Volume III: Biographies

MEAD, Lydia **

Actress (1913-1917)

Thanhouser Career Synopsis: Lydia Mead was an actress with Thanhouser during the 1913-1917 years and played many minor parts.

Biographical Notes: Lydia Mary Mead (her middle name was usually omitted in publicity) was born in New Rochelle, New York on November 9, 1888 and was educated in the public schools there. Her early career was devoted to business, after which she went into films, working for Flamingo, World, and Universal. In September 1913 she joined Thanhouser. How Filmy Won His Sweetheart, released on October 28, 1913, was her first film for the New Rochelle studio. Miss Mead went on to act in The Cripple, The Million Dollar Mystery serial and many other films.

Romance: The following article appeared in the New Rochelle Evening Standard, May 16, 1914: "The lot of the actor is sometimes hard, especially when the press agent is a humorist. Many times of late there have been rumors that Perry Horton and Miss Lydia Mead had been married or were about to be united. It was known that they were engaged, and so their friends thought a little joking would not be amiss."

"When Mr. Horton became an outlaw and went with Al Jennings and his gang to Ogdensburg, New Jersey to hold up stage coaches and trains for the movies and give minstrel shows for the benefit of the poor of the little town [in connection with filming Beating Back - Ed.], Miss Mead, who also is a member of the Thanhouser forces, went to Ogdensburg for a few days with Mr. Horton's mother. Immediately, a story was circulated that the couple had been married in the mountains of New Jersey. The rumor was strengthened by the fact that Mrs. Horton was seen carrying a wedding cake in her lap in an automobile the day before they left. But the couple are still unmarried and Mr. Horton admitted yesterday, to a representative of The Evening Standard, that he and Miss Mead are to be married in Trinity Church on June 16th. He has recently been promoted to the position of assistant director."

The June 17, 1914 edition of the same newspaper told more: "An interesting wedding took place last night when Miss Lydia Mary Mead, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William H. Mead, 152 Franklin Avenue, became the bride of Marvin Perry Horton, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank B. Horton, 126 North Avenue. The young couple are among the most popular in local social circles and are well liked in the motion picture world. Mrs. Horton is one of the clever Thanhouser girls whose faces are familiar to amusement lovers in all civilized countries. Mr. Horton is assistant director to Carroll Fleming of the Thanhouser forces.

"The ceremony took place at 8:30 o'clock at the bride's home and was performed by Reverend Alfred F. Tenney, rector of Christ Church, Pelham Manor, before a floral altar of bride roses, daisies, and palms. Miss Adelaide Harris, gowned in lemon chartreuse, played the Wedding March.... The maid of honor was Miss Edith Mead.... Little three-year-old Edith Katherine Bartnett, the bride's cousin, was the flower girl.... C. Ford Hinman, brother-in-law of Mr. Horton, acted as best man. The ushers were Charles M. Mead, the bride's brother, and Elbert Anderson. Immediately after the ceremony, Mr. and Mrs. Horton received the congratulations of their 30 guests, and the wedding supper was served in the dining room. The table was massed with daisies and smilax. The couple are to live on Fountain Place, Home Park. The marriage was the outcome of a boy and girl romance. They met when they were children in the local schools. The bride is one of the best dancers in New Rochelle and with her brother, Charles M. Mead, has won cups at the Grecian Garden and other private dancing places. Mr. and Mrs. Horton intend to remain in the motion picture profession."

A 1915 Sketch: The New Rochelle Pioneer, February 13, 1915, carried the following sketch by John William Kellette: "Lydia Mead is a New Rochelle girl, born, raised and educated in this city, and although she never had any legitimate stage experience, she did a dancing act with the Old King Cole amateur show, and at one time took part in about all the town amateur theatricals. Miss Mead was educated in the Winyak Avenue and Trinity Place Schools, is now 5 feet 4 inches in height, weighs 126 pounds, has dreamy brown eyes and dark brown hair. 'Liddy' is her nickname and she answers to that name many more times than she does to the more dignified Lydia. In private life she is Mrs. Marvin Perry Horton, wife of M. Perry Horton, co-director with Fred Mace of World Film Corporation, New York City, producers of the Flamingo Films, a new brand of comedy productions, one of which, A Jay in Peacock Alley, by Roy L. McCardell, won a prize in the recent Telegraph contest, and Miss Mead worked in this picture.

"She went with Thanhouser in September 1913, and has played second parts. Her first picture was Filmy's Sweetheart [sic], where she ably supported Fanny Bourke and Riley Chamberlin. In Her Cousin from England [sic], however, Miss Mead had the lead. She recently returned from the World Film Corporation to finish up her work in The Million Dollar Mystery, but is to return to the big feature productions. Her home life is very pleasant in 10 Fountain Place, Home Park, this city, and she plans to remain here and commute with Perry to the big village. Miss Mead has played the lead in several Thanhouser photoplays, particularly convincing was that of His Reward, when she played opposite Morris Foster, in a script written by Frederick Richard Sullivan around the dismantling of the old walls of the present studio, and it was during the taking of this scene that Miss Mead narrowly escaped being crushed under debris. Foster's quick action, however, brought her to safety."

In the summer of 1915 she was on the Thanhouser employees' female baseball team. The October 1916 Motion Picture News Studio Directory noted that Lydia Mead was 4'11" tall (compare to the earlier-quoted 1915 sketch), weighed 126 pounds, and had black hair and brown eyes. At the time her home address was 4 Rhodes Street, New Rochelle. The 1918 edition of the same work listed her weight as 120 pounds and noted that she had been with Thanhouser for five years.

Thanhouser Filmography:

1913: How Filmy Won His Sweetheart (10-28-1913)

1914: Percy's First Holiday (2-8-1914), Their Cousin From England (3-22-1914), Repentance (3-31-1914), His Reward (Princess 4-24-1914), Lost - A Union Suit (5-10-1914), The Man Without Fear (6-19-1914), For Her Child (6-23-1914), A Dog's Good Deed (8-23-1914), Arty the Artist (8-30-1914), The Cripple (10-6-1914), The Man With the Hoe (11-15-1914), A Messenger of Gladness (11-22-1914), Mrs. Van Ruyter's Stratagem (11-24-1914)

1914-1915 Serial: The Million Dollar Mystery

1916: Harry's Happy Honeymoon (Falstaff 2-3-1916), Divorce and the Daughter (12-3-1916)

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