1910-08-22 Chicago, Illinois, USA
Lucille Ricksen was born Ingeborg Erickson in Chicago, Illinois on August 22, 1910. She worked a child model and made her film debut at age 5. Her parents separated and her mother took her to Hollywood in 1920, and 10-year-old Lucille was offered a contract with Samuel Goldwyn and starred in a series of short films. She often had to work long hours but she always said she was having fun. In 1922 she starred opposite Marie Prevost in "The Married Flapper." The following year she was given a starring role in the drama "The Rendezvous"; although she was only 13, the studio lied that she was actually 16. The press called her "the youngest leading lady in movies". Lucille developed a close relationship with producer Sydney Chaplin (brother of Charlie Chaplin), who was 25 years her senior. She became one of Hollywood's busiest starlets and was chosen as one of the WAMPAS Baby Stars. Unfortunately, the 14-year-old started to suffer from exhaustion and malnutrition. She was diagnosed with tuberculosis and became bedfast. Her mother kept a bedside vigil, but the stress brought on a fatal heart attack. Following her mother's death, Lucille was looked after by family friends including actress Lois Wilson. During one of her conscious moments Lucille said "Mother wouldn't want me--die--Mother said--Wonderful future--Going to do big things--Won't die! I won't!" But on March 13, 1925, she passed away from complications of tuberculosis, still at only 14 years old. There were rumors that her death had actually been caused by a botched abortion. Lucille was cremated and she was buried with her mother at Forest Lawn in Glendale, California. Her final film, "The Denial," came out 10 days after her death.
The Denial | Dorothy - the Daughter | 1925-03-22 | |
Young Ideas | Eloise Lowden | 1924-07-07 | |
The Painted Lady | Alice Smith | 1924-09-28 | |
Idle Tongues | Faith Copeland | 1924-12-21 | |
Vanity's Price | Sylvia | 1924-09-07 | |
The Hill Billy | Emmy Lou | 1924-03-15 | |
Those Who Dance | Ruth Kane | 1924-04-27 | |
The Galloping Fish | Hyla Wetherill | 1924-03-10 | |
Judgment of the Storm | Mary Heath | 1924-01-06 | |
Behind the Curtain | Sylvia Bailey | 1924-07-15 | |
Human Wreckage | Ginger | 1923-06-17 | |
The Rendezvous | Vera | 1923-11-11 | |
Trimmed in Scarlet | Faith Ebbing | 1923-04-09 | |
The Further Adventures of Yorke Norroy | 1922-02-28 | ||
The Strangers' Banquet | Flapper | 1922-12-31 | |
The Girl Who Ran Wild | Clytie | 1922-10-09 | |
Forsaking All Others | May Wharton | 1922-12-10 | |
Remembrance | Child | 1922-10-01 | |
The Married Flapper | Carolyn Carter | 1922-07-31 | |
Edgar's Feast Day | 1921-02-01 | ||
The Old Nest | Kate at 9 | 1921-06-28 | |
The Child Thou Gavest Me | 1921-08-20 | ||
Edgar and the Teacher's Pet | Alice Littlefield | 1920-03-27 | |
Edgar's Hamlet | Alice Littlefield | 1920-04-18 | |
Edgar Takes the Cake | Alice Littlefield | 1920-07-09 | |
Edgar's Jonah Day | Alice Littlefield | 1920-05-08 | |
The Secret Code | |||
Edgar's Sunday Courtship | Alice Littlefield |