Marie Walcamp Explained

Marie Walcamp
Birth Date:July 27, 1894
Birth Place:Dennison, Ohio, U.S.
Death Place:Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation:Actress
Years Active:1913 - 1927
Spouse:Harland Tucker

Marie Walcamp (July 27, 1894  - November 17, 1936) was an American actress of the silent film era, often specializing in roles as an "action heroine" in serials, including Westerns.[1] She often appeared with actor Eddie Polo.

Biography

Born in Dennison, Ohio, Walcamp was the daughter of Mary (née Mackel) and Arnold Walcamp.[2] She relocated to the East Coast after finishing her formal education, making the move with hopes of finding acting jobs on the stage. After landing various roles in New York, she signed to Universal Studios in 1913[3] and was cast at the age of 19 in the film The Werewolf.[4]

She appeared in more than 50 motion pictures, mostly shorts, over the next two years, although by 1916 the pace of her work in films began to decrease. That year she still performed in no less than 13 productions, including the leading role in the Western serial Liberty. She was known for doing her own dangerous stunts, which earned her nicknames like "The Daredevil of the Films" and "The Dare-Devil Girl of the Movies".[5]

By the 1920s, however, Walcamp's movie career had effectively ended, as fewer serials were being made. Her final role was in 1927 as Alice Gage in In a Moment of Temptation. On November 17, 1936, Walcamp, suffering from depression, committed suicide by turning on the gas in her Los Angeles apartment while her husband, actor Harland Tucker,[6] was away on business.[5] [7] In her will, she asked that her ashes be scattered over the back lot at Universal Studios, where she had worked for many years.[8] [9]

Selected filmography

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Marie Walcamp. Wollstein. Hans J.. Allmovie. May 22, 2009.
  2. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GRYW-S78R?i=152&cc=1932106 "Ohio County Births, 1841-2003: Register of Births 1891-1897"
  3. Book: December 16, 2004. An Encyclopedic Dictionary of Women in Early American Films. 10.4324/9781315785929. 9781315785929. Lowe. Denise.
  4. Web site: Bowman. John. 26 May 2017. Silence of the Wolves. 2020-08-22. The Santa Fe New Mexican. en.
  5. Web site: Marie Walcamp ~ The Serial Queen.
  6. Web site: 30 Apr 1981. Forgotten Cowboys. 2020-08-22. The Muscatine Journal. en.
  7. Web site: 19 Nov 1936. Actress Found Dead in Her Gas-Filled Apartment. 2020-08-22. Tyler Morning Telegraph. en.
  8. Web site: Soanes. Wood. 23 Sep 1941. Curtain Calls: News Files Turn Up Interesting Tale. 2020-08-22. The Oakland Tribune. en.
  9. Web site: Coon. Robbin. 12 Jan 1937. Hollywood News and Gossip. 2020-08-22. The Post-Crescent. en.