I bought this book on a whim, since i greatly admire the fairy mary miles minter. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. Mary miles minter was born in 1902 in shreveport, louisiana, as juliet reilly. The case was the subject of the very good book a cast of killers, cowrittern. Cartophilic reference books, za62 type of resource still image identifiers nypl catalog. Shelby appropriated the younger minters birth certificate and gave 10yearold juliet shelby a new identity as a 17yearold midget known as mary miles minter. Jul 06, 1986 charlotte shelby, mary miles minter s dominating mother, had threatened to kill taylor if he didnt stop seeing her daughter, and mabel normand, rumored to be a drug addict, might have sought. Jan 21, 2016 neil patrick mary pickford aka americas sweetheart is probably the first name that pops into your head when thinking of stars from the silent era. A dossier a cast of killers a deed of death murder in hollywood.
Full of twists and turns from toro, louisiana to hollywood, california i have been aware for many years of a silent film star whose roots are in sabine parish. Mary miles minter was a former child star and teen screen idol, whose career had been guided by taylor. In 1922, minter was involved in a scandal surrounding the murder of director william desmond taylor, for whom she professed her love. Soplving a silent screen mystery charles higham, 2004.
These are the same pages which are provided as links throughout the site. Mary miles minter would be among the central figures to fall from grace with taylors death. Mary miles minterthe gorgeous silent era star was involved. Posts about mary miles minter written by film talk. He pointed his finger at charlotte shelby, mary miles minters vindictive mother, long suspected of killing taylor in a fit of jealous rage when she discovered that the 58yearold man she loved. You can leave condolences in the guest book, buy sympathy flowers, and pay your respects. There was a letter, no doubt, and my collection contains a very poor photocopy of the actual item. It grips the reader from page one and will not let go until the books conclusion, principally because the plot has more twists and turns than a belly dancer at the county fair. Her image of enduring youthful innocence which audiences fell in love with at the theatres would lie shattered. Focus on william desmond taylor a deed of death robert giroux, 1990 william desmond taylor. Mary made a total of 26 films between 1916 and 1918. A biography about silent film actress mary miles minter. Although gossip implicated her mother, former actress charlotte shelby, as the murderer, minter s reputation. The actress was born juliet reilly on april 25th, 1902 in shreveport, louisiana.
I was listening to an interview on youtube with mary miles minter and she seems very intelligent although her acting as she lost the love of her life 50 years earlier didnt convince me. Reilly sicoriginal caddo birth record was recorded as j. Mary miles minter photo portrait very nice 8 x 10 original portrait of mary miles minter from the film south of suva. See more ideas about silent film, classic hollywood and vintage photos. Mary miles minterthe gorgeous silent era star was involved in the scandal of the era. Libel suit filed by charlotte shelby in 1935, containing leslie henry testimony extracts portions were transcribed in taylorology 5. Mary miles minter, sessue hayakawa, and the birth of a novel. Unfollow mary miles minter to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. Little mary miles minter was a child star who was dominated by her mother. That morning, it had been discovered that silent film director william desmond taylor had.
If anybody, like me, desires to read something about mmm go somewhere else. In excerpts from a 1970 interview, mary miles minter recalls visiting mabel normand on february 2, 1922. William desmond taylor born william cunningham deanetanner, 26 april 1872 1 february 1922 was an angloirishamerican film director and actor. She appeared in 53 silent era films from 1912 to 1923 in 1922, minter was involved in a scandal surrounding the murder of director william desmond taylor, for whom she professed her love. Shelby appropriated the younger minter s birth certificate and gave 10yearold juliet shelby a new identity as a 17yearold midget known as mary miles minter. Two books have been written about the unsolved murder of william desmond. It was on the butterfly monogram edition stationery of mary miles minter. She wasnt the victim really that many have made her out to be she died relatively wealthly in a beautiful home in santa monica and even had a good friend and. Aug 10, 1986 in a final climactic scene, the book has vidor calling on the aged mary miles minter, who, with tears streaming down her bulbous face, cries out, my mother killed everything i ever loved. Birth certificate of mary miles minter some data, including the name, is probably incorrect, see what was the real name of mary miles minter. Hancocks brewery wiveliscombe by mary miles and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The secret of mary miles minters mother by brad back. Love letters from minter were found in taylors bungalow.
The secret of mary miles minter s mother is about the mysterious murder of silent film director william desmond taylor back in 1922 and how david and elizabeth williams, a multimillionaire brother and sister who happened to live on their magnificent estate of tarnhelm near hollywood, actually solved it. From that time on she worked steadily without a single vacation. Mary miles minter 1902 1984 was an american actress, appearing in 53 silent era films from 1912 to 1923. A popular figure in the growing hollywood motion picture colony of the 1910s and early 1920s, taylor directed fiftynine silent films between 1914 and 1922 and acted in twentyseven between 19 and 1915. I remembered reading several years ago about mary miles minter and her connections to this parish. Jan 21, 2016 neil patrick mary pickford aka americas sweetheart is probably the first name that pops into your head when thinking of.
The book, a case study of the murder, further argues that minters. Full of twists and turns from toro, louisiana to hollywood, california. Because her mother couldnt make it in show business, she began to live her dream through her daughter. Arents cigarette cards topics actors actresses genres cigarette cards trade cards notes content. The secret of mary miles minters mother is about the mysterious murder of silent film director william desmond taylor back in 1922 and how david and elizabeth williams, a multimillionaire brother and sister who happened to live on their magnificent estate of tarnhelm near hollywood, actually solved it. But she was more that the other girl with the golden curls and it is deplorable that the books that mention her today, are the ones about mary pickford or those about the murder of william desmond taylor. Her mother, then known as lilla pearl reilly, soon tired of what she deemed a lowly existence in the bayou and moved juliet and her sister, as well as her widowed mother, julia miles, to new york, hoping to catch a taste of the good life. This was used during her days at the flying a studios. Mary miles minter diary and personally annotated copy of the. By the time mary was five years old, she had already appeared in a stage play. In my opinion, a cast of killers is the perfect mystery. See more ideas about american actress, silent film and film director. At the age of 5 she first appeared on the stage in the play cameo kirby.
Charlotte shelby, mary miles minters dominating mother, had threatened to kill taylor if he didnt stop seeing her daughter, and mabel normand, rumored to be a drug addict, might have sought. Mary miles minters letters to murdered movie director. In a final climactic scene, the book has vidor calling on the aged mary miles minter, who, with tears streaming down her bulbous face, cries out, my mother killed everything i. Birth registry for caddo parish, louisiana, april, 1902. Click through the link to the powells online store, and every purchase you make will help support the podcast. Mary amelia miles minter 18741896 find a grave memorial. Her mother, lily pearl miles, was known professionally as charlotte shelby, an actress. Juliets sister, margaret shelby was also an actresses, and when juliet was five she followed her sister to an audition. One of the features of these gatherings was the reading of tarot cards, long before the sixties revival of their popularity. She became a liability as the public heard too much fact, as well as inuendo, of the young actresses involvement with the director. Juliets sister, margaret shelby was also an actresses, and when juliet was five she followed her sister to.
Maintained by michelle woodham contributor 46636907. Library locations george arents collection shelf locator. Mary miles minters career is often overshadowed by that of another mary and by the scandal that contributed in ending it. Mary miles minter summary photograph shows american actress mary miles minter 19021984 who was born juliet reilly.
Mary miles minter diary and personally annotated copy of the movies in the age of innocence. Cartophilic reference books, p5052 type of resource. Minter, who had grown up without a father, was only three years older than the daughter taylor had abandoned in new york. Murder, morphine, and madness at the dawn of hollywood by william j. Jun 30, 2010 i was listening to an interview on youtube with mary miles minter and she seems very intelligent although her acting as she lost the love of her life 50 years earlier didnt convince me. But despite a few mentions of mmm, this book is just not worth even a 10th of the money i spent on it. Youll also be supporting a great indie bookstore, so winwin. Winter of wayback, 1922 best american short stories, ring lardner. I have been aware for many years of a silent film star whose roots are in sabine parish.
Updates to this site will be announced in the william desmond. The unsolved murder of director william desmond taylor in 1922 is one of the reasons i stepped back into the silent film era and stayed. The secret of mary miles minters mother by bradden c. Mary miles minter project gutenberg selfpublishing. Mary miles minter, silent film star and suspect in her lovers 1922 murder. Nows a good time to show the first mary miles minter logo.
If only mary miles minters belongings and papers from the bekins storage unit. Very nice 8 x 10 original portrait of mary miles minter from the film south of suva. The letter which has been published in the newspapers and popular books about the murder is a phony. She was implicated in the scandal surrounding the murder of a film director, possibly by her mother, but her reputation was ruined and she gave up film making in 1923 age 21. And his explosive new information about mary miles minters last visit. The haunting psychological portrait of the elderly mary miles minter has been indelibly etched in my mind. Mary miles minter photo portrait mary miles minter on. She is described by robert giroux in his book a deed of death 1990 as a. A dossier a cast of killers a deed of death murder in hollywood famous players. Mary miles minter was born on aprils fool day in 1902, as juliet reilly, in shreveport, louisiana. Jan 21, 2016 mary miles minterthe gorgeous silent era star was involved in the scandal of the era. Aug 12, 2019 mary miles minter was born in 1902 in shreveport, louisiana, as juliet reilly.
611 175 1272 1599 1351 1285 42 771 54 299 1065 165 165 513 1486 631 334 397 1677 12 1549 480 1060 908 329 1259 253 277 887 351 378 908 980 455 414 1418 87 198