Lillian "Billie" Brockwell (née Voltaire; February 1, 1875 – January 30, 1949) was an early 20th-century American actress and scriptwriter.

Career

edit

After performing as a chorus girl in vaudeville, Brockwell entered the film industry in 1913, aged 38, and was continually cast as either a wife or mother. She appeared mainly in one-reel films that took around a week to produce. Her work for Keystone included Hogan Out West (1915) and The Village Vampire (1916).[1]

She returned to films in 1929 following the death of her daughter, actress Gladys Brockwell, in an automobile accident.[2]

Personal life

edit

Brockwell married H. R. Lindeman[3] and had a daughter, Gladys Brockwell, who became an actress.[4]

The Brockwells performed together in 1912 productions by a company sponsored by the San Joaquin Valley Theatrical Managers' Association. Gladys was the leading woman, and Lillian portrayed a dance-hall girl.[5]

Death

edit

She died of arterosclerosis on January 30, 1949, in Westwood, Los Angeles, two days before her 74th birthday. She was cremated and her remains are in the columbarium at Inglewood Park Cemetery on the outskirts of Los Angeles.[4]

Film Roles

edit

Scriptwriter

edit

She wrote under the name of Lillian V. Brockwell.

References

edit
  1. ^ Balducci, Anthony (10 January 2014). The Funny Parts: A History of Film Comedy Routines and Gags. McFarland. p. 99. ISBN 978-0-7864-8893-3. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  2. ^ "Billie Brockwell to Work". The Los Angeles Times. August 1, 1929. p. 35. Retrieved January 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Golden, Eve (13 November 2015). Golden Images: 41 Essays on Silent Film Stars. McFarland. p. 8. ISBN 978-0-7864-8354-9. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  4. ^ a b Wilson, Scott (19 August 2016). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed. McFarland. p. 89. ISBN 978-1-4766-2599-7. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  5. ^ "Large houses greet the plays". Hanford Kings County Sentinel. California, Hanford. October 17, 1912. p. 5. Retrieved January 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Billie Brockwell".[dead link]