Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Miriam Seegar 1907-2011

One of the few remaining links to El Brendel's film work in the early 30's had died. Miriam Seegar, who appeared with El in the "Movietone Follies of 1930", passed away on January 2nd at her home in Pasadena. I tried to contact her last year to see if I could get any information on El but was informed by her daughter-in-law that she was very frail and could not respond.


Here is her obit from the L.A. Times:

Miriam Seegar Whelan
Actress became an interior designer


Miriam Seegar Whelan, 103, an actress from the early days of talking films who was married to director Tim Whelan, died Sunday of age-related causes at her home in Pasadena, said her daughter-in-law Harriet Whelan.


After her acting career ended, Whelan became an interior designer in Los Angeles.


She was born Sept. 1, 1907, in Greentown, Ind., where she and her sisters enjoyed play-acting as children. In her teens she joined a traveling group of stage performers in the Midwest and New York. She eventually made her way to London and starred opposite Ernest Truex in a West End production of "Crime."


She began appearing in British films in the late 1920s, earning top billing in "Valley of the Ghosts" (1928). She met her future husband on the set of "When Knights Were Bold," a 1929 film he directed.


After the couple returned to the United States, she starred in such Hollywood films as the 1930
romantic comedy "What a Man," the 1930 western "The Dawn Trail" and the 1932 crime drama "Out of Singapore."

She left acting to raise the two sons she had with Whelan. He died in 1957.


6 comments:

Kiki La Mer said...

She sure had some amazing style. They don't turn out like this nowadays!
I've nominated you for a Stylish Blogger Award! Go here for my post about it - http://rockabillyview.blogspot.com/2011/01/my-first-blog-award-hurrah-and-some.html
Congratulations!

Hery Siswanto said...

wew.... nice post...

Description: said...

gorgeous! I am now googling all those movies to see if I cant rent any of them?! she seems whimsical! love it

Xza Louise said...

What I would do for the dress in the last photo. It is incredible! Stunning stunning stunning. This post is so nice, I love hearing about a time gone by.

I'm stuck in the 40s this week
http://vociferousone.blogspot.com/

Unknown said...

she sure was beautiful

John Smith said...

Just one? Anyone, and everyone, who visits your blog knows that it is a labour of love and a first rate resource on old film. Congratulations!