.
Roxy Triebel
I love antique photographs. In addition to sharing old photos of my family, I am also going through my collection of "antique store people". They've been sitting in a storage tub in my back room much too long and maybe some of their families will be able to find them here. If I'm able to identify the people in the photo, I upload it not only to AncientFaces, but also to Ancestry, FamilySearch, and Find-A-Grave. If the person in the picture is a military veteran, the photo also goes on Fold3. I figure that the more places I upload these pictures, the greater the chance that a relative will be able to find them.
Kathy Pinna
I'm a Founder of AncientFaces and support the community answering questions & helping members make connections to the past (thus my official title of Founder & Content and Community Support ). For me, it's been a labor of love for over 20 years. I truly believe with all of my heart that everyone should be remembered for generations to come. I am 2nd generation San Jose and have seen a lot of changes in the area while growing up. We used to be known as the "Valley of Heart's Delight" (because the Valley was covered with orchards and there were many canneries to process the food grown here, which shipped all over the US) - now we have adopted the nickname "Capital of Silicon Valley" and Apple, Ebay, Adobe, Netflix, Facebook, and many more tech companies are within a few miles of my current home in San Jose (including AncientFaces). From a small town of 25,000, we have grown to 1 million plus. And when you add in all of the communities surrounding us (for instance, Saratoga, where I attended high school, living a block from our previous Mayor), we are truly one of the big cities in the US. I am so very proud of my hometown. For more information see Kathy - Founder & Content and Community Director
My family began AncientFaces because we believe that unique photos and stories that show who people are/were should be shared with the world.
Daniel Pinna
I want to build a place where my son can meet his great-grandparents. My grandmother Marian Joyce (Benning) Kroetch always wanted to meet her great-grandchildren, but she died just a handful of years before my son's birth. So while she didn't have the opportunity to meet him, at least he will be able to know her. For more information about what we're building see About AncientFaces. For information on the folks who build and support the community see Daniel - Founder & Creator.
My father's side is full blood Sicilian and my mother's side is a combination of Welsh, Scottish, German and a few other European cultures. One of my more colorful (ahem black sheep) family members came over on the Mayflower. He was among the first to be hanged in the New World for a criminal offense he made while onboard the ship.
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