Norma Phillips

Born to a Southern family and raised in Baltimore, she attended Mount Saint Agnes College in her early years.{{cite news |author= |date=January 4, 1914 |title=Movie Girl To Visit Princes, Potentates And Powers |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sunday-oregonian-movie-girl-to-visit/153880866/ |work=The Sunday Oregonian |access-date=August 26, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} Phillips started her performing background as a musical comedy artist in theater productions. For her New York stage appearances, she was a member of a chorus line including Jeanne Eagels, Helen Broderick, and Ina Claire. Traveling abroad, she was a part of the opening of the West End theatre performance of Come Over Here in 1912. After, she returned to the United States and appeared in an actress star search conducted by Mutual Film, which led to her being chosen by the president of the company as their new star. She was then told to join the Reliance Company and starred in the crime short film Below the Deadline.{{cite news |author= |date=August 2, 1913 |title=Musical Comedy No Longer Charms Her |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-herald-musical-comedy-no-longer/153744389/ |access-date=August 23, 2024 |work=The News-Herald |via=Newspapers.com}} She also played the main role in The Clown's Daughter, where the actors spent several days at Sig Sautelle's Circus practicing for their roles and Phillips trying circus horseback riding.{{cite news |author= |date=September 20, 1913 |title=Reliance Players Enjoy Stay With Circus To Make Picture |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-south-bend-tribune-reliance-players/153825673/ |work=The South Bend Tribune |access-date=August 23, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}

The following year, she gained popularity for appearing in weekly film serials, becoming particularly known as the "Mutual Girl" from the 52 episode serial Our Mutual Girl. The episodes featured Phillips having tea with a different celebrity every week, following the storyline of a young small city girl moving to a big city and becoming involved in high fashion and social life.{{cite news |author= |date=January 11, 1914 |title="Mutual Girl," Big Photoplay, To Run One Year |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/atlanta-georgian-mutual-girl-big-phot/153880972/ |work=Atlanta Georgian |access-date=August 24, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} Her episode entertaining then star Broadway comedian Douglas Fairbanks resulted in his popularity massively increasing afterwards. This would lead to the creation of Triangle Pictures, which signed Fairbanks on to his first film debut in The Lamb.{{cite news |last=Adams |first=Marjory |date=October 17, 1931 |title=Mutual Girl Of Old-Time Films In Boston |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-mutual-girl-of-old-time/153637403/ |work=The Boston Globe |access-date=August 21, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} During the production of Our Mutual Girl, Phillips lived with her mother in New York City, who also accompanied her on her theater and film trips.

After the production of Runaway June in 1915, Phillips took two years off from films and returned in 1917 with a new contract for five films produced by the World Film Company.{{cite news |author= |date=February 11, 1917 |title=Screen Siftings - Norma Phillips |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-lincoln-star-screen-siftings-norma/153991977/ |work=The Lincoln Star |access-date=August 26, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} She later left the film industry permanently, spending several years in theater stock performances, including creating her own Phillips stock company that became one of the most known in the United States, before obtaining roles on Broadway and traveling theater productions. Her last appearance was in Five Star Final in Boston.

Phillips was married to actor Robert Gleckler in 1920, but divorced in 1929. She died at Lutheran Hospital in Brooklyn on November 13, 1931, at the age of 38.{{cite news |author= |date=November 13, 1931 |title=Norma Phillips, Actress, Is Dead |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-burlington-free-press-norma-phillips/153744466/ |work=The Burlington Free Press |access-date=August 23, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |author= |date=November 13, 1931 |title=Norma Philips Dies; Former Screen Star|url= https://www.nytimes.com/1931/11/13/archives/norma-phillips-dies-former-screen-star-was-mutual-girl-in-onereel.html |page=23|access-date=October 2, 2024 |work=The New York Times }} She had been seriously ill for several weeks, following a much longer period of failing health.

• Ashes (1913){{cite news |author= |date=July 26, 1913 |title=A Remarkable Retrospective Film; Each Scene Is Wreathed In Flowers |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-herald-a-remarkable-retrospecti/153825361/ |work=The News-Herald |access-date=August 23, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}
• The Higher Justice (1913){{cite news |author= |date=August 9, 1913 |title=Tuesday: "The Higher Justice" |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/courier-post-tuesday-the-higher-justic/153825471/ |work=Courier-Post |access-date=August 23, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}
• The Girl Spy's Atonement (1913) as the girl spy{{cite news |author= |date=August 31, 1913 |title="The Girl Spy's Atonement" |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-cleveland-leader-the-girl-spys-ato/153825533/ |work=The Cleveland Leader |access-date=August 23, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}
• The Clown's Daughter (1913) as Madge{{cite news |author= |date=September 15, 1913 |title=At the Savoy |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/arkansas-democrat-at-the-savoy/153825602/ |work=Arkansas Democrat |access-date=August 23, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}
• The Glow Worm (1913) as Electra{{cite news |author= |date=September 25, 1913 |title=At The Novelty Today |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-evening-mail-at-the-novelty-today/153880670/ |work=The Evening Mail |access-date=August 24, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}
• Below the Deadline (1913)
• Our Mutual Girl (1914){{cite news |author= |date=March 12, 1914 |title=Film Favorite in Interesting Series |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sacramento-bee-film-favorite-in-inte/153744555/ |work=The Sacramento Bee |access-date=August 23, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}
• Runaway June (1915) as June{{cite news |author= |date=February 1, 1915 |title=Norma Phillips at the Grand |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/reading-times-norma-phillips-at-the-gran/153635745/ |work=Reading Times |access-date=August 21, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}
• Red Light Annie (1924) as Annie{{cite news |last=Taaffe |first=Agnes |date=September 6, 1924 |title='Little Jessie James,' 'Red Light Annie' Here |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-minneapolis-star-little-jessie-jame/153637305/ |work=The Minneapolis Star |access-date=August 21, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}

• Jumping Jupiter (1911){{cite news |author= |date=January 7, 1911 |title="Jumping Jupiter" |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/ledger-star-jumping-jupiter/153825132/ |work=Ledger-Star |access-date=August 23, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}
• John W. Blake (1916){{cite news |author= |date=August 15, 1916 |title=Irvin Cobb One Of John W. Blake's Authors |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-allentown-democrat-irvin-cobb-one-of/153991885/ |work=The Allentown Democrat |access-date=August 26, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}
• Parents (1928){{cite news |author= |date=September 16, 1928 |title=Three Keith Acts and Feature Film A Perfect Crime Open at Bijou Today |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/battle-creek-enquirer-three-keith-acts-a/153743888/ |work=Battle Creek Enquirer |access-date=August 21, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}

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Category:1893 births

Category:1931 deaths

Category:Actresses from Baltimore

Category:20th-century American actresses

Category:American film actresses

Category:American silent film actresses

Category:American stage actresses

Category:Year of birth uncertain