Mabel Normand

Mabel Normand (November 10, 1892 - February 23, 1930) was a US film actress, who was a popular comedienne in silent films.

Early career with Mack Sennett

Born Mabel Ethelreid Normand in Staten Island, New York, before she entered films in 1909 Normand worked as an artist's model, which included posing for postcards illustrated by Charles Dana Gibson, creator of the Gibson Girl image. She met director Mack Sennett and embarked on a tumultuous affair with him. Her first films portrayed her as a bathing beauty but Normand quickly demonstrated a flair for comedy, and became a star of Sennett's short films. She appeared regularly with Fatty Arbuckle and Charlie Chaplin, and wrote and directed some of Chaplin's early films. She is frequently credited with being the first person to throw a cream pie on film.

Related Topics:
Staten Island, New York - 1909 - Model - Charles Dana Gibson - Gibson Girl - Mack Sennett - Fatty Arbuckle - Charlie Chaplin

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In 1914 she starred with Chaplin and Marie Dressler in Tillie's Punctured Romance. She developed into a major film star and as her relationship with Sennett came to an end she signed a contract in 1918 with Samuel Goldwyn and opened her own film studio in Culver City.

Related Topics:
1914 - Marie Dressler - Tillie's Punctured Romance - 1918 - Samuel Goldwyn - Culver City

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However, by this time she was becoming increasingly capricious and volatile. Her alcoholism, combined with an addiction to narcotics damaged her health and career. Nonetheless, her breakup with Sennett seems to have caused Normand to re-evaluate her life and she embarked on a program of self-education, developing keen and lasting interests in reading and books.

Related Topics:
Alcoholism - Narcotics

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