Juanita C. Hansen (March 3, 1895 â€" September 26, 1961) was an
American actress who performed in silent films. She became one of the
Sennett Bathing Beauties and appeared in a variety of serials through
the late 1910s. She was well known for her troubled personal life and
struggle with addiction to cocaine and morphine. In 1934, she became
clean and traveled lecturing on the evils of drugs. She wrote a book
about addiction and started her own charity to help raise awareness
about drug abuse.Hansen was born in Des Moines, Iowa. Her family moved
to California when she was a girl, and she graduated from Los Angeles
High School.She began acting in films when she was 16, and she secured
her first acting job with L. Frank Baum's Oz Film Manufacturing
Company. She appeared in The Patchwork Girl of Oz (1914), a film based
on Baum's book, in a minor role as the bell ringer. Hansen next
appeared in The Magic Cloak of Oz, an adaptation of Queen Zixi of
Ix.Early in her career the actress was also associated with Famous
Players-Lasky and acted with Jack Pickford. In 1915, Hansen appeared
in six films. One of her early feature roles was in The Secret of the
Submarine. The following year, her good looks landed her work as one
of the Sennett Bathing Beauties doing comedy shorts at
Keystone/Triangle Studios. Although she told reporters she liked
working for Mack Sennett, she wanted to do more than slapstick comedy.
American actress who performed in silent films. She became one of the
Sennett Bathing Beauties and appeared in a variety of serials through
the late 1910s. She was well known for her troubled personal life and
struggle with addiction to cocaine and morphine. In 1934, she became
clean and traveled lecturing on the evils of drugs. She wrote a book
about addiction and started her own charity to help raise awareness
about drug abuse.Hansen was born in Des Moines, Iowa. Her family moved
to California when she was a girl, and she graduated from Los Angeles
High School.She began acting in films when she was 16, and she secured
her first acting job with L. Frank Baum's Oz Film Manufacturing
Company. She appeared in The Patchwork Girl of Oz (1914), a film based
on Baum's book, in a minor role as the bell ringer. Hansen next
appeared in The Magic Cloak of Oz, an adaptation of Queen Zixi of
Ix.Early in her career the actress was also associated with Famous
Players-Lasky and acted with Jack Pickford. In 1915, Hansen appeared
in six films. One of her early feature roles was in The Secret of the
Submarine. The following year, her good looks landed her work as one
of the Sennett Bathing Beauties doing comedy shorts at
Keystone/Triangle Studios. Although she told reporters she liked
working for Mack Sennett, she wanted to do more than slapstick comedy.
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