Neva Gerber

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neva_Gerber

Neva Gerber (3 April 1894 – 2 January 1974), was an American actress of the silent era. She appeared in 128 films between 1912 and 1930.

She was born in Chicago, Illinois to S. Nelson Gerber and Jean Pullman. Her parents were separated when she was young and her mother moved her to Los Angeles, California. Neva was raised by nuns from the College of the Immaculate Heart. After her father died, Neva's impoverished mother gave guardianship of her daughter to an attorney.

After her graduation from high school, Neva became an actress and appeared in several one-reelers. Beginning in 1917, she starred in multiple serial films, and she is considered one of the top ten "serial queens" of the silent film period. She teamed with director and actor Ben F. Wilson in many of these productions, and starred in the first crude sound era serial, The Voice from the Sky, also directed by Wilson. However, her career stalled after 1930 when Ben died from heart disease. She was married four times and had her first child by the age of 20. She died in Palm Springs, California, and was buried in a pauper's grave.

Selected filmography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neva_Gerber