Eileen Dennes

Eileen Dennes (1 February 1898 – 22 January 1991) was an Irish-born actress of the silent era.

Early life and career

Eileen Dennes was born Eileen Amhurst Cowen on 1 February 1898 in Dublin, Ireland, to Annie Kemp (née Dawson) and William Amherst Daniel Cowen.

She began on the stage in the early 1910s. After travelling to Hollywood in 1917, she found work at the Empire All Star Film Company and was offered the role of Ethel Fielding in her first film The Unforeseen (1917) alongside Olive Tell. She made one more film in Hollywood with Tell that year titled Her Sister.

Dennes then decided to find work in England; it was there that Cecil Hepworth offered her a contract and, in 1919, she appeared in her first English film as Bessie Saxton in Sheba starring Alma Taylor. She was later given the chance at starring roles in films such as Once Aboard the Lugger (1920), Mr. Justice Raffles (1921), and, once again with Alma Taylor, The Pipes of Pan (1923).

The final film that she worked on with Hepworth was Comin' Thro the Rye in 1923. She then worked with Fred LeRoy Granville a year later in his film The Sins Ye Do. Dennes' last film appearance was in 1925 as Lucy in The Squire of Long Hadley, appearing alongside Brian Aherne.

Dennes died 22 January 1991 in Hungerford, Berkshire, at the age of 92.

Selected filmography

Year Title Role Notes 1917 The Unforeseen Ethel Fielding Her Sister Jane Alderson 1919 Sheba Bessie Saxton The Forest on the Hill Audrey Leaman 1920 Alf's Button Lady Isobel Fitzpeter Once Aboard the Lugger Mary Humfray John Forrest Finds Himself The Pet Mrs. Erricker's Reputation Lady Lettice Erricker Great Snakes 1921 The Tinted Venus Bella Parkinson Wild Heather Dolly Tansy Vicar's Daughter Mr. Justice Raffles Camilla Belsize Tit for Tat Clove 1923 The Pipes of Pan Enid Markham Strangling Threads Miss Debb Comin' Thro the Rye Sylvia Fleming 1924The Sins Ye Do Lady Eslin Peeps into Puzzleland Mother Short film A Dear Liar Short film 1925 The Squire of Long Hadley Lucy