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Mildred Gene Kornman[1] (July 10, 1925 – August 19, 2022), also billed as Ricki VanDusen, was an American actress, model, businesswoman, and photographer. At the time of her death, she was the last living actress of the silent era.
Mildred Kornman | |
|---|---|
| Born | Mildred Gene Kornman July 10, 1925 |
| Died | August 19, 2022 (aged 97) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1926–1962 |
| Spouse | Norton Hinsey (1943–?) |
| Website | www |
Life and career
editKornman was born in Hollywood on July 10, 1925.[2][3] She was the younger sister of fellow child actress Mary Kornman.[4] Her father was Eugene Kornman, a professional still photographer who was employed by Harold Lloyd at the time of Kornman's birth. She was named after Lloyd's wife, actress Mildred Davis.[1]
When Kornman was nine months old, she appeared with her sister Mary in The Fourth Alarm.[4] Along with Mary, she was featured in the Our Gang short films series. Mildred was initially a regular in the series, with appearances from 1926 to 1928, and returned for a second stint from 1930 until 1935, in uncredited, non-speaking roles when many children were needed for a scene, such as a classroom.
After graduating Hollywood High School, Kornman became an actress at 20th Century Fox, albeit only in uncredited roles, under the name Ricki VanDusen.[5] She was also a model, featuring in magazines such as Vogue and Harpers Bazaar, and in television commercials. She majored in art, English, and Spanish at the University of California, Los Angeles.[6] Kornman married Norton Hinsey on December 30, 1943.[7]
In 2014, Kornman attended a reunion of Our Gang cast members, hosted by The Sons of the Desert as part of their 19th International Convention.[8] In 2015, aged 89, she was living on a remote ranch in Utah.[9] Kornman was one of the final surviving actors from the Our Gang series, which was produced from 1922 to 1944.[10] Kornman died on August 19, 2022, at the age of 97. She was one of the longest lived Our Gang cast members ever.[11][12][13]
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1926 | Thundering Fleas | Mildred | Short film |
| 1926 | The Fourth Alarm | Mildred | Short film |
| 1926 | War Feathers | Mildred | Short film |
| 1926 | The Nickel-Hopper | Short film | |
| 1927 | Bring Home the Turkey | Mildred | Short film |
| 1927 | Ten Years Old | Mildred | Short film |
| 1927 | Love My Dog | Little Girl on the Building Ledge | Short film |
| 1927 | Baby Brother | Jackie's Sister | Short film |
| 1927 | Olympic Games | Mildred | Short film |
| 1927 | Heebee Jeebees | Mildred | Short film |
| 1928 | Dog Heaven | Mildred | Short film |
| 1928 | Playin' Hookey | baby | Short film |
| 1928 | Spook-Spoofing | Mildred | Short film |
| 1928 | Rainy Days | Mildred | Short film |
| 1928 | The Smile Wins | Mildred | Short film |
| 1928 | Edison, Marconi & Co. | Mildred | Short film
Lost film |
| 1928 | Barnum & Ringling, Inc. | Mildred | Short film |
| 1928 | Fair and Muddy | Mildred | Short film |
| 1930 | Teacher's Pet | student | Short film |
| 1930 | School's Out | student | Short film |
| 1932 | Birthday Blues | Girl at Party | Short film |
| 1933 | Fish Hooky | Student | Short film |
| 1935 | Little Sinner | Short film | |
| 1936 | Our Gang Follies of 1936 | Short film | |
| 1937 | Hoosier Schoolboy | (uncredited) | |
| 1938 | Mr. Boggs Steps Out | (uncredited) | |
| 1938 | Mad About Music | Schoolgirl | |
| 1944 | Up in Arms | (Goldwyn Girl) (uncredited) | |
| 1944 | Atlantic City | Woman at Racetrack (uncredited) | |
| 1945 | Diamond Horseshoe | Chorine (uncredited) | |
| 1945 | The Dolly Sisters | Lady in Booking Office (uncredited) | |
| 1946 | Cinderella Jones | Junior League Member (uncredited) | |
| 1947 | I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now | Chorine (uncredited) | |
| 1947 | T-Men | Girl on Plane (uncredited) | |
| 1953 | Abbott and Costello Go to Mars | Girl (uncredited) | |
| 1962 | The Interns | Model (uncredited) |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Mildred Davis Has Namesake". The Los Angeles Times. California, Los Angeles. July 20, 1925. p. 28. Retrieved August 4, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "New Generation". The Tampa Tribune. Florida, Tampa. April 22, 1928. p. 38. Retrieved August 4, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Welcome To The Official Mildred Kornman aka Ricki VanDusen Website". Ricki VanDusen! ~ One Of The First Super Models!. Archived from the original on April 17, 2022. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
- ^ a b "'The Fourth Alarm' at the California". The Californian. California, Salinas. December 23, 1926. p. 4. Retrieved August 4, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Maltin, Leonard; Bann, Richard W. (1992). The Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang. Crown. p. 249. ISBN 9780517583258.
- ^ Hopper, Hedda (October 3, 1943). "Blond, Dark And Red – 1943 Goldwyn Girls". The Baltimore Sun. Maryland, Baltimore. p. Section 1–4. Retrieved August 4, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Chapel Ceremony Unites Charming Mildred Kornman and Lieut. Norton Hinesy". North Hollywood Valley Times. January 3, 1944. p. 4. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
- ^ Lee, Julia (2015). Our Gang: A Racial History of The Little Rascals. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press. ISBN 9781452949789.
- ^ Lamont, Tom (May 23, 2015). "'I spent most of my life as a nobody': the last of the silent movie stars". The Guardian. Archived from the original on May 31, 2015. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
- ^ Rubin, Rebecca (July 27, 2017). "Leonard Landy, 'Our Gang' Actor, Dies at 84". Variety. Archived from the original on April 17, 2022. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
- ^ "'Our Gang' Actress, '40s Fashion Model Mildred Kornman Dies at 97". Extra TV. August 21, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
- ^ Mildred Kornman
- ^ "Mildred Kornman, child actor of the silent film era who later modelled for Vogue – obituary". The Telegraph. September 19, 2022. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
External links
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