Blanche Payson

Who was Blanche Payson?

Blanche Payson was an American film actress. She was born Mary Elizabeth to parents Thomas and Sarah Bush. A popular story was that before beginning her career in films, she was one of the first women admitted to the NYC Police Force as a patrolwoman. This story is untrue as women were not included in the police department until 1918. The story was probably devised by Mack Sennett as a publicity stunt. In reality, she was married to Eugene Payson in San Francisco prior to 1910, who died before 1915. Blanche Payson then moved from San Francisco to Los Angeles and began her film career with the Mack Sennett studio, appearing in short films in mostly uncredited roles. She appeared in 123 films between 1916 and 1946. At 6 foot 2 inches, she towered over both men and women co-stars in the many slapstick comedies she appeared, as a foil for such comedians as The Three Stooges, Laurel and Hardy and similar popular acts of the time.

She was born in Santa Barbara, California and died in Hollywood, California.