Edna Purviance

Olga Edna Purviance was born on 21st October 1895. Her birth place was Paradise Valley, Nevada in the USA. She was born to Louisa Wright Davey and Madison Gates Province. Her family moved to Lovelock in Nevada when she was three. In 1902, her parents got divorced. Later her mother married a German Plumber, Robert Nurnberger. Edna was a brilliant pianist. In San Francisco, Edna worked as a stenographer. At that time Director and Actor Charlie Chaplin Charles Chaplin popularly known as Charlie Chaplin >> Read More... was working in his second film “A Night Out with Essanay” and he was in search of a Leading Lady for his film. One of Chaplin’s assistant saw Edna at Tate Café and suggested her for the role. Chaplin decided to meet her and even though he thought she was more serious for funny roles, she got the job. Edna acted in nearly 13 films in 1915.

She acted as Headwaiter’s wife in “A Night Out”, Trainer’s Daughter in “The Champion”, Nursemaid in “In the Park”, Edna in “A Jitney Elopement”, Farmer’s Daughter in “The Tramp”, Maid in “Work”, Stenographer in “The Bank”. She also appeared as Carmen in “A Burlesque in Carmen”, Daughter of the House in “The Women”, Wife of the Man in “Top Hat” in “By the Sea” in the same year. All these films were directed by Charlie Chaplin. In 1916 Edna appeared in the film “Police” as The Girl. She appeared as a secretary in “The Floorwalker”. It was directed by Charlie Chaplin. It was released on 15 May. She acted like a girl in the film “The Fireman”. She acted as Gypsy Grudge in the film “The Vagabond”. She acted as Miss Moneybags in “The Count”, The Girl in “Behind the Screen” and “The Rink”. She starred as Mission Worker in “Easy Street” in 1917.

Edna then acted in the films “The Cure”, “The Immigrant”, “The Adventure” in 1917. In 1918 she acted in the films “How to Make Movies”, “A Dog’s Life”, “Triple Trouble”, “The Bond”, and “Shoulder Arms”. Edna acted in “Sunnyside” and “A Day’s Pleasure” in 1919. In 1921 she appeared in “The Kid” and “The Idle Class”. She acted as Foreman’s Daughter in the film “Payday”. She acted in the films “The Pilgrim” and “A Women of Paris: A Drama of Fate”. She acted in “A Women of The Sea” in 1926 and “Education of a Prince” in 1927. Then she had a huge break. She came back again in 1947. She acted in the films “Monsieur Verdoux” in 1947 and “Limelight” in 1952. For several years, Chaplin and Purviance were romantically involved but eventually she married ‘A Pan American Airlines’ Pilot, John Squire in 1938. Purviance died due to ‘Throat Cancer’ on January 13, 1958. Her leftovers are interred in California in ‘Grand View Memorial Park Cemetery’.