Evelyn Selbie

Born in Louisville, Kentucky,[1] as a young woman Selbie was a sidesaddle rider. She had a career which lasted twenty-five years on the stage. She began in Proctor's stock companies in New York after leaving her home. She acted in plays like Human Hearts and The Cat and the Canary. In the former production she starred for two seasons. Selbie also acted in the stock theater company that operated at the Grand Theater in Reno, Nevada.[2] Then she ventured west where she tenured 18 months at the old Central Theatre in San Francisco, California. This was followed by a season in stock in San Diego, California and then a long one in Alaska with T.D. Frawley. During the Alaska tour Evelyn alternated leads with Virginia Thornton.

In 1909, Selbie joined a vaudeville team, leaving the Bentley stock company.[3]

Selbie began her motion picture career in 1912 with the Essanay Company as the leading lady of Broncho Billy Anderson[4] and worked with that company nine years.[5] Her silent movie credits include The Squaw Man, which was the first Hollywood production of Cecil B. De Mille.[6] She continued in motion pictures until 1949 with The Doolins of Oklahoma, in which she played Birdie. She participated in the Fu Manchu film serials and did freelance work on radio.

On December 7, 1950, Selbie died[7] at the Motion Picture Country Hospital in Los Angeles, California. She was 79. Selbie entered the Motion Picture Country Hospital two weeks after suffering a heart attack. The interment was at Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood, California.

• Frederick, Maryland Post, Friday, October 17, 1913, Page 3.
• The New York Times, Evelyn Selbie, Actress, December 9, 1950, Page 15.
• Santa Fe New American, Veteran Movie Actress Dies, Friday, December 8, 1950, Page 12, Section A.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Evelyn Selbie.

• Evelyn Selbie at IMDb