Corinne Barker Explained

Corinne Barker
Birth Name:Corinne Riely
Birth Place:Salem, Oregon, U.S.
Birth Date:5 June 1890
Death Place:New York City, New York, U.S.
Resting Place:River View Cemetery, Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Spouse:William Barker

Corinne Barker (née Riely; June 5, 1890 – August 6, 1928) was an American actress and costume designer who came to prominence during the silent era, specifically for her roles in several Vitagraph films. She also appeared in several Broadway productions as well as two films with Marion Davies: The Restless Sex (1920) and Enchantment (1921).

After making the transition to theater in the 1920s, Barker began working as a costume designer in Manhattan, working under Vincent Youmans. Upon returning to the United States from Europe in July 1928, Barker developed peritonitis from food poisoning, of which she died on August 6, 1928.[1]

Life and career

Early life

Barker was born Corinne Riely[2] on June 5, 1890 in Salem, Oregon, to Charles Strang and Amelia (née Savage) Riely. She was educated at the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Salem. Her father was also a native of Salem, and a prominent businessman there and in Portland, Oregon.[3]

Film and theater career

She began acting in theater productions in Portland in the early-1900s. She moved from Portland to New York City in 1910, and appeared in a stage production of The Crinoline Girl with Julian Eltinge.[4] She married William Barker in Portland some time prior to 1916.[5]

Barker began appearing in films in 1918, debuting in Money Mad. Her second film appearance in Peck's Bad Girl (1918) was praised by Variety, which noted: "Corinne Barker as the wily Hortense could not have been better cast."[6] She appeared in a handful of features in 1919, including One Week of Life, The Peace of Roaring River, and The Climbers, the latter of which starred Corinne Griffith. She subsequently had a supporting role opposite Marion Davies in the drama The Restless Sex (1920). Barker married actor Hobart Henley in New York City in July 1920,[7] [8] after which she appeared in Why Girls Leave Home (1921), and Enchantment (also 1921), the latter of which also starred Davies.

In New York, Barker worked as a stage actress as well as a costume designer, designing the costumes for a 1926 Broadway production of No, No, Nanette. In late 1927, she began designing costumes for Vincent Youmans' stage productions.[9] She resided on the Upper West Side at 78th Street with husband Henley and her mother.

Death

Barker was admitted to Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan on July 19, 1928, shortly after returning to the United States from Europe, suffering from peritonitis.[10] It was reported on July 27 that her condition had stemmed from food poisoning and that she was in "serious condition."[11] Barker died a little over a week later on August 6, 1928.[1]

Her funeral service was held at the Church of Transfiguration in Manhattan.[10] Barker is interred at River View Cemetery in Portland, Oregon.

Filmography

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Denotes a lost or presumed lost film.
YearTitleRoleNotes
1918Money Mad Fanette[12]
1918Peck's Bad Girl Hortense Martinot
1919One Week of Life Lola Canby
1919The Peace of Roaring River Sophy McGurn
1919The ClimbersJulia Godesby
1919The Golden Shower Gaby
1919The Broken Melody Mrs. Drexel Trask
1920The Silent Barrier Millicent Jacques
1920The Restless SexHelen West
1921Why Girls Leave Home Ethel, a gold-digger
1921EnchantmentNalia McCabe

Stage credits

YearTitleRoleNotes
1915–1916Abe and MawrussBroadway[13]
1916–1917Shirley KayeBroadway
1917On with the DanceBroadway
1918–1919RemnantBroadway
1925–1926No, No, NanetteBroadway; costume supervisor

Notes and References

  1. Book: Wilson, Scott. 3rd. Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons. 42. McFarland. Jefferson, North Carolina. 978-1-476-62599-7. 2016.
  2. News: Statesman Journal. Salem, Oregon. Corinne Riely is Stage Star. May 10, 1917. 2. Newspapers.com.
  3. News: Statesman Journal. Well Known Salem Resident Passes. May 12, 1936. Newspapers.com. 9. Salem, Oregon.
  4. News: Billings Gazette. Another Star Summers In Europe. 13. July 10, 1921. Newspapers.com. Billings, Montana.
  5. News: Another Portland Girl Wins Success. The Oregon Daily Journal. Portland, Oregon. 35. December 3, 1916. Newspapers.com.
  6. Book: Variety Film Reviews. 71. 1983. Garland Pub. 1.
  7. News: Corinne Barker Bride of H. Henley. July 27, 1920. 12. The Oregon Daily Journal. Portland, Oregon. Newspapers.com.
  8. News: Corinne Barker, Actress, Bride of Hobart Henley. July 26, 1920. 4. New-York Tribune. Newspapers.com.
  9. News: Actress Designs. New York Daily News. October 16, 1927. 112. Newspapers.com.
  10. News: Corinne Barker, Actress, Dies of Peritonitis. New York Daily News. August 7, 1928. 114. Newspapers.com.
  11. News: New York Daily News. Food Poisons Film Director's Former Wife. 333. July 27, 1928. Newspapers.com.
  12. Web site: Corinne Barker. AFI Catalog of Feature Films. American Film Institute. https://archive.today/20190521032028/https://catalog.afi.com/Person/34085-Corinne-Barker. May 21, 2019. May 21, 2019. live.
  13. Web site: Corinne Barker. Internet Broadway Database. https://archive.today/20190521030926/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/corinne-barker-30899. May 21, 2019. May 21, 2019. live.