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Jeanie MacPherson

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Years active
  
1908–1946

Notable work
  

Name
  
Jeanie MacPherson

Role
  
Actress

Jeanie MacPherson Jeanie Macpherson Women Film Pioneers Project

Born
  
May 18, 1887 (
1887-05-18
)

Occupation
  
Actress/Screenwriter/Director

Died
  
August 26, 1946, Los Angeles, California, United States

Parents
  
John Sinclair Macpherson, Evangeline Tomlinson

Movies
  
The King of Kings, The Ten Commandments, The Cheat, Carmen, The Devil's Brother

Similar People
  
James Neill, Cecil B DeMille, Jesse L Lasky, Jesse L Lasky - Jr, Billy Bitzer

Jeanie Macpherson / Geraldine Farrar Fight Scene: Carmen 1915



Jeanie MacPherson (May 18, 1886 – August 26, 1946) was an American actress, writer, and director from 1908 until the late 1940s. She was a pioneer for women in the film industry. She worked with some of the best filmmakers of the time period including D. W. Griffith and Cecil B. DeMille. While she started in the theater, and then had a brief stint as an actress, she ultimately dedicated her life's work to screenwriting for DeMille. She was appraised for her new level resourcefulness and attentiveness to the needs of DeMille.

Contents

Jeanie MacPherson cecilbdemillejeaniemacpherson61354jpg

Joan the Woman (Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Co. US 1916) Jeanie Macpherson (sc)


Early life

Jeanie MacPherson httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaenthumb5

MacPherson was born Abbie Jean Macpherson in Boston to a wealthy family. Her parents were John S. Macpherson and Evangeline C. Tomlinson. She was a petite, spirited girl of Spanish, Scottish, and French descent. As a teenager she was sent to Mademoiselle DeJacque's school in paris but was forced to leave when her family fell on hard times. She then returned to the United States and began to look for a job.

Jeanie MacPherson Jeanie Macpherson Women Film Pioneers Project

It was back in the United States that MacPherson finished her degree from the prestigious Kenwood Institute in Chicago. It was there, in the windy city of Chicago, where she started her career as a dancer and stage performer. She began her theatrical career in the chorus of the Chicago Opera House. Over the next few years she took singing lessons and took whatever theater-related jobs that she could find. However, she quickly became infatuated with film.

Jeanie MacPherson Jeanie MacPherson Wikipedia

She was quoted as saying, "All I knew was that I wanted to act. Then someone told me about motion pictures, how drama was filmed. I was fascinated. I like mechanics anyway. I hunted all over New York for a studio—and couldn't find one. At last a super told me a man named Griffith was doing pictures for the Biograph Company. Mr. Griffith wasn't in. His assistant was. I told him my stage experience. He ignored it, scorned it. 'We want to know what you can do before a camera.'"

Film career

She made her film debut in 1908 with a short film called the Fatal Hour directed by D. W. Griffith. For the next year she acted in many controversial roles in which she had to portray ethnicities other than her own for Griffith's films. MacPherson had dark hair, so she was often cast in gypsy or Spanish roles, even though she was of Scotch and French origin. From 1908 to 1917 she is accredited with 146 acting credits. She was quoted as looking back on her time with Griffith as her "first glimmer of the possibilities in the new industry [and] from those days on [she had] seen a variety of attitudes toward the script writers."

After Griffith, she went on to the old Universal Company where she was a leading lady. She got her first real opportunity here in 1913, when she wrote, directed, and starred in, The Tarantula (1913) for them. She played the role of a Spanish-Mexican girl, known as the tarantula, whom would get men to become obsessed with her and then once she had their infatuation, she would get bored of them and kill them with a tarantula bite. Due to this film she became the youngest director in motion picture history. The film concluded her directing career. She continued at the old Universal Company for two years until her health caused her to break from the company. Upon her recovery she found herself at Lasky Studios, however, she quickly sought out Cecil B. DeMille to see if she could act in his films. He told her, "I am not interested in star Macpherson but I am in writer Macpherson"; from that point on, she solely focused on writing.

DeMille and MacPherson formed what became one of the most influential and long-lasting partnerships in the industry. She was infatuated with his perfection and force of will, while he was captivated by her high spirited courage. She penned 30 of DeMille's next 34 films. They admired each other; he would provide the crowd shots and epic sense, while she would humanize the heroine. They both loathed weakness, which they defined as a man being degraded and women, who were shallow and money-hungry, looking for a man to take care of them. They both believed in the power of people to change their ways, which many of their scripts showed.

Some of their most notable works are Rose of the Rancho (1914) with Bessie Barriscale, The Girl of the Golden West with Mabel Van Buren, The Cheat (1915) with Sessue Hayakawa, The Golden Chance (1915) with Wallace Reid, Joan the Woman (1916) with Geraldine Farrar, A Romance of the Redwoods (1917) with Mary Pickford, The Little American again with Pickford, and The Woman God Forgot (1917) again with Farrar.

She thoroughly believed that as motion picture owes its psychology to D. W. Griffith, it owes its dramatic picture scenario construction to that of DeMille. Through her pen as a female scenarist she was able to give women a voice in the film writing industry. In 1927, she was one of the founding members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Personal life

The outside world was very skeptical of MacPherson and DeMille's relationship, as some believed that they may be having an affair. In 1921, MacPherson told a reporter, "I shall always be grateful for Mr. DeMille's assistance. He is a hard taskmaster and he demands that a thing shall be perfect... It was hard, but it taught me that anything worth doing at all was worth doing perfectly." It was later confirmed by DeMille's niece that MacPherson was in fact one of his three mistresses.

She was obsessed with flying, and would try to do so daily. She bragged about being the only woman having piloted the plane of the late Lieutenant Locklear, the world’s greatest stunt flier. He gave her the utmost confidence in her skill.

In 1946, MacPherson became ill with cancer while researching Unconquered (1947), a historical drama, and had to stop work. She died that August in Los Angeles at age 60, and was buried at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Hollywood. She was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 6150 Hollywood Blvd.

Filmography

Actress
1923
Hollywood as
Jeanie Macphereson
1917
The Missing Wallet (Short) as
Lucy
1915
Carmen as
Gypsy Girl
1915
Kindling as
Mrs. Burke-Smith's French Maid (uncredited)
1915
The Captive as
Milka
1915
The Girl of the Golden West as
Nina (as Jeane McPherson)
1914
The Ghost Breaker as
Juanita, Carmen's rival (as Jeanne McPherson)
1914
Rose of the Rancho as
Isabelita - Espinoza's Daughter (as Jeanie McPherson)
1914
Nerve (Short) as
Mrs. Frank Croxton
1914
The Undertow (Short) as
A Girl of the Slums
1914
The Outlaw Reforms (Short) as
Mary (as Jeannie MacPherson)
1914
The Desert's Sting (Short) as
Alema
1914
The Merchant of Venice as
Nerissa
1914
The Trap (Short) as
The Trapper's Sweetheart
1914
The Leper's Coat (Short) as
The Christian Scientist
1913
The Moth and the Flame (Short) as
Nellie
1913
The Surrender (Short) as
Miss Vanderholt
1913
The Sea Urchin (Short) as
The Girl
1913
The Proof (Short) as
Edith Norton, John's Wife
1913
The Awakening (Short) as
Irene Farwell
1913
The Scar (Short)
1913
The Tarantula (Short) as
The Tarantula - the Camp Follower
1913
The Violet Bride (Short) as
Cecile - the Bridegroom's Sweetheart
1913
The Curse (Short) as
Helen Willoughby - Duro's Wife
1913
In a Roman Garden (Short) as
Lygia - the Christian Girl
1913
Two Sides to the Story (Short) as
The Wife
1913
His Ideal of Power (Short) as
Helen Weston
1913
The Rugged Coast (Short) as
Dora
1913
On Burning Sands (Short) as
Nell Carter
1912
A Man (Short) as
Sue - the Mountaineer's Daughter
1912
The Toll of the Sea (Short) as
The Fisherman's Wife
1912
The Wreckers (Short) as
The Young Sailor's Sweetheart - the Wrecker's Daughter
1912
The Trysting Tree (Short) as
Alice
1912
Mary Had a Little Lamb (Short) as
Teacher
1912
Revenge Is Sweet (Short) as
One of the Office Girls
1912
Partners for Life (Short) as
Ethel Mayboro - Molly's Friend
1912
The Wooden Indian (Short) as
Grace
1912
The High Cost of Living (Short) as
The Maid
1912
The Butler and the Maid (Short) as
Jennie - the Maid
1912
Her Polished Family (Short) as
Emily Sprouts
1912
The Little Delicatessen Store (Short) as
Lena Swissburger - the Daughter
1912
Mother and Daughters (Short) as
First Daughter
1912
The Eternal Mother (Short) as
In Field
1912
The Two Flats (Short) as
The Widower's Daughter
1911
A Man for All That (Short) as
The Ranchman's Daughter
1911
Home (Short) as
An Actress
1911
The Village Hero (Short) as
Villager (as Jeanie MacPherson)
1911
The Blind Princess and the Poet (Short) as
Court Lady
1911
The Ruling Passion (Short) as
At Dock
1911
Out from the Shadow (Short) as
The Young Widow
1911
The Last Drop of Water (Short) as
In Wagon Train
1911
Bobby, the Coward (Short) as
On Street
1911
Enoch Arden: Part II (Short) as
Ray's Maid
1911
Enoch Arden: Part I (Short) as
On the Beach
1911
The Crooked Road (Short) as
In Pawnshop
1911
The New Dress (Short) as
At Wedding / At Market
1911
A Knight of the Road (Short) as
In Kitchen
1911
Madame Rex (Short)
1911
The Chief's Daughter (Short) as
Indian
1911
The Broken Cross (Short) as
Boarder
1911
The Spanish Gypsy (Short) as
Mariana (as Jeannie MacPherson)
1911
The Lonedale Operator (Short) as
In Payroll Office
1911
Comrades (Short) as
The Maid
1911
Conscience (Short) as
A Maid
1911
Fisher Folks (Short) as
At Wedding
1911
Heart Beats of Long Ago (Short) as
At the Ball
1911
A Wreath of Orange Blossoms (Short) as
A Friend of the Bride
1911
His Trust Fulfilled (Short) as
Woman in Wedding Group
1911
His Trust: The Faithful Devotion and Self-Sacrifice of an Old Negro Servant (Short) as
Woman at Farewell
1911
Help Wanted (Short)
1911
The Midnight Marauder (Short)
1911
The Italian Barber (Short) as
At Ball
1911
The Two Paths (Short) as
At Party
1910
Winning Back His Love (Short) as
A Servant
1910
The Lesson (Short) as
A Friend
1910
His Sister-in-Law (Short) as
Wedding Guest
1910
The Golden Supper (Short) as
Flower Girl (uncredited)
1910
A Child's Stratagem (Short) as
The Secretary
1910
A Plain Song (Short) as
Storemate
1910
Love in Quarantine (Short)
1910
The Troublesome Baby (Short)
1910
Sunshine Sue (Short) as
Sweatshop Employee / Piano Store Employee
1910
The Fugitive (Short) as
Woman in Farewell Crowd
1910
Waiter No. 5 (Short) as
A Maid
1910
Two Little Waifs (Short) as
1st Maid
1910
The Message of the Violin (Short) as
At Reception
1910
A Gold Necklace (Short) as
A Friend
1910
The Iconoclast (Short)
1910
The Oath and the Man (Short) as
Aristocrat
1910
In Life's Cycle (Short)
1910
A Mohawk's Way (Short) as
Indian
1910
Little Angels of Luck (Short) as
At Work
1910
A Summer Idyll (Short) as
At Party
1910
An Old Story with a New Ending (Short) as
In Factory
1910
The Usurer (Short) as
At Luncheon
1910
A Salutary Lesson (Short) as
The Friend
1910
A Flash of Light (Short)
1910
A Child's Faith (Short) as
Well-Wisher
1910
A Victim of Jealousy (Short)
1910
The Impalement (Short)
1910
An Affair of Hearts (Short)
1910
The Way of the World (Short)
1910
The Newlyweds (Short)
1910
The Call (Short)
1909
The Day After (Short) as
Party Guest
1909
To Save Her Soul (Short) as
In Audience
1909
In Little Italy (Short) as
At the Ball
1909
In a Hempen Bag (Short) as
Couple on Road
1909
A Corner in Wheat (Short) as
Banquet Invitee / Visitor to the Grain Elevator (uncredited)
1909
Through the Breakers (Short) as
Caller / At the Soiree
1909
The Death Disc: A Story of the Cromwellian Period (Short) as
One of the Wife's Companions
1909
In the Window Recess (Short) as
Caller
1909
The Trick That Failed (Short) as
At Gallery
1909
The Open Gate (Short) as
One of Hetty's Relatives
1909
A Midnight Adventure (Short)
1909
A Sweet Revenge (Short) as
Alice Baross - the Second Fiancée
1909
Lines of White on a Sullen Sea (Short)
1909
The Seventh Day (Short)
1909
With Her Card (Short)
1909
The Message (Short)
1909
The Peachbasket Hat (Short) as
In Store
1909
Her First Biscuits (Short) as
Secretary
1909
The Faded Lilies (Short)
1909
Lady Helen's Escapade (Short) as
Second Maid (unconfirmed)
1909
Confidence (Short)
1909
The Winning Coat (Short) as
Page (unconfirmed)
1909
A Rude Hostess (Short) as
Maid (unconfirmed)
1909
Trying to Get Arrested (Short)
1909
The Medicine Bottle (Short)
1909
The Curtain Pole (Short) as
Party Planner / Nurse with Buggy
1909
Tragic Love (Short)
1909
A Wreath in Time (Short) as
At Stage Door
1909
Mr. Jones Has a Card Party (Short) as
Guest
1909
The Criminal Hypnotist (Short) as
Party Guest
1909
Mrs. Jones Entertains (Short) as
The Maid
1909
One Touch of Nature (Short) as
First Couple
1908
Mr. Jones at the Ball (Short) as
Guest at Ball
1908
The Christmas Burglars (Short) as
Customer
1908
The Test of Friendship (Short)
1908
Money Mad (Short) as
Bank Customer
1908
The Clubman and the Tramp (Short) as
Dinner Guest
1908
The Taming of the Shrew (Short) as
Wedding Party
1908
Concealing a Burglar (Short) as
Dinner Guest
1908
The Vaquero's Vow (Short)
1908
Father Gets in the Game (Short)
1908
The Devil (Short)
1908
The Fatal Hour (Short)
Writer
1958
The Buccaneer (adaptation)
1947
Unconquered (uncredited)
1944
The Story of Dr. Wassell (contributor to treatment - uncredited)
1943
For Whom the Bell Tolls (contract writer - uncredited)
1942
Reap the Wild Wind (contributing writer - uncredited)
1941
Washington Melodrama (based on a play by - as L. du Rocher Macpherson)
1939
Land of Liberty (narration)
1939
Union Pacific (contributor to screenplay construction - uncredited)
1938
The Buccaneer (adaptation)
1936
The Plainsman (material compiled by - as Jeanie Mac Pherson)
1935
The Crusades (contributor to treatment - uncredited)
1933
The Devil's Brother (adaptation)
1930
Madam Satan (by)
1929
Dynamite (by) / (dialogue)
1929
Evidence (play - as J. DuRocher MacPherson)
1928
The Godless Girl (story) / (titles)
1927
The King of Kings (story)
1926
Young April (adaptation)
1926
Her Man o' War (adaptation)
1926
Red Dice (adaptation)
1925
The Road to Yesterday (adaptation)
1925
The Golden Bed (screenplay)
1924
Triumph (adaptation)
1923
The Ten Commandments (story)
1923
Adam's Rib (screenplay) / (story)
1922
Manslaughter (adaptation)
1922
Saturday Night (screenplay) / (story)
1921
The Affairs of Anatol (by)
1921
Forbidden Fruit (screenplay) / (story "The Golden Chance")
1920
Something to Think About (story)
1919
Male and Female (scenario)
1919
For Better, for Worse (story)
1919
Don't Change Your Husband (story)
1918
Till I Come Back to You (original story)
1918
Old Wives for New (writer)
1918
The Whispering Chorus (writer)
1917
The Devil-Stone
1917
The Woman God Forgot
1917
The Little American (by) / (screenplay - uncredited)
1917
A Romance of the Redwoods (play "Maedchen fuer alles")
1916
Joan the Woman (scenario)
1916
The Dream Girl (story)
1916
The Heart of Nora Flynn (story)
1916
The Love Mask
1915
The Golden Chance (story - as Jeannie Macpherson)
1915
The Cheat (scenario)
1915
Chimmie Fadden Out West
1915
Evidence (play)
1915
The Captive (based on the play by) / (scenario)
1915
The Black Box
1914
The Desert's Sting (Short) (scenario)
1914
The Trap (Short) (story)
1914
The Lie (Short)
1913
Red Margaret, Moonshiner (Short) (writer)
1913
The Sea Urchin (Short) (writer)
1913
The Tarantula (Short) (writer)
Director
1916
The End of the Rainbow
1913
The Tarantula (Short)
Soundtrack
1935
The Crusades (lyrics: "Song of the Crusades" (1935) - uncredited)
Miscellaneous
1934
Cleopatra (researcher - uncredited)
Archive Footage
2004
Cecil B. DeMille: American Epic (TV Movie documentary) as
Self
1985
Proposta in quattro parti (TV Movie documentary)

References

Jeanie MacPherson Wikipedia


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