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Louise Henry (actress)

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Louise Henry
On a German cigarette card, c. 1935
Born
Jessie Louise Heiman

(1911-06-14)June 14, 1911
DiedFebruary 17, 1967(1967-02-17) (aged 55)
New York City, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1934–1939
SpouseSamuel Robert Weltz[1]

Jessie Louise Henry Weltz (June 14, 1911 – February 17, 1967) was an American film actress who worked in Hollywood during the 1930s.

Early years

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Born Jessie Louise Heiman,[2] Henry was the daughter of Dr. Jesse Strauss Heiman, a physician,[3] and his wife, stage actress Louise Henry Heiman.[4] Her father was a Syracuse, New York, native and practiced medicine there[citation needed] until he moved the family to New York City when Henry was 4 years old.[2] Between 1914 and 1916, Henry and her family lived at 1027 Genesee Street in Syracuse.[citation needed] She was educated at Marymount convent in Tarrytown until she reached the high-school level. At that point she went to Paris to study at a branch of Marymount.[2]

Heiman family home Syracuse N.Y.

Career

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While Henry was in France, she became fluent in French and began singing and dancing professionally. Her professional debut occurred in Monte Carlo when she was 14, as she danced at a party given in honor of the Duke of Conought. She declined offers to entertain in Europe, preferring to study in New York and work in stock theater. She performed for several years with a stock company headed by Chamberlain Brown.[2]

By the age of 14 in 1926, Henry was engaged in dancing events throughout Europe and under contract for making movies in Berlin.[citation needed]

Henry went to London in the summer of 1933 to appear as "the American show girl" in a Seymour Hicks production. After returning to the United States, she sang at the Deauville Yacht Club in Miami. Her work there led to a screen test in New York, and the test resulted in a long-term film contract.[2]

Syracuse newspaper articles re: Louise Heiman

Death

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On February 17, 1967, Henry died of cancer in New York City, at the age of 55.[4]

Some sources erroneously give other accounts of Henry's death. Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2011 says, "Actress Louise Henry ... died in Syracuse, New York, on December 12, 2011."[5] The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 23 also gives December 12, 2011, as the date of her death.[6] In contrast, the third edition of Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons says, "Internet stories that she lived to 100 in Syracuse notwithstanding, she was married to Samuel Robert Weltz until her death in New York City from Cancer at 55." A source for such confusion may be that Henry's uncle, Dr. Mark Heiman, lived all of his life with his sister (also Henry's aunt) and her family in the Meadowbrook neighborhood of Syracuse.[4] Henry is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in The Bronx, New York.[4]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1934 Paris Interlude Mary Louise
1934 Hide-Out Lilly - Singer
1934 Forsaking All Others Party Guest Uncredited
1935 Society Doctor Telephone Operator
1935 One New York Night Ermine
1935 The Casino Murder Case Virginia Llewellyn
1935 Reckless Louise
1935 No More Ladies Party Guest Playing Charades Uncredited
1935 Calm Yourself Bobby's Secretary Uncredited
1935 The Murder Man Lillian Hopper
1935 King Solomon of Broadway Nikki Bradbury
1935 Remember Last Night? Penny Whitridge
1935 In Old Kentucky Arlene Shattuck
1936 Exclusive Story Tess Graham
1936 End of the Trail Belle Pearson
1937 The Hit Parade Monica Barrett
1937 Charlie Chan on Broadway Billie Bronson
1937 There Goes the Groom Janet Russell
1937 45 Fathers Elizabeth Carter
1938 The Gaunt Stranger Cora Ann Milton
1939 Charlie Chan in Reno Jeanne Bently (final film role)

References

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  1. ^ The New York Times (July 23, 1985): obituary of husband Samuel Robert Weltz, refers to Henry as being deceased.
  2. ^ a b c d e Grace, Donna (June 13, 1936). "Louise Henry Learned Dance and Stage Arts in Academies of Paris, France". The Omaha Morning Bee-News. p. 13. Retrieved July 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "'Show Must Go On' In Spite of Grief". The San Bernardino County Sun. California, San Bernardino. United Press. September 15, 1935. p. 18. Retrieved October 11, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ a b c d Wilson, Scott (2016). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed. McFarland. p. 334. ISBN 9781476625997. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  5. ^ Lentz, Harris M. III (2012). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2011. McFarland. ISBN 9780786491346. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  6. ^ Jones, Stephen (2012). The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 23. Little, Brown Book Group. ISBN 9781780330914. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
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