Dorcas Matthews

Dorcas Matthews
Matthews in The Woman in the Suitcase (1920)
Born
Dorcas Neville Matthews

(1890-11-05)5 November 1890
Lancashire, England
Died24 January 1969(1969-01-24) (aged 78)
Berkeley, California, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1916–1956
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1920; died 1927)​
Children2

Dorcas Neville Matthews[1] (5 November 1890 – 24 January 1969) was an English actress in silent films in the U.S. She had numerous roles as a supporting actress and was well known.[2][3]

Biography

Dorcas Neville Matthews was born in Lancashire, England,[4] in 1890.[5][6] She came to North America as part of the Jeanne Russell Theatrical Company, along with actor William Henry Pratt who became known as Boris Karloff.[7] 1911 census records show that Matthews resided in a lodging house in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.[5]

She married fellow actor Robert McKim in Hawaii on 25 April 1920,[4] and had two children with him. According to Fandango, she retired to take care of them. She appeared in a small number of films in uncredited roles in later decades. New York Motion Picture Corporation sued Thomas H. Ince and among the allegations was poaching actors including Matthews.[8]

She was widowed when McKim died in 1927 and apparently never remarried.

Selected filmography

References

  1. ^ "California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994" (27 September 2019). Dorcas Neville Matthews in entry for Robert McKim, 04 May 1920; citing Birth, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States, California State Archives, Sacramento. Closed access icon Archived copy of certificate.
  2. ^ Krows, Arthur Edwin (February 9, 1916). "Play Production in America". H. Holt – via Google Books.
  3. ^ "Photoplay". Macfadden Publications. February 9, 1920 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ a b "Hawaii Marriages, 1826-1922" (12 January 2020), Dorcas Neville Matthews in entry for Robert Morton McKim, 1912. Closed access icon
  5. ^ a b "Recensement du Canada de 1911" (16 March 2018). Dorcas Matthews in entry for Antonio Toffoletto, 1911; citing Census, Vancouver Sub-Districts 19-50, British Columbia, Canada, Library and Archives of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario; FHL microfilm 2,417,662. Closed access icon Archived copy of census sheet.
  6. ^ "Matthews, Dorcas: Biography". Notre Cinéma. Archived from the original on 12 April 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  7. ^ Soister, John T.; Nicolella, Henry; Joyce, Steve (January 10, 2014). American Silent Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy Feature Films, 1913-1929. McFarland. ISBN 9780786487905 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ Affidavit of Harry E. Aitken, Sworn March 18, 1918. Supreme Court of the United States. 1918. p. 39 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ a b The Moving Picture World. World Photographic Publishing Company. February 9, 1916. p. 82 – via Google Books.
  10. ^ "Billboard". Billboard Publications. February 9, 1917 – via Google Books.
  11. ^ "Films in Review". Then and There Media, LCC. February 9, 1968 – via Google Books.
  12. ^ "Motography". February 9, 1918 – via Google Books.
  13. ^ McCaffrey, Donald W.; Jacobs, Christopher P. (February 9, 1999). Guide to the Silent Years of American Cinema. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 9780313303456 – via Google Books.