Unmarked Grave
Marian Swayne was born in Philadelphia to parents Dr. Howard Roeder Swayne and Laura May Kerr. She started her career as a stage ingénue but turned to films in 1911 with the Solax Film Company operated by Alice Guy Blache and her husband, Herbert Blache. With her soulful expression she quickly rose to become the studio's leading lady. She made dozens of films for Solax over the next five years, both shorts and features. In 1914 she married fellow Solax actor and sometime director, Joseph Levering. Around 1916-1917 Marian left Solax, probably on the advice of her husband who had also left. This decision would prove unwise in the long run. Although she made a couple of films at A-list studios such as Thanhouser and Fox, she never achieved the status that she had at Solax under the tutelage of Alice Guy Blache. Within a couple of years both Marian and her husband were working at "poverty row" studios, usually together. Marian made her last film, Heart of Alaska, in 1924. Around 1930 Joseph Levering either left or abandoned Marian in New York to try to get work in Hollywood. They were divorced around 1932. Joseph never attained the prestige he was hoping for and he ended up directing B-grade westerns for the Larry Darmour Studios. In the early 40's he began having chronic heart problems & died in 1943 in Kansas City where he had been staying with family. By this time Marian had been on her own for quite sometime and had begun working as an actress in radio. Marian died in 1973 in New York City. She never remarried or had any children. She was buried in Pennsylvania with her family. Marian and her parents are in unmarked graves.
Marian Swayne was born in Philadelphia to parents Dr. Howard Roeder Swayne and Laura May Kerr. She started her career as a stage ingénue but turned to films in 1911 with the Solax Film Company operated by Alice Guy Blache and her husband, Herbert Blache. With her soulful expression she quickly rose to become the studio's leading lady. She made dozens of films for Solax over the next five years, both shorts and features. In 1914 she married fellow Solax actor and sometime director, Joseph Levering. Around 1916-1917 Marian left Solax, probably on the advice of her husband who had also left. This decision would prove unwise in the long run. Although she made a couple of films at A-list studios such as Thanhouser and Fox, she never achieved the status that she had at Solax under the tutelage of Alice Guy Blache. Within a couple of years both Marian and her husband were working at "poverty row" studios, usually together. Marian made her last film, Heart of Alaska, in 1924. Around 1930 Joseph Levering either left or abandoned Marian in New York to try to get work in Hollywood. They were divorced around 1932. Joseph never attained the prestige he was hoping for and he ended up directing B-grade westerns for the Larry Darmour Studios. In the early 40's he began having chronic heart problems & died in 1943 in Kansas City where he had been staying with family. By this time Marian had been on her own for quite sometime and had begun working as an actress in radio. Marian died in 1973 in New York City. She never remarried or had any children. She was buried in Pennsylvania with her family. Marian and her parents are in unmarked graves.
Unmarked Grave
Marian Swayne was born in Philadelphia to parents Dr. Howard Roeder Swayne and Laura May Kerr. She started her career as a stage ingénue but turned to films in 1911 with the Solax Film Company operated by Alice Guy Blache and her husband, Herbert Blache. With her soulful expression she quickly rose to become the studio's leading lady. She made dozens of films for Solax over the next five years, both shorts and features. In 1914 she married fellow Solax actor and sometime director, Joseph Levering. Around 1916-1917 Marian left Solax, probably on the advice of her husband who had also left. This decision would prove unwise in the long run. Although she made a couple of films at A-list studios such as Thanhouser and Fox, she never achieved the status that she had at Solax under the tutelage of Alice Guy Blache. Within a couple of years both Marian and her husband were working at "poverty row" studios, usually together. Marian made her last film, Heart of Alaska, in 1924. Around 1930 Joseph Levering either left or abandoned Marian in New York to try to get work in Hollywood. They were divorced around 1932. Joseph never attained the prestige he was hoping for and he ended up directing B-grade westerns for the Larry Darmour Studios. In the early 40's he began having chronic heart problems & died in 1943 in Kansas City where he had been staying with family. By this time Marian had been on her own for quite sometime and had begun working as an actress in radio. Marian died in 1973 in New York City. She never remarried or had any children. She was buried in Pennsylvania with her family. Marian and her parents are in unmarked graves.
Marian Swayne was born in Philadelphia to parents Dr. Howard Roeder Swayne and Laura May Kerr. She started her career as a stage ingénue but turned to films in 1911 with the Solax Film Company operated by Alice Guy Blache and her husband, Herbert Blache. With her soulful expression she quickly rose to become the studio's leading lady. She made dozens of films for Solax over the next five years, both shorts and features. In 1914 she married fellow Solax actor and sometime director, Joseph Levering. Around 1916-1917 Marian left Solax, probably on the advice of her husband who had also left. This decision would prove unwise in the long run. Although she made a couple of films at A-list studios such as Thanhouser and Fox, she never achieved the status that she had at Solax under the tutelage of Alice Guy Blache. Within a couple of years both Marian and her husband were working at "poverty row" studios, usually together. Marian made her last film, Heart of Alaska, in 1924. Around 1930 Joseph Levering either left or abandoned Marian in New York to try to get work in Hollywood. They were divorced around 1932. Joseph never attained the prestige he was hoping for and he ended up directing B-grade westerns for the Larry Darmour Studios. In the early 40's he began having chronic heart problems & died in 1943 in Kansas City where he had been staying with family. By this time Marian had been on her own for quite sometime and had begun working as an actress in radio. Marian died in 1973 in New York City. She never remarried or had any children. She was buried in Pennsylvania with her family. Marian and her parents are in unmarked graves.
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