Pauline Frederick (born Pauline Beatrice Libbey, August 12, 1883 â€"
September 19, 1938) was an American stage and film actress.Frederick
was born Pauline Beatrice Libbey (later changed to Libby) in Boston in
1883 (some sources state 1884 or 1885), the only child of Richard O.
and Loretta C. Libbey. Her father worked as a yardmaster for the Old
Colony Railroad before becoming a salesman. Her parents separated when
she was a toddler and Frederick was raised primarily by her mother to
whom she remained close for the remainder of her life (her parents
divorced around 1897). As a girl, she was fascinated with show
business, and determined early to place her goals in the direction of
the theater. She studied acting, singing and dancing at Miss
Blanchard's Finishing School in Boston where she later graduated.Her
father, however, discouraged her ambitions to be an actress and
encouraged her to become an elocution teacher. After pursuing a career
as an actress, her father disinherited her (he died in 1922). Due to
her father's attitude towards her acting career, Pauline adopted the
surname "Frederick" as her stage name. She legally changed her name to
Pauline Frederick in 1908.She made her stage debut at the age of 17 as
a chorus girl in the farce The Rogers Brothers at Harvard, but was
fired shortly thereafter. She won other small roles on the stage
before being discovered by illustrator Harrison Fisher who called her
"the purest American beauty." With Fisher's help, she landed more
substantial stage roles. Nicknamed "The Girl with the Topaz Eyes",
Fredrick was cast in the lead roles in the touring productions of The
Little Gray Lady and The Girl in White in 1906. She briefly retired
from acting after her first marriage in 1909, but returned to the
stage in January 1913 in Joseph and His Brethren.
September 19, 1938) was an American stage and film actress.Frederick
was born Pauline Beatrice Libbey (later changed to Libby) in Boston in
1883 (some sources state 1884 or 1885), the only child of Richard O.
and Loretta C. Libbey. Her father worked as a yardmaster for the Old
Colony Railroad before becoming a salesman. Her parents separated when
she was a toddler and Frederick was raised primarily by her mother to
whom she remained close for the remainder of her life (her parents
divorced around 1897). As a girl, she was fascinated with show
business, and determined early to place her goals in the direction of
the theater. She studied acting, singing and dancing at Miss
Blanchard's Finishing School in Boston where she later graduated.Her
father, however, discouraged her ambitions to be an actress and
encouraged her to become an elocution teacher. After pursuing a career
as an actress, her father disinherited her (he died in 1922). Due to
her father's attitude towards her acting career, Pauline adopted the
surname "Frederick" as her stage name. She legally changed her name to
Pauline Frederick in 1908.She made her stage debut at the age of 17 as
a chorus girl in the farce The Rogers Brothers at Harvard, but was
fired shortly thereafter. She won other small roles on the stage
before being discovered by illustrator Harrison Fisher who called her
"the purest American beauty." With Fisher's help, she landed more
substantial stage roles. Nicknamed "The Girl with the Topaz Eyes",
Fredrick was cast in the lead roles in the touring productions of The
Little Gray Lady and The Girl in White in 1906. She briefly retired
from acting after her first marriage in 1909, but returned to the
stage in January 1913 in Joseph and His Brethren.
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