Biograph Blonde: Blanche Sweet

Who was Blanche Sweet (1896-1986), who first appeared on stage as a baby with the Barrymores? Raised by her grandmother after her mother's death and her father's abandonment, Sweet was a dancer and actress. Acting with D.W. Griffith's company for years, Sweet's youthful figure did not necessarily lend herself to roles. But her preference for working girl parts saw her through the 1920s and 1930s. Her marriage to noted director Mickey Neilan was his second and marked by his drinking and infidelity. Sweet had no chilren, died in the 1980s and the Sweet Blanche lilac is named for her.

Sources:

Gene Zonarich, "Blanche Sweet, Iconoclast", https://11east14thstreet.com/2012/09/12/blanche-sweet-iconoclast/

MOMA, Blanche Sweet: A Centennial Retrospective, https://www.moma.org/momaorg/shared/pdfs/docs/press_archives/7432/releases/MOMA_1996_0027_27.pdf

Charles Silver, MOMA, https://www.moma.org/explore/inside_out/tag/marshall-mickey-neilan/

Hadley Mears, The BFFS Who Ruled Silent Hollywood, Atlas Obscura https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-bffs-who-ruled-silent-hollywood

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