Helen Badgley

Helen Badgley (December 1, 1908 – October 25, 1977) was an American child actress of the silent film era.

Biography

Badgley was born in Saratoga Springs, New York, and by the time she was just 3 years old she was appearing in her first film, Brother Bob's Baby in 1911. In 1912 she appeared in eleven films, and in 1913, that number increased to twenty two. At age six she lost her two front teeth and "retired" until new ones could appear. She never went back. She ended up with 103 credits to her name earning her the title "Thanhouser Kidlet" after the movie studio Thanhouser located in New York City which burned down. Her father was Gerald Badgely, expert mechanic and electrician at the studio where he perfected the Vista moving picture recorder.

She married Robert J. Coar, founder of US Capitol Recording studio serving the Senate and House of Representatives in Washington DC. He would record the "Fireside Chats" with FDR during World War II. They raised four children in Fairfax, VA, Bob, Helen, Gail and Jacquie. Struck with Rheumatoid arthritis, Helen and her four teenagers moved to Phoenix, AZ. She and Robert divorced after he retired from the Capitol. Helen remained in a wheel chair in the later years of her life. She died on October 25, 1977.

Selected filmography

• Baby Hands (1912)
• A Dog's Love (1914)

Helen and Shep, the Thanhouser Collie – Thanhouser publicity still

External links

• Helen Badgley at the Internet Movie Database
• http://www.thanhouser.org/tcocd/Biography_Files/6vuuvc.htm