Phyllis Rankin

Phyllis McKee Rankin (August 31, 1874 – November 17, 1934)

Phyllis Rankin was tutored by her father in "old school drama".

A house belonging to McKee Rankin at 40 Edgecombe Avenue, near 136th Street, burned in the early morning of April 1, 1891. Rankin and her mother were inside when the fire began in a linen closet. The blaze was contained and put out through the efforts of a "bucket brigade". Damage was estimated at $400 and was covered by insurance. Sara played the abandoned wife of a French adventurer named Antoine la Rue. Albert M. Palmer gained control of Wallack's Theatre in 1888 and produced plays in New York City through 1896.

Rose Coghlan obtained Rankin to replace Jennie Yeamans in an 1892 production of The Check Book. In April 1893 she appeared in the Arabian Nights on a variety bill at the Standard Theatre, 6th Avenue between 32nd Street and 33rd Street, Frohman's comedians were also featured performers. 1514–16 Broadway (Manhattan) (44th Street), that included Auguste van Biene. 139 West Twenty-Third Street, of Frederick Francis Proctor. West 66th Street near Columbus Avenue. She sang at Koster & Bial's Music Hall, 729 6th Avenue and 23rd Street, in June. near Broadway at 14th Street. During her engagement at the B.F. Keith establishment, she did impersonations of Anna Held. At the Casino Theatre, Rankin played Fifi Fricot

By August 1898, she was receiving offers from English managers of comic opera. The Belle of New York was staged at the Shaftesbury Theatre with Harry Davenport in the company. Davenport portrayed a doctor and Rankin, a housekeeper, in Three Wise Fools. The two met and married in the original production of The Belle of New York. She and Harry Davenport married and were the parents of Arthur Rankin, a writer and actor in motion pictures. He died from a cerebral hemorrhage following an extended illness in 1947.

Their grandson was producer and director Arthur Rankin Jr. After her wedding to Davenport, Rankin left the stage for eleven years before returning in a small role in Lightnin, in August 1918. The couple later teamed at the Criterion Theatre for a production of Three Wise Fools. Rankin was the mother of three other children, 2 of whom acted on stage.

After the death of his wife, Harry Davenport entered motion pictures and reached fame with his supporting role as Dr. Meade in Gone with the Wind.