Edythe Chapman

Who was Edythe Chapman?

Edythe Chapman, was an American stage and silent film actress from Rochester, New York. As early as 1898 she appeared in New York, New York in the Charity Ball. Edythe performed at the Shubert Theater in Brooklyn, New York in a production of The Light Eternal in 1907. The play was a romantic drama of early Rome which was supported by a cast of approximately 100 people.

Mrs. Chapman played maternal roles in numerous silent motion pictures and became known in the 1920s as Hollywood's Mother. She played Ma Jones in the film version of Lightnin', a screen production which featured Will Rogers. Edythe was Grandmother Janeway in Man Crazy. The film starred Dorothy Mackaill and Jack Mulhall. Chapman was praised by reviewers for her performance.

Miss Chapman came to Hollywood around 1909 with her husband, screen and stage actor, James Neill. The couple met in Cincinnati, Ohio when Miss Chapman was working in Mr. Neill's stock company. They were married in 1897. The two began making movies with Cecil B. Demille and other noteworthy directors and producers. They had leading roles in The Ten Commandments, Manslaughter, The Little American, and other silent motion pictures. Mr. Neill died in 1931.