Dorothy Davenport

Acting

Dorothy Davenport

Born 1895-03-13 · Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Dorothy Davenport (March 13, 1895 – October 12, 1977) was an American actress, screenwriter, film director, and producer who appeared in silent film for Biograph Studios under the direction of D.W. Griffith. While filming on location in Oregon for The Valley of the Giants (1919), Wallace Reid was injured in a train wreck. As a remedy for the pain from this injury, studio doctors administered large doses of morphine to Reid to which he became addicted. Reid's health slowly grew worse over the next few years, and he died of the addiction in 1923. After Reid's death, Davenport and Thomas Ince co-produced the film Human Wreckage (1923) with James Kirkwood, Sr., Bessie Love and Lucille Ricksen, a film that dealt with the dangers of narcotics addiction. Davenport took Human Wreckage on a roadshow engagement, followed up with another "social conscience" picture about excessive mother-love called Broken Laws in 1924, again billed as "Mrs. Wallace Reid" to capitalize on her husband's notorious death. She then produced The Red Kimona (1925) about white slavery. On screen she opens the film in silent narration or prologue. The details of the latter film were so realistic that Davenport was successfully sued. She would later direct Linda (1929), Sucker Money (1933), Road to Ruin (1934), and The Woman Condemned (1934) and worked as a producer, writer, and dialogue director. Among her last credits are co-author of the screenplay for Footsteps in the Fog (1955), and as dialogue director for The First Traveling Saleslady (1956) with Ginger Rogers. She and husband Wallace Reid had two children. She was married to him until his death on January 18, 1923. She never remarried. Dorothy Davenport died at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in 1977 in Woodland Hills, California. She is interred with her husband in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale. Description above from the Wikipedia article Dorothy Davenport, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Acting credits

The Road to Ruin poster
4.3

A young girl gets involved with a crowd that smokes marijuana, drinks and has sex. She winds up an alcoholic, pregnant drug addict and is forced to get an abortion.

The Road to Ruin

1934

The Unattainable poster
NR

An actress falls in love with a shepherd, to the dismay of a wealthy suitor.

The Unattainable

1916

Doctor Neighbor poster
NR

Against the wishes of Doctor Neighbor, the guardian who also loves her, Hazel, who is due to inherit a fortune when she turns 21, marries district attorney Hamilton Rogers, a man more devoted to Hazel's future bank account than to her.

Doctor Neighbor

1916

No artwork available
5.0

The poor man, professing love for his family, drinks what he presumes to be poison in order to make a thousand dollars for them, but the drink proves to be harmless.

The Test

1914

Hellship Bronson poster
8.0

A ship's captain, believing that his wife has cheated on him, takes their young son and leaves her. he comes back 20 years later. His wife stows away on his ship when he leaves, hoping to see her son, who is aboard. She takes along with her Mary, the daughter of a woman the captain once loved. Complications ensue.

Hellship Bronson

1928

No artwork available
NR

A young mountaineer loves Dorothy, daughter of a backwoodsman. An artist comes into the district to paint and falls in love with Lucille, Dorothy's sister. Dorothy is interested in the artist on account of her sister's love for him, and she poses.

The Mountaineer

1914

Barriers of Society poster
NR

When penniless Westie Phillips briefly meets wealthy Martha Gorham, he falls in love, but Martha forgets the encounter. Harry Arnold, courting Martha, invites her out sailing and arranges to have the yacht wrecked near an uncharted island so that he can be alone with her until rescuers arrive. Meanwhile, without knowing Martha is on board, Westie secures a position on the yacht.

Barriers of Society

1916

Man Hunt poster
7.0

A teen detective tries to help a jewel thief's daughter.

Man Hunt

1933

The Way of the World poster
1.0

Gubernatorial candidate Walter Croyden is in love with Beatrice, but he acts obnoxiously when he drinks, so she flees to Europe to re-evaluate the relationship.

The Way of the World

1916

No artwork available
NR

Two friends, Tad and Jack, are conversing with each other at the Club, when Dr. Matthews, the wealthiest man in town, enters. In contemplating the rich man, the two young men speculate as to whether or not, with all his wealth, he is happy. The argument leads them to a wager. Tad bets $1,000 that there is something in the physician's life he would hate to have known, and that as a consequence he is unhappy. Jack accepts the bet.

The Skeleton

1914

No artwork available
NR

Much to the delight of the simple old father, his daughter becomes engaged to a big-hearted mountaineer. He builds their hut in the wilderness, and she is happy, though she often dreams of the great world outside. Then comes the intruder from the city, a man of the world. He obtains hoard at the girl's home. He blinds her eyes to the beautiful things of the; woods with his talk of pretty places and things of the great world without. He tempts and wins her away from the big-hearted backwoodsman. The young mountaineer, who has been working on his cabin, returns and finds the old man dozing and the girl gone.

The Intruder

1914

No artwork available
NR

Dorothy and her father have staked all their hopes on their mine. While they are awaiting the arrival of Mr. Reid, who is to report on the value of the mine, Pedro, a Mexican, makes familiar advances to Dorothy and is sternly repulsed. Reid arrives and a mutual attraction springs up between himself and Dorothy, to the chagrin of Pedro.

Retribution

1913

Her Indian Hero poster
4.7

The Chief's son, Silver Water, returns from college and is met at the station by the tribe. The Indians make merry to celebrate his homecoming. Hal Benton, an easterner, rides on to ask his way to the hotel, where he is stopping with some friends, among them his fiancée, Veda Mead, and her father. Knowing that the Indian ceremonies will interest his friends, Hal obtains permission to come the next day and bring his friends. The Chief calls Morning Star, an Indian maiden, telling his son that she is to be his squaw. Silver Water is pleased with her. The next day Hal Benton and his friends arrive. While the others inspect the camp, Veda Mead amuses herself with Silver Water and ere long is thoroughly infatuated with him, while the Indian's vanity is touched by the attentions of the society coquette, and he promises to meet her the next day. Their little tete-a-tete is cut short by the entrance of Morning Star.

Her Indian Hero

1912

The Devil's Bondwoman poster
NR

After a prologue that takes place in Hell, young millionaire Mason Van Horton becomes involved with Doria, the vampish wife of influential businessman John Manners. When Mason falls in love with Beverly Hope, however, he rejects Doria, who, out of revenge, tells John that Mason tried to seduce her and then begs her husband to ruin him.

The Devil's Bondwoman

1916

No artwork available
NR

Randall is a rich mine owner whose business affairs cause him to neglect his somewhat frivolous wife. There is a mutual friend whom Randall carelessly allows to entertain his wife. As a result, the friend pays more than natural attentions to the woman. The three visit one of Randall's mines. The wife and friend go down the mining shaft in a bucket. While they are yet underground, a quantity of dynamite explodes. The mine is filled with poisonous fumes.

A Flash in the Dark

1914

A Yoke of Gold poster
NR

During the days of the California missions, Jose Garcia becomes friends with Luis Lopez, a local Robin Hood determined to redistribute among the poor the loot of the rich. Inspired by Luis, Jose sets out to rob the home of wealthy landowner Don Ortega. On the way, however, Jose gets lost in the desert and is nearly dead when he is found by Don Ortega's aristocratic cousin, Castro Arrellanes, and Castro's daughter Carmen, who take him in and nurse him back to health. Jose quickly falls in love with Carmen, and as a result, renounces his plan of robbing the rich. Then, he learns that Luis has made plans to break into Don Ortega's house.

A Yoke of Gold

1916

No artwork available
NR

Dr. Frank Rosslyn, known to the world as a prominent physician, is in reality the head of a quack medical concern which dispenses patent medicines and advertises extensively.

The Quack

1914

The Spider and Her Web poster
NR

The story concerns the reformation of a fast woman who runs a gambling establishment. Her one fear is of death and her regeneration is brought about.

The Spider and Her Web

1914

The Test of Manhood poster
10.0

Harry Wentworth is the profligate son of a ranch owner. His father is tired of Harry's irresponsible drinking and gambling and banishes him from home. Harry becomes a sailor, but right away gets in trouble with the captain. The hard work does him good, however, and when he feels he's had enough of the captain's brutality, he escapes overboard with a couple of friends, whom he takes to his father's ranch. Back home he discovers that his father is in danger of losing his ranch to scheming lawyer Jim Martin. Martin is in love with Ethel Crandall, the sister of gambler Ralph Crandall.

The Test of Manhood

1914

The Scarlet Crystal poster
NR

Priscilla Worth, an innocent country girl, goes to the city to visit her aunt, who has sent for her, thinking that her childlike simplicity will afford a welcome relief to Vincent Morgan, a wealthy bachelor and man-about-town. The plan works, but soon after Vincent and Priscilla's marriage, Vincent, besieged by his friends to return to his gay life and suspicious of his wife's relationship with Durant--an artist who has painted her portrait--yields to temptation.

The Scarlet Crystal

1917

No artwork available
NR

Brutal sea captain, Wolf Larsen forces Humphrey Van Weyden and Maud Brewster into servitude aboard his ship, The Ghost. Maud, initially unimpressed by Humphrey's perceived weakness, finds a contrast in Larsen's harsh leadership. The film culminates in a confrontation where Larsen attacks Maud, leading to an escape attempt by the pair and their eventual rescue.

The Spark of Manhood

1913

No artwork available
NR

The wife takes with her their small daughter, leaving the son to the care of the father. The forlorn woman wanders into a fishing village, and is taken into a kindly fisherman's family. To more surely separate herself from the world that knows her. She assumes her maiden name. Many years afterward the father and the son, now grown, pass through the village. The son becomes acquainted with his own sister, knowing nothing of the relationship, and falls in love with her. He persuades his father to spend his season at a summer resort nearby. Later, the son and the daughter are secretly married. The girl leaves a note for her mother, telling her of the act. The mother follows to the parsonage, and then the summer resort, where she overtakes the couple.

The Fruit of Evil

1914

His Only Son poster
NR

Bob Madden returns home slightly intoxicated and his father angrily commands him to leave the place and shift for himself. The next morning he goes, leaving his father a note: "Dear Dad, I am going out West and try to make a man of myself. I hope some day you will be proud of me. Your son. Bob."

His Only Son

1912

Women and Roses poster
NR

Wallace's mother is the faded rose, his wife the pink rose and his mistress the red rose.

Women and Roses

1914

Behind the camera

The Road to Ruin poster
4.3

A young girl gets involved with a crowd that smokes marijuana, drinks and has sex. She winds up an alcoholic, pregnant drug addict and is forced to get an abortion.

The Road to Ruin

1934

The Road to Ruin poster
4.3

A young girl gets involved with a crowd that smokes marijuana, drinks and has sex. She winds up an alcoholic, pregnant drug addict and is forced to get an abortion.

The Road to Ruin

1934

Prison Break poster
6.3

Story of a tuna fisherman who has been wrongfully convicted of a murder he did not commit. His exemplary behavior in prison ensures that he is up for early parole. He realizes, however, that his movements will be limited, and he will be unable to join and wed his beloved. The only solution is to escape and hunt down the real killer, himself.

Prison Break

1938

Footsteps in the Fog poster
7.0

A Victorian-era murder mystery about a parlour maid who discovers that her employer may have killed his first wife.

Footsteps in the Fog

1955

Impact poster
6.1

After surviving a murder attempt, an auto magnate goes into hiding so his wife can pay for the crime.

Impact

1949

Honeymoon Limited poster
5.8

A publisher bets an author that he won't be able to write a romantic adventure novel while on a walking trip from New York to San Francisco.

Honeymoon Limited

1935

Honeymoon Limited poster
5.8

A publisher bets an author that he won't be able to write a romantic adventure novel while on a walking trip from New York to San Francisco.

Honeymoon Limited

1935

Redhead poster
8.0

A girl marries a playboy from a rich family, expecting a life of comfort and luxury. However, her new father-in-law turns his ne'er-do-well son out into the street with no money, and promises the girl that if she can make a man out of her new husband, the father will give her $10,000 and see that she gets a quick divorce.

Redhead

1934

Rhubarb poster
5.8

Rich, eccentric T.J. Banner adopts a feral cat who becomes an affectionate pet he names Rhubarb. Then T.J. dies, leaving to Rhubarb most of his money and a pro baseball team, the Brooklyn Loons. When the team protests, publicist Eric Yeager convinces them Rhubarb is good luck. But Eric's fiancée Polly seems to be allergic to cats, and the team's success may mean new hazards for Rhubarb.

Rhubarb

1951

The Woman Condemned poster
4.6

When a radio star is found murdered in her home, everyone assumes that the mysterious young woman discovered with her is the culprit — everyone, that is, but newspaper reporter Jerry Beall, who sets out to prove her innocence.

The Woman Condemned

1934

Women Must Dress poster
3.5

A divorced woman finds success as a fashion designer.

Women Must Dress

1935

Haunted House poster
5.2

Teenagers try to clear a friend accused of murder.

Haunted House

1940

Redhead poster
5.1

A wealthy businessman's irresponsible son and a down-on-her-luck model enter into a marriage of convenience, and end up falling in love.

Redhead

1941

Who Killed Doc Robbin? poster
4.2

A group of people find themselves trapped in a creepy mansion, complete with secret passageways, a mad doctor and a murderous gorilla.

Who Killed Doc Robbin?

1948

The Red Kimona poster
5.8

A woman is abandoned by her lover and prostitution is the only way she has to survive.

The Red Kimona

1925

Drums of the Desert poster
5.5

On his way to a post as special adviser of the new parachute troops of the French Foreign Legion in Morocco, Paul Dumont meets the beautiful Helene on the ship. A romance ensues, but the two decide to part when Paul learns that Helene is the fiancée of his best friend and fellow officer Raoul. Raoul is wounded during an Arab attack and the wedding is postponed, and Helene and Paul are thrown together and find it impossible to hide their feelings. The meet in the tent of Hassan, a fortune teller, not knowing the tent is a storage place for arms and ammunition belonging to Addullah, an Arab leader determined to avenge the death of his brother Ben Ali.

Drums of the Desert

1940

The Red Kimona poster
5.8

A woman is abandoned by her lover and prostitution is the only way she has to survive.

The Red Kimona

1925

The Red Kimona poster
5.8

A woman is abandoned by her lover and prostitution is the only way she has to survive.

The Red Kimona

1925

Linda poster
7.5

A young woman is forced by her abusive father to marry an older man even though she is in love with a kindly young doctor.

Linda

1929

On the Spot poster
5.8

Frankie Kelly is the soda jerk and embryo scientist in Midvales only drugstore. Two murders and an attempted killing suddenly swing Midvale into national prominence. Frankie and his pal, Jefferson, become involved when a wounded gangster starts to tell them where $300,000 in stolen loot is hidden, but he is murdered before he can give them all of the information. The search is on.

On the Spot

1940

The Old Swimmin' Hole poster
7.0

Teenager Betty Elliott has decided to take over the business and social affairs of her father Doc Elliott. She thinks her father should marry the widowed mother, Julie Harper, of her boyfriend Chris Harper. Doc has been a real friend and father to Chris, who, under his guidance, has learned to take care of all the sick animals in town, but lack of money keeps the widow from sending Chris on to finish high school and medical training is out of the question. Wealthy Grandpa Harper sends his attorney Baker to tell Mrs. Harper that all of Jimmy's dreams could be realized if the widow, whom the grandfather dislikes, would give up custody of her son. The lawyer also begins to court Julie and this throws a kink in Betty's plans to see her father and the widow get married. Written by Les Adams

The Old Swimmin' Hole

1940

Sucker Money poster
5.3

A phony spiritualist hypnotizes the daughter of a wealthy banker in a scheme to swindle the banker out of his money. A reporter investigating the swami discovers the plot, determines to expose it.

Sucker Money

1933

A Bride for Henry poster
6.0

On the day of her wedding a young woman's fiancé doesn't show up, sleeping off the results of the previous night's wild bachelor party. Miffed, the woman decides to go ahead with the wedding anyway to teach her fiancé a lesson, so she calls her lawyer, Henry, and has him stand in for her missing groom. She intends to divorce her new "husband" at the first opportunity, but Henry--who has been in love with her for a long time--is determined to win his "wife's" hand.

A Bride for Henry

1937

Human Wreckage poster
7.0

An attorney's wife is determined to fight the evils of addictive substances.

Human Wreckage

1923