Beta Breuil

Beta Breuil (born 1876, death unknown) was the professional name and pen name of American screenwriter Elizabeth Donner Vanderveer. Breuil worked as a script editor and screenwriter for several motion picture companies in the early 1900s.

Early life Born in 1876 in New York City, Breuil was the daughter of Frank S. Vanderveer, a lawyer. Her family was well off and she attended schools in both New York City and Germany. Breuil attempted to collect a life insurance policy, but was taken to court by his family. The story was written about in The New York Times under the headline "Death Prevented Divorce". According to a 1913 article in The New York Times, Breuil submitted scenarios to the Vitagraph Company and was subsequently hired as an assistant there in 1910. She worked her way up from assistant to head editor of the department in just four months. A New York Times article confirms that Vitagraph received up to 500 manuscripts a week, which all went to the department headed by Breuil.

Between 1915 and 1916, Breuil worked on (and also may have directed, though this remains unclear) four films with the Eastern Film Company, titled Daisies, Wisteria, Violets, and My Lady of the Lilacs.

In response to criticism of female scriptwriters, a 1913 article listed Breuil alongside Maibelle Heikes Justice, Hetty Gray Baker, and Gene Gauntier as an example of an excellent scriptwriter. The author cites Breuil as having completed “a couple hundred stories for Vitagraph” and as “doing splendidly as a free lance.”

On the topic of her own work, The New York Times wrote, “[Breuil] is proud of the fact that she has never failed to produce the sort of story asked for, and [she] regards her occupation as a sort of warfare waged against her imagination and her originality, in which she has thus far been triumphant.”

Other notabilities Besides her work as a scenario editor and screenwriter, Breuil was also credited for having helped start the careers of some important figures in the entertainment industry. One such person was Norma Talmadge, an actress who went on to star in a series of films written by Breuil called Belinda, the Slavey; Sleuthing; and A Lady and Her Maid. As the story goes, Talmage had a role in another film written by Breuil, In Neighboring Kingdoms, but the director was unimpressed with Talmage’s performance. Breuil, however, was “impressed by [Talmage’s] beauty” and convinced the co-founder of Vitagraph that the actress should be kept on. Breuil also had a hand in bringing in Laurence Trimble and Jean the Vitagraph Dog to the Vitagraph Company.

Filmography Screenwriter credits In Neighboring Kingdoms (1910) Mario’s Swan Song, or the Tragedy of the Little Musician (1910) Rose Leaves (1910) Auld Lang Syne (1910) The Battle Hymn of the Republic, or, in Washington D.C. 1861 (1911) The Misses Finch and Their Nephew Billy (1911) Her Choice (1912) Rock of Ages (1912) Bunny as a Reporter (1913) Buttercups (1913) Cutey and the Chorus Girls (1913) A Lady and Her Maid (1913) Love Hath Wrought a Miracle (1913) Playing With Fire (1913) Seeing Double (1913) Up and Down the Ladder (1913) Which? (1913) Daisies (1915) Wisteria (1915) Violets (1915) My Lady of the Lilacs (1916-1919) When a Woman Sins (1918)