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1. "Description of Nance O'Neil"
Posted by Harry on Feb-27th-02 at 3:39 PM

Novelist Eugene Walter described Nance as follows:

"His droll description of the great stage actress Nance O'Neil is a perfect example of how he never missed a flaw, even if he was starstruck (which was often): "She had dyed red hair which she obviously did herself because it was different shades in different patches of hair. There was a bit over her left ear which was almost purple. She must have gotten the wrong mix or something. She had dead white skin. And she must have put on that mascara with a teaspoon, you know. Just dug it up and went flip, flip, and dug little holes to look out."

Not very flattering. The article can be read at this website but only the above portion pertains to Nance.

http://www.canoe.ca/JamBooksReviewsM/milkingthemoon_walter-sun.html

Poor thing was probably past her prime when he made the Baby Jane Hudson lookalike comments. Don't worry Nance darling, you are beautiful in my minds eye!

(Message last edited Oct-7th-02  12:08 AM.)

The Internet Movie Data Base is a great resource for finding who's who in movies.  It's at:  http://us.imdb.com/

Here's the info on Nance:

http://us.imdb.com/Name?O%27Neil,+Nance

(Message last edited Oct-7th-02  12:08 AM.)

LBQ, April '98, pg.6, "A Glimpse Of Nance O'Neil", an excerpt from Author EVE GOLDEN's biography of early film star Theda Bara, "VAMP, THE RISE AND FALL OF THEDA BARA", Emprise Publishing Co., Vestal, N.Y., 1996, Chapter 4= "Her Double Life":

"...(Theda Bara) got a new director (1915), thirty-five year old (Dublin born) Herbert Brenon....(who) landed at Fox in time to guide Theda through THE KREUTZER SONATA and three other films....
...Theda's second film (as above) was a trying experience for the new star;  for one thing, she was in awe of and resented her co-star.  O'Neil--rather intimidating at nearly six feet tall-- had been on Broadway since 1896 and had played Lady Macbeth, Hedda Gabler, and Camille.  She was a much bigger star than Theda and of course got top billing and kid-glove treatment...
..Theda's second film was released in March, only two months after FOOL.

When release prints, posters and press materials for THE KREUTZER SONATA arrived at theaters nationwide, managers began displaying Theda's name on the marquees to bring in customers.  Fox executives complained that O'Neil's contract called for top billing, but theater owners said it was Theda bringing in the crowds...
...At least her KREUTZER SONATA reviews provided some good news:  it was a big hit, mostly due to curiosity about Theda.  'Startling and remarkable,'  according to one reviewer; another said of Theda and O'Neil,' their acting is splendidly realistic and emotionally powerful.'  Being favorably compared to a stage diva like Nance (Editor's note: Pronounced NANCY) O'Neil must have given Theda strength to continue filming." 
(Photo of Nance accompanies article.)

DAVID:
Under LIZZIE BORDEN *Header*, page 5, here on this Forum, see at top, TOPIC "Nance O'Neil Photo's" by Dave, 1/28/02.

Also see ARCHIVES *Header*, page 1, Topic "And What About Nance?", by Tina, 11/23/01--second from the bottom...

(Message last edited Mar-20th-02  3:49 AM.)

Thanks, Kat. That'll teach me to first do a little bit of homework before wasting your time with a question that has already been discussed on these boards.

She's only in an early scene, as the matriarch of the family.  She's got a great, theatrical voice, and that unmistakable hawk-like profile.  It is amazing to actually gaze upon the "living" image of someone who knew our Lizzie.  (I know some people thought their relationship went a great deal further, but that's still conjecture, isn't it?) 

I think of Lizzie as a theatrical groupie, eager to go backstage and meet the performers, much like the groupies of today. I think Lizzie was immature for her age and the theater must have seemed like a whole new world to her.

Some performers take advantage of that type of personality and Lizzie probably looked like an easy meal ticket to the more sophisticated Nance. Performers in that day were rejected by people of Lizzie's class and she must have looked like manna from heaven to a financially struggling actress.

Bob G. is correct. There is a lot of guessing and inferring but little proof to support there was any involvement between the two. Much like William Borden being Andrew's illegitimate son.

I agree!

David:  I feel like the ARCHIVES of this forum, myself, at the age of 50....
But since I was *in on it since it's inception* and I have a good memory, anyone feel free to "ask kat", if you can't find something in archives or past threads.  It's just more research I enjoy.  I can be a *resource* too!