Dorothy Sebastian

Dorothy Sebastian

1903-04-26 – 1957-04-08 (age 53) Birmingham, Alabama, USA
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Biography

From Wikipedia

Dorothy Sebastian (April 26, 1903 – April 8, 1957) was an American film and stage actress.

Sebastian was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. In her youth, she aspired to be a dancer and a film actress. Her family frowned on both ambitions, however, so she fled to New York at the age of 15. Upon her arrival in New York City, Sebastian's southern drawl was thick enough to "cut with a knife". She followed around theatrical agents before returning at night to a $12-a-month room, after being consistently rejected.

Sebastian's first contact in Hollywood was Robert Kane, who gave her a film test at United Studios. She performed in George White's Scandals and later co-starred with Joan Crawford and Anita Page for a popular series of MGM romantic dramas including Our Dancing Daughters (1928) and Our Blushing Brides (1930). Sebastian also appeared in 1929's Spite Marriage, wherein she was cast opposite her then-lover Buster Keaton.

By the mid-1930s, Sebastian was semi-retired from acting after marrying Hopalong Cassidy star William Boyd. After their 1936 divorce, she returned to acting appearing in mostly bit parts. Her last onscreen appearance was in the 1948 film The Miracle of the Bells.

Sebastian married actor William Boyd in December 1930 in Las Vegas, Nevada. They began a relationship after meeting on the set of His First Command in 1929. They divorced in 1936.

In 1947, Sebastian married Miami Beach businessman Harold Shapiro to whom she remained married until her death.

On April 8, 1957, Sebastian died of cancer at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California. She is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.

For her contribution to the motion picture industry, Dorothy Sebastian has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6655 Hollywood Blvd.

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Known For

The Women
The Women

1939

as Saleswoman Pat (uncredited)

Show People
Show People

1928

as Self (uncredited)

The Miracle of the Bells
The Miracle of the Bells

1948

as Miss Katie Orwin (uncredited)

The Rounder
The Rounder

1930

as Ethel Dalton

Torrent
Torrent

1926

as Woman in Audience (uncredited)

California
California

1927

as Carlotta del Rey

The Isle of Forgotten Women
Free and Easy
Free and Easy

1930

as Cave Scene

Spite Marriage
Spite Marriage

1929

as Trilby Drew

The Rainbow
The Rainbow

1929

as Lola

The Big Gamble
The Big Gamble

1931

as Beverly Ames Beckwith

Days of Jesse James
Days of Jesse James

1939

as Zerilda James (uncredited)

You'd Be Surprised
You'd Be Surprised

1926

as Dorothy

Our Blushing Brides
Our Blushing Brides

1930

as Francine 'Franky' Daniels

The Life of Vergie Winters
Love
Love

1927

as Spectator at Race (uncredited)

A Woman of Affairs
A Woman of Affairs

1928

as Constance

Hell's Island
Hell's Island

1930

as Marie

Officer O'Brien
Officer O'Brien

1930

as Ruth Dale

The Demi-Bride
The Demi-Bride

1927

as Lola