Marie Booth Russell
Who was the spouse of Robert B. Mantell from 1899 to Oct 1911?
Robert B . Mantell Robert Bruce Mantell ( 7 February 1854 – 27 June 1928 ) was a noted Shakespearean stage actor who made several silent films . His mother was Elizabeth Bruce Mantell who objected to her son becoming an actor so he used the name Robert Hudson early in his career . Born in Scotland and raised in Dublin , he travelled to the United States in 1874 , but stayed only two weeks with no theatrical success . He returned in 1878 in support of Helena Modjeska but did not stay . In 1883 he found success on Broadway supporting Fanny Davenport as her leading man in Fedora . For the remainder of his theatrical career he played Shakespeare and high class drama . He married several times , and often performed with his wives in Shakespearean productions . His last wife , Genevieve Hamper ( 1888–1971 ) , was 35 years his junior . He began acting in films in 1915 , aged 61 , working at Fox Studios with J . Gordon Edwards , who directed all of his films except the last . Under the Red Robe ( 1923 ) was directed by Alan Crosland and distributed through Goldwyn Pictures . As with most early Fox films , all of Mantells films from that studio are lost . Elements of Under the Red Robe are held at George Eastman House in Rochester , New York . Early life . Robert Bruce Mantell was born on 7 February 1854 in Irvine , Scotland , the third child of James Mantell and his wife Elizabeth Bruce . His mother could reportedly trace her lineage to Robert the Bruce . He was born at the Wheatsheaf Inn , which his parents owned and operated . When Bobbie , as he was known , was five years old , his parents sold the Wheatsheaf and moved to Dublin to take over management of a larger public house , which they named the Eglington-Winton . He attended five different schools and was dismissed from each for disciplinary problems . It was not until he was enrolled at McClintons Seminary that he finally obtained something of a formal education . Career . In Dublin , according to Mantells biographer Clarence J . Bulliet , there was a dramatic club , which young Bob Mantell , semi-clandestinely , because of parental objections , was one of the burning tapers . While his mother approved of such amateur stage productions , she had a horror of the professional stage . When he resolved to pursue a career on the stage , his mother refused to assist him until he swore to change his name to Robert Hudson , and to go to America to ply his craft . With this assurance given , his mother presented Robert with the same little sum of money she had given his older brothers when they started out into the world . However , after a mere 10 days in Boston , with no job and no prospects , Robert was down to exactly enough money to purchase a return ticket . He bought a ticket on the Hecla and returned home to Ireland . His first theatrical job ( still using the name Robert Hudson ) was with a stock company at the Theatre Royal , in Rochdale , Lancashire , where , on 21 October 1876 , he made his stage debut in Dion Boucicaults Arrah-Na-Pogue . The company disbanded after one year , and Mantell joined the Heffernan company , performing abridged versions of Macbeth , Othello , Richard III and Hamlet that were so hydraulically condensed that he could give ten or a dozen performances a day . He joined the company of Alice Marriott , and remained until 1878 when he set sail again for America . Using his real name for the first time , he won the part of Tybalt in the Leyland Opera House production of Romeo and Juliet . There he joined George S . Knights company , portraying Iago in Shakespeares Othello opposite Frank Clement , who played the title character . In Knights company he played several roles in Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet , Hamlet , and Macbeth . In 1883 he again headed to America . His first leading role in America was as Sir Clement Huntingford in The World . He attained critical and popular acclaim in the role of Loris Ipanoff in Fanny Davenports 1883–84 production of Fedora . After that , leading roles came quickly and steadily . He starred in John Kellers Tangled Lives in 1886 , starred in The Marble Heart in 1887 , and in Monbars in 1887–88 . By 1890 , MantQell believed himself strong enough to venture on a tour on his own account , after the fashion of the English actor-managers and pocket all the profits . In 1892 , he opened at New Yorks Proctors Theatre in Charles Osbornes The Face in the Moonlight , with Caroline Miskel , a young actress who was just at the beginning of her brief career on Broadway . In the last 5 years of the 19th century he toured extensively , putting on performances of Monbars , Othello , Hamlet and The Corsican Brothers in town after town , state after state—everywhere but New York . When the lawyers finally resolved his alimony difficulties , Mantell – now significantly older – returned to New York , but not as a romantic lead , as he had been known for so many years , but as a classic tragedian . One of his first leading roles after his return to New York was as Richard III , where he demonstrated that the line of great tragedians on the American stage had not ended with Edwin Booth . Work came easily after that . At one point , he was starring in Richard III one week , Richelieu the second week , Othello the third week , and Hamlet the fourth week in rotation . Mantell played Cawdor in Macbeth many times over , but King Lear was by far his masterwork . He played the role over and over , refining and perfecting it from the 1910s almost until his death . Robert B . Mantell died at his home in Atlantic Highlands , New Jersey on 27 June 1928 . Filmography . - Select Scenes from Monbars ( 1896 short film ) - The Blindness of Devotion ( 1915 ) - The Unfaithful Wife ( 1915 ) - The Green-Eyed Monster ( 1916 ) - A Wifes Sacrifice ( 1916 ) - The Spider and the Fly ( 1916 ) - Tangled Lives ( 1917 ) - Under the Red Robe ( 1923 ) Personal life . Mantell was known for having had several marriages , and often performed with his wives in Shakespearean productions . He married Marie Sheldon , who bore him two sons , Robert Shand and Jack Mantell , but the couple soon divorced . Alimony demands and arrest warrants for nonsupport kept Mantell out of New York for years . He subsequently married Charlotte Behrens who bore him a daughter , Ethel Mantell , in 1895 . His third wife was Marie Booth Russell who had a child from a previous relationship and who died in 1911 . His last wife , Genevieve Hamper ( 1888–1971 ) , was 35 years his junior , and bore him a son , Robert Bruce Mantell Jr . ( 1912–1933 ) . He was close friends with professional wrestler , Alfred Dutch Mantell who took on Roberts last name as his real life last name was too difficult to pronounce . External links . - Robert B . Mantell profile on North American Theatre Online website - Robert B . Mantell photo gallery New York Public Library Billy Rose Collection