Valeska Suratt

Valeska Suratt (June 28, 1882 – July 2, 1962) was an American stage and silent film actress. Over the course of her career, Suratt appeared in 11 silent films, all of which are now lost, mainly due to the 1937 Fox vault fire.

Early life Suratt was born in Owensville, Indiana, to Ralph and Anna (née Matthews) Suratt. Her paternal grandparents were French immigrants and her maternal grandparents emigrated to the United States from England. She had one stepsister, one older brother and a younger sister. When she was six, her family moved to Terre Haute, Indiana. She dropped out of school in 1899 and worked at a photographer's studio. Suratt later moved to Indianapolis where she worked as an assistant in a millinery at a department store.

Career

Suratt began her career as an actress on the Chicago stage. Around 1900, she began appearing in vaudeville. She soon paired with performer Billy Gould (whom she later married) and the two created a successful act that included a so-called Apache dance performed by Suratt. In 1906, she made her Broadway debut in the musical The Belle of Mayfair, followed by a role in Hip! Hip! Hooray! the following year. By 1908, Suratt and Gould had parted ways and Suratt began a successful solo act which featured her singing and dancing while wearing glamorous costumes and gowns. Suratt's success in vaudeville continued and she began billing herself as "Vaudeville's Greatest Star" and "The Biggest Drawing Card in New York". In 1910, she appeared in the show The Girl with the Whooping Cough. New York City mayor William Jay Gaynor claimed that the show was "salacious" and had it shut down because of its sexually suggestive themes. In December 1910, she teamed up with Fletcher Norton (who became her second husband) in a play titled Bouffe Variety. She became noted for appearing in playlets where she played a variety of roles in comedies and melodramas.

In 1915, Suratt signed with Fox. Like fellow Fox contract players Theda Bara and Virginia Pearson, Suratt was marketed as a vamp and was cast as seductive and exotic characters. Suratt made her film debut in The Soul of Broadway in 1915. She reportedly wore more than 150 gowns in the film which cost $25,000 each. The same year, she made The Immigrant followed by The Straight Way (1916), Jealousy (1916), The Victim (1916), The New York Peacock (1916), and She (1917). She performed in a total of 11 silent films during her career, all of which are now considered lost.

Decline By 1920, Suratt's career had begun to wane as vaudeville fell out of a favor with audiences, as did the craze for the vamp image. In 1928, Suratt and scholar Mirza Ahmad Sohrab sued Cecil B. DeMille for stealing the scenario for The King of Kings from them. The case went to trial in February 1930 but eventually was settled without publicity. Suratt, who had left films in 1917, appeared to be unofficially blacklisted after the suit. Suratt never revived her career on the stage or in films.

She was a member of the Baháʼí Faith.

Death Valeska Suratt died in a nursing home in Washington, D.C., on July 2, 1962. She was 80 years old. Suratt is interred in Highland Lawn Cemetery in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Broadway credits

Date Production Role Notes December 3, 1906 – March 30, 1907 The Belle of Mayfair Duchess of Dunmow October 10 – December 7, 1907 Hip! Hip! Hooray! Mrs. Vera Shapeleigh April 25 – May 1910 The Girl with the Whooping Cough Regina June 2 – September 1911 The Red Rose Lola Costume and scenic design July 6 – September 9, 1922 Spice of 1922

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1915 The Soul of Broadway Grace Leonard, a.k.a. La Valencia Lost film 1915 The Immigrant Masha Lost film 1916 The Straight Way Mary Madison Lost film 1916 Jealousy Anne Baxter Lost film 1916 The Victim Ruth Merrill Lost film 1917 The New York Peacock Zena Lost film 1917 She Ayesha, a.k.a. "She" Lost film 1917 The Slave Caroline Lost film 1917 The Siren Cherry Millard Lost film 1917 Wife Number Two Emma Rolfe Lost film 1917 A Rich Man's Plaything Marie Grandon Lost film