Doris Kenyon

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Doris Kenyon
Kenyon in 1926
Born(1897-09-05)September 5, 1897
DiedSeptember 1, 1979(1979-09-01) (aged 81)
OccupationActress
Years active1915–1962
Spouses
(m. 1926; died 1930)
(m. 1933; ann. 1934)
(m. 1938; div. 1939)
Bronislaw Mlynarski
(m. 1947; died 1971)
[1]
Children1
RelativesRaymond T. Kenyon (brother)

Doris Margaret Kenyon (September 5, 1897 – September 1, 1979) was an American actress of film and television.

Early life[edit]

She grew up in Syracuse, New York, where her family had a home at 1805 Harrison Street. Her father, Dr. James B. Kenyon, was a Methodist Episcopal Church minister at University Church. Kenyon studied at Packer College Institute and later at Columbia University. She sang in the choirs of Grace Presbyterian and Bushwick Methodist Churches in Brooklyn, New York. Her brother was dentist and New York assemblyman Raymond T. Kenyon.[2]

Her voice attracted the attention of Broadway theatrical scouts who enticed her to become a performer on the stage. In 1915, she first appeared as a chorus girl in the Victor Herbert operetta The Princess Pat.[3]

Film career[edit]

Twilight (1919)

In 1915, she made her first film, The Rack, with World Film Company of Fort Lee, New Jersey. One of the most remembered[by whom?] films of her early career is Monsieur Beaucaire (1924). In this production, she starred opposite Rudolph Valentino. She and her husband, Milton Sills, starred in The Unguarded Hour for First National Pictures (1925). Laura Wood, a star swimmer and wife of Gaylord Wood, First National Pictures cinematographer, doubled for her swimming scenes because she couldn't swim.

Kenyon in 1920

Kenyon's first sound film was The Home Towners (1928). She also starred in Paramount Pictures' first talking film, Interference (1928).[3]

Kenyon was cast opposite actor George Arliss in two films: Alexander Hamilton (1931) and Voltaire (1933). She participated in Counsellor at Law (1933) with John Barrymore. In the autumn of 1935, Doris appeared with Ramon Novarro in the play A Royal Miscarriage in London.

Kenyon's film career ended with a cameo in The Man in the Iron Mask (1939).

Music[edit]

Kenyon's performances as a singer grew out of an evening in New York when a manager of concert artists heard her sing at home for some friends. Afterward, he worked with her to arrange a tour. Singing eventually became an outlet for expressing her feelings after her first husband's death.[4] A soprano, she performed in Detroit as part of the Town Hall Series and in Phoenix as part of the All-Star Artists Series, among others.[5]

Kenyon's concerts featured more than vocal performances. Her "Lyrical Silhouettes" tour in 1933 included "characterizations presented in a half-dozen or more foreign languages and dialects."[6] A variety of costumes supplemented the music in the program's segments.[6]

Radio[edit]

Kenyon played Ann Cooper in the soap opera Crossroads on NBC in the 1940s.[7]

Television[edit]

Kenyon continued her acting career in television in the 1950s. She was cast in episodes of The Secret Storm (1954), Schlitz Playhouse of Stars and 77 Sunset Strip.

Marriages[edit]

Kenyon was married four times.

Death[edit]

Doris Kenyon died on September 1, 1979, at her home in Beverly Hills, California of cardiac arrest.[8]

In popular culture[edit]

In 1922, a newborn girl, Doris Kappelhoff, was named after Kenyon. Kappelhoff grew up to be singer and actress Doris Day. Many years later, Day purchased a home in Beverly Hills that was "a few houses away from [Kenyon's], on the very same street."[9]

Filmography[edit]

Silent
Year Title Role Notes
1915 The Rack Effie McKenzie Lost film
1916 The Pawn of Fate Marcine Dufrene Lost film
The Feast of Life Celida A copy is held at the Czech Film Archive
The Man Who Stood Still Marie Krauss Lost film
The Ocean Waif Millie Jessop Short subject
The Traveling Salesman Beth Elliot Lost film
1917 The Man Who Forgot Edith Mallon Lost film
A Girl's Folly Mary Baker
The Empress Nedra
Jimmy Dale Alias the Grey Seal Bit role Short subject
Lost film
On Trial Bit role Uncredited
A copy is held at the George Eastman House
The Great White Trail Prudence Carrington
Strictly Business Short subject
The Hidden Hand Doris Whitney Pathe Exchange
Lost film
Serial
1918 The Street of Seven Stars Harmony Wells
The Inn of the Blue Moon Justine Druce / Dorothy Druce
Wild Honey Wild Honey / Mrs. Holbrook William L. Sherry / Film Clearing House
A copy is held at the Museum of Modern Art
1919 Twilight Twilight William L. Sherry / Film Clearing House
The Bandbox Eleanor Searle W.W. Hodkinson / Pathe Exchange
1920 The Harvest Moon Dora Fullerton W.W. Hodkinson / Pathe Exchange
1921 The Conquest of Canaan Ariel Taber Paramount Pictures
Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford Fannie Jasper Paramount Pictures
Lost film
1922 Shadows of the Sea Dorothy Jordan Selznick Pictures
Lost film
The Ruling Passion Angie Alden United Artists
A copy is held at Gosfilmofond
Sure Fire Flint June De Lanni Mastodon Film
Lost film
1923 You Are Guilty Alice Farrell Mastodon Film
The Last Moment Alice Winthrop Goldwyn Pictures
Lost film
Bright Lights of Broadway Irene Marley Principal Distributing
A copy is held at the Library of Congress
1924 Restless Wives Amy Van Clayton CC Burr
Lost film
The Love Bandit Polly Benson Vitagraph
The New School Teacher Diana Pope CC Burr
Lend Me Your Husband Aline Stackton CC Burr
Monsieur Beaucaire Lady Mary Famous Players-Lasky
Born Rich Frances Melrose First National
A copy is held at Deutsche Kinemathek
Idle Tongues Katherine Minot Ince / First National
Lost film
1925 If I Marry Again Jocelyn Margot First National
Lost film
A Thief in Paradise Helen Saville First National
Lost film
I Want My Man Vida First National
Lost film
The Half-Way Girl Poppy La Rue First National
Lost film
The Unguarded Hour Virginia Gilbert First National
Lost film
1926 Men of Steel Mary Berwick First National
Lost film
Mismates Judy Winslow First National
Lost film
Ladies at Play Ann Harper First National
Lost film
The Blonde Saint Ghirlaine Bellamy First National
Lost film
1927 The Valley of the Giants Shirley Pennington First National
1928 Burning Daylight Virgie First National
The Hawk's Nest Madelon Arden First National
Lost film
Sound
Year Title Role Notes
1928 The Home Towners Beth Calhoun Warner Bros.
Lost film
Interference Faith Marlay Paramount Pictures
1930 Beau Bandit Helen Wardell RKO Pictures
1931 The Bargain Nancy First National / Warner Bros.
Alexander Hamilton Betsy Hamilton Warner Bros.
The Road to Singapore Philippa Crosby March Warner Bros.
The Ruling Voice Mary Stanton First National / Warner Bros.
1932 Young America Edith Doray Fox Film Corporation
The Man Called Back Diana St. Claire Tiffany Pictures
1933 Voltaire Mme. Pompadour Warner Bros.
No Marriage Ties Adrienne Deane RKO Pictures
Counsellor at Law Cora Simon Universal Pictures
1934 Whom the Gods Destroy Margaret Forrester Columbia Pictures
The Human Side Vera Sheldon Universal Pictures
1936 Along Came Love Mrs. Gould Paramount Pictures
1938 Girls' School Mrs. Simpson Columbia Pictures
1939 The Man in the Iron Mask Queen Anne United Artists

References[edit]

Notes
  1. ^ Gooley, Lawrence P. (July 19, 2010). "Doris Kenyon: Ausable Forks Movie Star -". The Adirondack Almanack.
  2. ^ "Dr. Raymond T. Kenyon" (PDF). The New York Times. Vol. LXXIX, no. 26244. New York, N.Y. December 1, 1929. p. N9.
  3. ^ a b c d Slide, Anthony (2010). "Doris Kenyon". Silent Players: A Biographical and Autobiographical Study of 100 Silent Film Actors and Actresses. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 9780813127088. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
  4. ^ Jones, Isabel Morse (January 10, 1932). "Actress Turns to Song for Completion of Self". The Los Angeles Times. California, Los Angeles. p. Part III, p 15. Retrieved January 14, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Doris Kenyon Recital Opens Artists Series For Phoenix". Arizona Republic. Arizona, Phoenix. November 15, 1936. p. 26. Retrieved January 14, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b "Doris Kenyon to Be Heard in Recital Here". The Winnipeg Tribune. Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba. November 11, 1933. p. 15. Retrieved January 15, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "You Asked for Them" (PDF). Movie and Radio Guide. 9 (21): 11. March 2, 1940. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 19, 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  8. ^ "Obituary for Doris Kenyon Sills". The Los Angeles Times. September 10, 1979. p. 18. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
  9. ^ Braun, Eric (2010). Doris Day. Orion Publishing Group. ISBN 9781409105695.
Bibliography
  • "Doris Kenyon Sills Dies, Known On and Off Screen". Los Angeles Times. September 10, 1979. p. B18.
  • "Doris Kenyon and Hopkins To Be Married". Syracuse Herald. April 15, 1933. p. 2.
  • "Will Play In England". Syracuse Herald. June 27, 1935. p. 14.

External links[edit]