Eugenie Besserer

Eugenie Besserer (December 25, 1868 – May 28, 1934) was an American actress who starred in silent films and features of the early sound motion-picture era, beginning in 1910. Her most prominent role is that of the title character's mother in the first talkie film, The Jazz Singer.

Eugenie Besserer
Who's Who in the Film World, 1914
Born(1868-12-25)December 25, 1868
Watertown, New York, U.S.
DiedMay 28, 1934(1934-05-28) (aged 65)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting placeCalvary Cemetery, East Los Angeles
OccupationActress
Years active1910–1933
Spouse(s)
Albert W. Hegger
​
(m. 1885)​

Early life

Born in Watertown, New York, to French Canadian parents, she was taken by her parents to Ottawa, Ontario, as a girl, and spent her childhood there. She was left an orphan and escaped from her guardians at the age of 12. She came to New York City and arrived at Grand Central Station with only 25 cents (Canadian currency, equivalent to US$0.34 at the time) in her pocket. She managed to locate a former governess, with the assistance of a street car conductor, who helped Eugenie locate an uncle, with whom she lived. She continued her education there.

Career

Besserer's initial theatrical experience came with McKee Rankin when the producer had Nance O'Neill as a star. Soon, she appeared with notable stage actors including Frank Keenan and Wilton Lackaye. As a youth, she played a juvenile part with Maurice Barrymore. She performed a season at Pike's Opera House in Portland, Oregon. Another season, Eugenie acted in a drama opposite Henry Kolker. The illness of her sister brought her to the West Coast, and she came to Hollywood in 1910 when films were just starting to be made.

In motion pictures, Eugenie was usually cast in mother roles, most famously as the mother of Al Jolson's character in The Jazz Singer. Eugenie became associated with the Selig Polyscope Company. A significant part for the actress was her role as Aunt Ray Innis in The Circular Staircase (1915), based on the novel by Mary Roberts Rinehart.

Personal life

She shared a home with her husband, Albert W. Hegger, an art dealer, from the time she came to Los Angeles. They lived in a hilltop home above Silver Lake. They had one daughter.

Death

Eugenie Besserer died in 1934, aged 65, from a heart attack at her home. A funeral mass was held at St. Theresa's Church, with a rosary service at Edwards Brothers Colonial Mortuary, Venice Boulevard, in Los Angeles. She is buried in Calvary Cemetery, East Los Angeles.

Selected filmography
The Sacrifice (1916)

1910s

  • The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1910, Short) as Aunt Em
  • The Mother (1911, Short) as The Governor's Daughter
  • The Still Alarm (1911, Short) as Elinor Fordham
  • Stability vs. Nobility (1911, Short) as Bradley's 1st Daughter
  • One of Nature's Noblemen (1911, Short) as Minnie Brown
  • A Sacrifice to Civilization (1911, Short)
  • The Craven Heart (1911, Short) as Madame Dantes
  • It Happened in the West (1911, Short) as Prologue
  • The Profligate (1911, Short) as Pauline Revere - the Wronged Wife
  • Slick's Romance (1911, Short)
  • Their Only Son (1911, Short)
  • The Regeneration of Apache Kid (1911, Short) as Mrs. Dudley
  • The Blacksmith's Love (1911, Short) as Mary Brewer Saunders
  • Old Billy (1911, Short) as Mrs. Marming - the Widow
  • The Bootlegger (1911, Short) as Mrs. Fancher
  • An Evil Power (1911, Short) as Madame Celeste
  • George Warrington's Escape (1911, Short) as Madame Esmond Warrington
  • The Cowboy's Adopted Child (1912, Short) as Sarah Fowler
  • The Other Fellow (1911, Short) as Mrs. Brown
  • Bunkie (1912, Short) as Miss Ford - Brooks' Bethrothed
  • Disillusioned (1912, Short) as Miss Gary
  • The Danites (1912, Short) as The Widowed Schoolteacher
  • As Told by Princess Bess (1912, Short) as Princess Bess (old)
  • The Junior Officer (1912, Short) as Ethel Temple - the Count's Wife
  • Me an' Bill (1912, Short) as Kitty Somners
  • The End of the Romance (1912, Short) as Alice Gray
  • The Hand of Fate (1912, Short) as Mrs. VanDuzen
  • A Child of the Wilderness (1912, Short) as Tonoma - Joe's Protector
  • In Exile (1912, Short) as Countess Romanoff
  • The Lake of Dreams (1912, Short) as Madge Andrews
  • His Masterpiece (1912, Short) as The Prima Donna
  • The Little Indian Martyr (1912, Short) as Chiquito's Mother
  • Sergeant Byrne of the Northwest Mounted Police (1912, Short) as Jessie Long
  • The Indelible Stain (1912, Short) as Marla
  • The Substitute Model (1912, Short) as Millicent Carr - the Substitute Model
  • Monte Cristo (1912, Short) as Mercedes
  • His Wedding Eve (1912, Short) as Mrs. Ellis - Tom's Mother
  • Old Songs and Memories (1912, Short) as Nellie Laurence - the Old Lady
  • The Vintage of Fate (1912, Short) as Minor Role (uncredited)
  • Opitsah: Apache for Sweetheart (1912, Short) as Mrs. McGuire - Jim's Mother
  • The Millionaire Vagabonds (1912, Short) as Mrs. Knobhill
  • Sammy Orpheus; or, The Pied Piper of the Jungle (1912, Short) as Kate
  • The Last of Her Tribe (1912, Short) as Neepah - Moquin's Squaw
  • The Governor's Daughter (1913, Short) as Mrs. Carey - Jim's Mother
  • The Spanish Parrot Girl (1913, Short) as Mrs. Avery
  • Diverging Paths (1913, Short) as Lily and Rose's Mother
  • Love Before Ten (1913, Short) as Mrs. Walters
  • Dollar Down, Dollar a Week (1913, Short) as Mrs. Sanger - the Aunt
  • In the Days of Witchcraft (1913, Short) as Lady Beresford
  • Lieutenant Jones (1913, Short) as Mrs. Cartright
  • Indian Summer (1913, Short) as Virginia
  • Wamba A Child of the Jungle (1913, Short) as Mrs. Rice
  • The Girl and the Judge (1913, Short) as Mrs. Goff - the Judge's Wife
  • A Flag of Two Wars (1913, Short) as Mrs. John Reed
  • Woman: Past and Present (1913, Short) as Grandmother America
  • The Fighting Lieutenant (1913, Short) as The Countess
  • In God We Trust (1913, Short) as Bill's Wife
  • The Ne'er to Return Road (1913, Short) as Mrs. Hansen - Chris' Mother
  • The Unseen Defense (1913, Short) as Minerva Wingood
  • The Acid Test (1913, Short) as Mrs. Argonet
  • Fate Fashions a Letter (1913, Short) as Mrs. Rand
  • The Probationer (1913, Short) as Granny
  • Phantoms (1913, Short) as Natalie Storm
  • The Master of the Garden (1913, Short) as Mrs. Harrington - Bessie's Mother
  • Memories (1914) as Mary, Professor Scott's sweetheart
  • Elizabeth's Prayer (1914, Short) as Hilda Crosby, an unscrupulous actress
  • The Salvation of Nance O'Shaughnessy (1914, Short) as Mame Ryan
  • The Fire Jugglers (1914, Short) as Mrs. Leavitt
  • Me an' Bill (1914, Short) as Kitty
  • His Fight (1914, Short) as Mrs. Brant
  • The Man in Black (1914, Short)
  • Ye Vengeful Vagabonds (1914, Short) as Betsy Spratt - Peggy's Mother
  • Hearts and Masks (1914, Short) as Mrs. Hyphen-Bonds
  • The Tragedy That Lived (1914, Short) as Mary's Grandmother
  • The Story of the Blood Red Rose (1914, Short) as Queen of Urania
  • The Vision of the Shepherd (1915, Short) as Maggie Hunt
  • Poetic Justice of Omar Khan (1915, Short) as Neva Hyde
  • The Carpet from Bagdad (1915) as Mrs. Chedsoye
  • Ingratitude of Liz Taylor (1915, Short)
  • The Rosary (1915) as Widow Kelly
  • The Circular Staircase (1915) as Aunt Ray
  • The Bridge of Time (1915, Short)
  • Just as I Am (1915, Short)
  • I'm Glad My Boy Grew Up to Be a Soldier (1915) as Mrs. Warrington
  • The Devil-in-Chief (1916, Short) as Johann's Mistress
  • Thou Shalt Not Covet (1916) as my wife
  • The Grinning Skull (1916, Short) as Mme. Ward Howe
  • A Social Deception (1916, Short) as Grace Elliott
  • The Woman Who Did Not Care (1916, Short) as Mrs. Boyd
  • The Temptation of Adam (1916, Short) as Dorothy Blaine
  • The Crisis (1916) as Mrs. Brice
  • Twisted Trails (1916, Short) as Martha, the housekeeper
  • The Garden of Allah (1916) as Lady Rens
  • Beware of Strangers (1917) as Mary DeLacy
  • Little Lost Sister (1917) as Mrs. Welcome
  • Her Salvation (1917, Short) as Mame Ryan
  • The Witness for the State (1917, Short)
  • The Curse of Eve (1917) as the Mother
  • Who Shall Take My Life? (1917) as Mrs. Munroe
  • In After Years (1917, Short)
  • The City of Purple Dreams (1918)
  • The Still Alarm (1918) as Minor Role
  • A Hoosier Romance (1918) as the squire's wife
  • The Eyes of Julia Deep (1918) as Mrs. Lowe
  • The Road Through the Dark (1918) as Aunt Julie
  • The Sea Flower (1918) as Kealani
  • Little Orphant Annie (1918) as Mrs. Goode
  • Ravished Armenia (1919)
  • Turning the Tables (1919) as Mrs. Feverill
  • Scarlet Days (1919) as Rosie Nell
  • The Greatest Question (1919) as Mrs. Hilton

1920s

1930s

References
  • The Los Angeles Times, "Eugenie Besserer Dead", May 31, 1934, p. A2
  • The Monessen, Pennsylvania Daily Independent, "Miss Eugenie Besserer Arrived In New York City With Just 25 Cents-Now A Star In Pictures", September 16, 1915, p. 3
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