Elsa Benham
{{Use American English|date=July 2020}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{short description|American actress}}
{{Infobox person
|name=
|image=The Air Patrol (1928) - 2.jpg
|caption=Still from The Air Patrol (1928) with Benham at left
|birth_date={{Birth date|1908|11|20}}
|birth_place=St. Louis, Missouri
|death_date={{Death date and age|1995|4|20|1908|11|20}}
|death_place=Dallas, Texas
|occupation=Film actress, dancer
}}
Elsa Benham (November 20, 1908{{cite book|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VnGeCQAAQBAJ&dq=%22Elsa+Benham%22&pg=PA24|chapter=Benham, Elsa|page=24|title=A Biographical Dictionary of Silent Film Western Actors and Actresses|author=George A. Katchmer|year=2015|publisher=McFarland & Company|isbn=9781476609058 }} – April 20, 1995, Dallas, Texas{{cite work|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba901a8ff|title=Elsa Benham|work=British Film Institute|accessdate=July 18, 2021}}) was a dancer and silent film actress.
Early life
Benham was born in St. Louis, Missouri. She and her family moved to Hollywood during her early childhood.{{cite news |title=Elsa Benham, From Missouri, Admit (sic) 'Wilson Showed Me' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78957777/elsa-benham/ |access-date=June 4, 2021 |work=The Press-Tribune |date=February 22, 1928 |location=California, Roseville |page=8|via = Newspapers.com}}
Career
Benham was Theodore Kosloff's dancing partner{{cite news |title=Fighting with Buffalo Bill, new adventure picture, here on Tuesday |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78907526/elsa-benham/ |access-date=June 4, 2021 |work=Times-Advocate |date=December 3, 1926 |location=California, Escondido |page=3|via = Newspapers.com}} and was discovered by film director James Cruze as a member of the Kosloff Ballet when she performed in the film Hollywood (1923). Cruz signed her to a small part in a movie he was making. Her career progressed quickly as she secured roles in Dick Turpin (1925) with Tom Mix and The Phantom of the Opera (1925), which starred Mary Philbin and Lon Chaney.{{cite news |title=New name on list of film beauties |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78907994/elsa-benham/ |access-date=June 4, 2021 |work=The Los Angeles Times |date=March 8, 1925 |page=Part III - 26|via = Newspapers.com}}
In 1925 Benham won a popularity contest conducted by the West Hollywood Business Men's Association. It was entered by many film actresses. She was awarded a diamond ring for winning. Press reports compared her appearance to actress Barbara La Marr, though Benham was many years younger. Benham was about 5'2" in height, 110 lbs. with hazel eyes, and brown hair.
Benham had a brief tenure as a Hollywood actress. Most of her screen credits are in western films. Some of the titles are Fighting With Buffalo Bill (1926), Speeding Hoofs (1927), and Code of the Cow Country (1927).
Filmography
- Rough Ridin' (1924)
- Dick Turpin (1925)
- The Phantom of the Opera (1925)
- Fighting with Buffalo Bill (1926)
- In Broncho Land (1926)
- Speeding Hoofs (1927)
- Western Courage (1927)
- The Two Fister (1927)
- Menace of the Mounted (1927)
- The Iron Rider (1927)
- Code of the Cow Country (1927){{cite journal|title=Film Reviews: Code of the Cow Country|journal=Variety|volume= 87|issue=9|date=June 15, 1927|page= 25}}
- Speeding Hoofs (1927)
- The Air Patrol (1928){{cite journal|title=Film Reviews: THE AIR PATROL|journal=Variety|volume=90|issue=1|date=January 18, 1928|page= 19}}
References
{{reflist}}
- Los Angeles Times, How do you like these Newcomers?, March 25, 1925, Page C4.
External links
{{commons category|Elsa Benham}}
- {{IMDb name|0071128}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Benham, Elsa}}
Category:Actresses from St. Louis
Category:American film actresses
Category:American silent film actresses
Category:Western (genre) film actresses
Category:American female dancers
Category:20th-century American actresses
Category:20th-century American dancers
{{US-film-actor-1900s-stub}}