Dorothy Bernard

Who was Dorothy Bernard?

Dorothy Bernard was an American actress of the silent era. She appeared in 87 films between 1908 and 1956.

She was born Nora Dorothy Bernard in Port Elizabeth, British Cape Colony, now part of South Africa, to William H Bernard and Roy Elizabeth Ayrd. Her father was from Auckland, New Zealand, and her mother was born in Sligo, Ireland. Although her birth date is listed as July 25, 1890 in many biographies, her death certificate and U.S. passport both state her birth date as June 25, 1890. An only child, she spent her formative years in Portland, Oregon where her father, William H. Bernard, worked as a stock company manager and was a well-respected actor. As a child actress, Bernard appeared in several plays in Portland under "Dot Bernard" in the Baker Theater Company. Her stepmother, actress Nan Ramsey, also appeared in several productions. In 1905, her family moved to Los Angeles, California, and her father accepted a position to manage the Balasco theater. She was married to fellow actor, A.H. Van Buren, on July 5, 1909 in Washington D.C., and they had a daughter named Marjorie "Midge" Van Buren born on June 30, 1910 in Jamaica, New York.