Mabel Poulton

Who was Mabel Poulton?

Mabel Poulton was an English film actress, popular in Britain during the era of silent films.

Born in London, England, Poulton was working as a stenographer and entered films by chance. Her first role in George Pearson's Nothing Else Matters was opposite Betty Balfour, who was also making her debut, and the film was a success. Over the next several years, Poulton was cast in a succession of roles, and usually played feisty or mischievous characters. A petite blonde, she also became well regarded for her fashion style, and was a highly recognisable celebrity. In 1928, she starred in The Constant Nymph by Adrian Brunel and received excellent reviews for her performance. By the end of the decade she was considered to be one of Britain's leading screen actresses along with Balfour, and was described by critics as Balfour's only serious rival.

The advent of sound film brought a premature end to Poulton's film career. The addition of the microphone revealed Poulton's broad Cockney accent, which was at odds with the characters she had become identified with. Like Clara Bow who faced the same problem as a result of her Brooklyn accent, Poulton struggled to maintain her status. Also like Bow, she attempted to mount a comeback in the mid-1930s, which was well publicised but unsuccessful. She made her final film appearance in 1936.