Elsie Ferguson 001

A photo of Elsie Louise Ferguson (1885-1961) stage and screen actress was born 19 August 1885 in New York City to parents attorney Hiram Benson Ferguson (1836-1885) and Amelia Lumann (1855-1917). Starting as a 17 year old chorus girl she progressed through a number of productions to become a leading lady and Broadway star by 1909. In 1917 with some persuasion in the form of a $5,000 a week contract, Elsie Ferguson began acting in films. Her salary at Paramount paid her an extra $1,000 per day of filming. After appearing in about 25 films she returned to the stage. She did however make one final sound film in 1930 aged 47. Her final appearance on Broadway was in 1943 at the age of 60.

She was married four times, firstly to estate agent Frederick Chamberlain Hoey (1865-1933) in 1908, they divorced in 1914. She then married banker Thomas Benedict Clarke (1877-1858) in 1916 they divorced in 1923. Thirdly she married actor and co-star Frederick George Worlock (1886-1973) in 1924, they divorced in 1930. Lastly she married British naval captain Victor Augustus Seymour Egan (1875-1956) in 1934 until his death in 1956. Elsie died 15 November 1961 in New London, Connecticut aged 76.

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Elsie's father died 7 months before she was born. Her mother raised their two children on her own. Elsie did not have the wealthy upbringing that is sometimes claimed. She was one of the original "Florodora Girls" and friends with fellow chorus girl, Evelyn Nesbit (1884-1967). During her film career she was dubbed "The Aristocrat of the Silent Screen". Due to the ravages of time almost all of her films have now been lost.