Vera Sisson Explained

Vera Sisson
Birth Date:31 July 1891
Birth Place:Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, U.S.
Death Place:Carmel, California, U.S.
Occupation:Actress
Yearsactive:1913 - 1926

Vera Sisson (July 31, 1891  - August 6, 1954) was an American actress of the silent era.[1]

Biography

Vera Sisson was born on July 31, 1891, in Salt Lake City.[2] She received her education at Brownlee Collegiate School for Girls in Denver, Colorado. In 1912, Sisson applied for work as an extra at Universal Pictures and made her film debut in The Helping Hand (1913). Sisson received recognition as J. Warren Kerrigan's leading lady in seven successful films, including The Sandhill Lovers (1914), The Oyster Dredger (1915), and A Bogus Bandit (1915).

In 1915, Sisson was offered a contract with Biograph Studios, and the following year she married actor and director Richard Rosson.

Sisson costarred with Harold Lockwood and Virginia Rappe in Paradise Garden (1917), Rudolph Valentino in The Married Virgin (1918), and Constance Talmadge in Experimental Marriage (1919). Her final film appearance was in Love 'Em and Leave 'Em (1926), starring Evelyn Brent and Louise Brooks.

On May 1, 1939, Sisson and her husband Rosson, along with two other British nationals, were arrested on a charge of espionage in Vienna, Austria by the Gestapo, allegedly for filming military hardware. They were held in solitary confinement for 34 days and released.[3]

On May 31, 1953, Richard Rosson committed suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning. A year later, on August 6, 1954, Sisson committed suicide by barbiturate overdose.[4] She is buried at Hollywood Forever Cemetery near her brother in law Arthur Rosson.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1913The StenographerShort
Always TogetherThe Old Bricklayer's DaughterShort
The House in the TreeMay – age 18Short
The Helping HandEllen – age 19Short
How Freckles Won His BrideVera Short, Unconfirmed
Helen's StratagemHelen Rockwood – John's SisterShort
1914The Ten of SpadesJess – the WaifShort
An Academy RomanceVeraShort
The Rival Dentists Jane PayneShort
Some BoyShort
A Murderous Elopement MabelShort
Hawkeye and the Cheese MysteryPansy ButtermilkShort
Too Much MarriedTottie CoughdropShort
The Seat of the TroubleEdnaShort
The Bolted DoorNatalie JudsonShort
The LionHarriet CourtneyShort
Women and RosesWallace's WifeShort
As Fate WilledMarion StearnsShort
Toilers of the SeaJessie ScottShort
The Call BackEmily ForbesShort
The Golden LadderShort
The Sandhill Lovers Meg, Hardy's DaughterShort
The Silent WitnessVeraShort
A Twentieth Century PiratePenelope HamptonShort
At Mexico's MercyBrendaShort
Value ReceivedFrances De VereShort
Out of the ValleyMrs. OsborneShort
A Man and His BrotherEleanor Hess – the Farmer's DaughterShort
Weights and MeasuresKitty DonelyShort
There Is a Destiny Jeanne de Jean – the Fisherman's DaughterShort
The Man from NowhereLolita – the Stranger's SweetheartShort
Little Meg and IMeg AndersonShort
A Gentleman from KentuckyNell HastingsShort
The Proof of a Man Alma WilsonShort
DisillusionedVelma BenningShort
His Father's SonMrs. Horton - Cal Jr.’s MotherShort
His Heart His Hand and His Sword Princess Beatrix de GrandlieuShort
The Empire of IllusionPrincess Beatrix de GrandlieuShort
The Inn of the Winged GodsPrincess Beatrix de GrandlieuShort
1915A Bogus BanditThe Drifter's DaughterShort
Martin Lowe, FinancierShort
The StormHelen CartwrightShort
The Guardian of the FlockRosariaShort
The Stool PigeonMildred MooreShort
For CashVera RoncevalShort
The Oyster DredgerVera – an HeiressShort
Martin Lowe, FixerHelen StebbinsShort
The TrustFlorence AllisonShort
According to ValueMabel Stewart – Arthur's SweetheartShort
The Chimney's SecretShort, Uncredited
The RehearsalEvelyn PayneShort
His Wife's StoryLouise BlairShort
The Worth of a WomanMrs. HolmesShort
His Hand and Seal Short
The Laurel of TearsEsther BrowneShort
The Chief InspectorLucille Palmer – George's DaughterShort
A Woman Without a SoulCora MartinShort
Her StepchildrenRoseShort
The Tides of RetributionNellie CarpenterShort
1916The Avenging ShotShort
Stronger Than Woman's WillShort
The Iron WillHenriettaShort
The Guilt of Stephen EldridgeEleanor CurzonShort
The Mystery of OrcivalLaurenceShort
The Battle of TruthBelle BolterShort
The Man Who Called After Dark Dorothy – Whitmore's WardShort
The Larrimore Case The Girl in the CaseShort
Fit for BurningConstance GreyShort
The Iron WomanElizabeth Ferguson
That Sharp NoteShort
1917The Hidden SpringThora Erickson
Paradise GardenUna Habberton
1918The Married VirginMary McMillan
1919Experimental MarriageDot Harrington
The Veiled AdventureEve Gardiner
The Heart of YouthEvie Atherton
His Official FiancéeCicely Harradine
1920The Marriage Blunder
1921Unconfirmed
The Sage–Brush MusketeersShort
1926Love 'Em and Leave 'EmMrs. Whinfer

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Vera Sisson . BFI . British Film Institute . January 15, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200809032722/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9fb78ff0 . August 9, 2020.
  2. Stellar Attractions . The Movie Magazine . December 1915 . 2 . 3 . 30 . January 15, 2021.
  3. Web site: Erickson . Hal . Richard Rosson > Overview . AllMovie . 1953-05-31 . 2011-04-26.
  4. Book: Ellenberger, Allen R. . May 1, 2001 . Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries: A Directory . McFarland . 150 . 978-0786450190.