Helen Gilmore

Stella Helen Gilmore (1900 – October 8, 1947) was an American stage actress, composer, lyricist and magazine editor from Chicago, Illinois.

Stock company player Gilmore came to New York City in 1917 and studied for a time at Columbia University. On November 22, 1920, she made her acting debut in When We Are Young with Henry Hull. She appeared with the stock company of George Cukor in Providence, Rhode Island. On tour she acted in support of Bette Davis, William Hodge, Spencer Tracy, and other stars.

Magazine editor Gilmore left the theater in 1933. She became affiliated with Liberty. In 1938 she was appointed editor of Movie Mirror Magazine, a Macfadden publication. She became editor of Photoplay in 1941 after the periodical merged with Movie Mirror. Her career as an editor lasted approximately a decade.

Gilmore died of acute leukemia at Mt. Sinai Hospital, New York in 1947. She was 47 years old.

Theatre performances Year Play Author Character Venue or Company Notes 1920 When We Are Young Kate L. McLaurin Marcet Blair Broadhurst Theatre November 22, 1920 – ? 1921 A Little Journey Liberty Theater May 15, 1921 – May 21, 1921 1923 The Invisible Guest Victor E. Lambert The Majestic Theatre January 8, 1923 – ? 1923 Ladies Must Love Lajos Bartok Lyric Theatre February 23, 1923 – ? 1924 Undercover "second leading lady" Alhambra Stock Players September 15, 1924 – ? 1925 Playthings Frederic and Fanny Hatton Wilkes Orange Grove August 9, 1925 – ? 1926 The Show-Off George Kelly July 1926 1928 Yellow George M. Cohan Cukor-Kondolf Stock Company October 29, 1928 – November 3, 1928; 1928 Tommy Howard Lindsay, Bert Robinson minor role Cukor-Kondolf Stock Company November 5, 1928 – November 10, 1928. 1928 Cock o' the Roost Rita Johnson Young minor role Cukor-Kondolf Stock Company December 3, 1928 – December 8, 1928. 1928 Queen High Buddy DeSylva, Lewis Gensler, Laurence Schwab, Edward Peple Cukor-Kondolf Stock Company December 10, 1928 – December 15, 1928. 1928 Kongo Chester De Vonde, Kilbourn Gordon Ann Whitehall Cukor-Kondolf Stock Company December 17, 1928 – December 22, 1928.

Compositions Except where otherwise noted, all words and music by Stella Helen Gilmore. "Honolulu" "Syncopated Lullabye" "Wy-ree-woo" "Swing Me" "Inconsistency" "Examination Blues" "Spanish Infanta" "Cause It's You" (w - Sidney Levy) "The Gift" "I Want to Say" "When I Come Riding Home" "Where Syringa Trees Blow" "Ye Who Have Lifted Your Hearts" "My Crossword Puzzle Girl" (as Helen Gilmore; w – Cecil Owen)