Dorothy Seastrom

Dorothy Seastrom, born March 16, 1903 was erroneously reported as hailing from Norway, but in reality was a Texan from Dallas. A beauty contest winner at an early age, Dorothy's film career began in 1923 in The Call of the Canyon. After a few comedy shorts, she signed a five year contract with First National in 1925. As an aside, like many First National stars, she had an anti-fat clause written into her contract. The studio stipulated a top limit of 140 pounds, Dorothy weighed in at 117.

For First National, Dorothy appeared (uncredited) in The Perfect Flapper with Colleen Moore and Classified with Corinne Griffith. She barely avoided a potentially disfiguring accident during the filming of her first credited role for National, We Moderns (1925). A shower of sparks from a short-circuited light fell upon her hair and shoulders. A quick thinking assistant director grabbed a table cloth from a prop table and covered the actress' head. She made a full recovery from the burns she sustained, but unfortunately, much more dire circumstances soon followed.

In the fall of 1925, Dorothy, only twenty-two, was diagnosed with tuberculosis, "the white plague". She went to a sanatorium in California for several months, while First National, who had high hopes for her, graciously agreed to hold the starting date of her contract. In early 1926 she seem to be getting better and returned to the screen to make It Must Be Love (1926), her final appearance after only eight films. All of her appearances are believed lost.

Dorothy died of tuberculosis in Dallas in 1930.

The next three images are from Motion Picture Classic, the Feburary 1926 edition. They were featured in the article "The Girl Who Smiles". The sub-head reads "Dorothy Seastrom was on the threshold of success, now she is fighting for her life in the hills above Hollywood."

Venus of the Snows was a nod to her erroneous Norway heritage.

Dorothy Seastrom - What do you think - Allure?