Famous 19th Century Actresses

Vote for Your Favourite 19th Century Actresses

Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet.

 1 
Ethel Barrymore
2
Birthdate: August 15, 1879
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: June 18, 1959
 2 
Billie Burke
(Actress)
Billie Burke
3
Birthdate: August 7, 1884
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Washington, District of Columbia, USA
Died: May 14, 1970
Height: 5'3" (160 cm)
 3 
Esme Creed-Miles
(Actress)
Esme Creed-Miles
9
Birthdate: February 5, 2000
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: London Borough of Barnet Barnet, England
Recommended Lists:
 4 
Sarah Bernhardt
(One of the Most Popular French Actresses of the Late 19th and Early 20th Century)
Sarah Bernhardt
4
Birthdate: October 23, 1844
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: March 26, 1923

Sarah Bernhardt was a French actress known for playing important roles in popular French plays of the early-20th century.  Her decision to play Hamlet inspired Theresa Rebeck's play Bernhardt/Hamlet, in which Janet McTeer portrayed Sarah Bernhardt. In 1960, Bernhardt became the earliest born person to be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

 5 
Lillie Langtry
(Actress)
Lillie Langtry
3
Birthdate: October 13, 1853
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Jersey
Died: February 12, 1929
 6 
Kathrine Narducci
9
Birthdate: November 22, 1965
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
 7 
Theda Bara
(Former actress of the silent era and one of cinema's early sex symbols)
Theda Bara
2
Birthdate: July 29, 1885
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
Died: April 7, 1955
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 8 
Virginia Dare
(Actress)
Virginia Dare
2
Birthdate: August 6, 1882
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Pennsylvania, United States
Died: July 8, 1962
 9 
Ethel Waters
(Actor, Singer, Jazz musician, Stage actor)
Ethel Waters
2
Birthdate: October 31, 1896
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Chester County
Died: September 1, 1977
 10 
Adele Astaire
(American Dancer, Actress and Singer)
Adele Astaire
2
Birthdate: September 10, 1896
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Omaha, Nebraska, United States
Died: January 25, 1981
 11 
Marion Lorne
(Actress)
Marion Lorne
2
Birthdate: August 12, 1883
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: West Pittston, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: May 9, 1968
 12 
Spring Byington
(Actress)
Spring Byington
2
Birthdate: October 17, 1886
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States
Died: September 7, 1971
Height: 5'3" (160 cm)
 13 
Dame Gladys Cooper
(Actress)
Dame Gladys Cooper
2
Birthdate: December 18, 1888
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Hither Green, London, United Kingdom
Died: November 17, 1971
 14 
Virginia Rappe
(Model)
Virginia Rappe
2
Birthdate: July 7, 1895
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: September 9, 1921
 15 
Peggy Wood
(Actress)
Peggy Wood
2
Birthdate: February 9, 1892
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Died: March 18, 1978
 16 
Mabel Normand
(Actress)
Mabel Normand
2
Birthdate: November 9, 1892
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: New Brighton, Staten Island,
Died: February 23, 1930
Height: 5'1" (155 cm)
 17 
Marie Dressler
(Actress, Comedian and Early Silent Film and Depression-Era Film Star)
Marie Dressler
4
Birthdate: November 9, 1868
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Cobourg, Canada
Died: July 28, 1934

Marie Dressler was a Canadian comedian and actress. A major film star during the Depression-era, Dressler received the 1931 Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Min Divot in the 1930 American comedy-drama film, Min and Bill. Her life and career inspired a play titled Queen Marie, which was written by Shirley Barrie.

 18 
Gracie Fields
(Actress, Singer who was highest paid film star in the world in 1937)
Gracie Fields
2
Birthdate: January 9, 1898
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Rochdale, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom
Died: September 27, 1979
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 19 
Moyna Macgill
(Actress)
Moyna Macgill
3
Birthdate: December 10, 1895
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Belfast, Ireland
Died: November 25, 1975
 20 
Maude Adams
(Actress)
Maude Adams
2
Birthdate: November 11, 1872
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Died: July 17, 1953
 21 
Edna Purviance
(Actress)
Edna Purviance
2
Birthdate: October 21, 1895
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Paradise Valley, Nevada, United States
Died: January 11, 1958
Height: 5'2" (157 cm)
 22 
Dorothy Gish
(Actress)
Dorothy Gish
2
Birthdate: March 11, 1898
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Dayton, Ohio, United States
Died: June 4, 1968
 23 
Margaret Dumont
(Actress)
Margaret Dumont
2
Birthdate: October 20, 1882
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York
Died: March 6, 1965
 24 
Loie Fuller
(Actor, Lighting designer, Choreographer, Artist, Dancer, Stage actor, Model)
Loie Fuller
2
Birthdate: January 15, 1862
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Illinois
Died: January 1, 1928
 25 
Sophie Tucker
(American Comedian, Actress, Singer, and Radio Personality)
Sophie Tucker
50
Birthdate: January 13, 1886
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Tul'chyn, Ukraine
Died: February 9, 1966
 26 
Ellen Terry
(Actress)
Ellen Terry
2
Birthdate: February 27, 1847
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Coventry, United Kingdom
Died: July 21, 1928
 27 
Una O Connor
(Actress)
Una O Connor
3
Birthdate: October 23, 1880
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Belfast, Ireland
Died: February 4, 1959
 28 
Colleen Moore
(Actress)
Colleen Moore
2
Birthdate: August 19, 1899
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Port Huron, Michigan, U.S.
Died: January 25, 1988
Height: 5'3" (160 cm)
 29 
Dorothea Jordan
(Actress)
Dorothea Jordan
2
Birthdate: November 22, 1761
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Waterford, Ireland
Died: July 5, 1816
 30 
Ruth Chatterton
2
Birthdate: December 24, 1892
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States
Died: November 24, 1961
 31 
Bessie Love
(Actress)
Bessie Love
3
Birthdate: September 10, 1898
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Midland, Texas, United States
Died: April 26, 1986
 32 
Helena Modjeska
(Actress)
Helena Modjeska
1
Birthdate: October 12, 1840
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Free City of Cracow
Died: April 8, 1909
 33 
Alice Brady
(Actress)
Alice Brady
2
Birthdate: November 2, 1892
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: October 28, 1939
 34 
Marilyn Miller
(Actress)
Marilyn Miller
2
Birthdate: September 1, 1898
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Evansville, Indiana, United States
Died: April 7, 1936
 35 
Lily Pons
(American-French operatic soprano)
Lily Pons
2
Birthdate: April 12, 1898
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Draguignan, France
Died: February 13, 1976
Height: 5'0" (152 cm)
 36 
Dame Edith Evans
(British actress)
Dame Edith Evans
2
Birthdate: February 8, 1888
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: London, England
Died: October 14, 1976
 37 
Texas Guinan
(Actress)
Texas Guinan
3
Birthdate: January 12, 1884
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Waco, Texas, U.S.
Died: November 5, 1933
 38 
Molly Picon
(Actress)
Molly Picon
1
Birthdate: February 28, 1898
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States
Died: April 5, 1992
Height: 5'0" (152 cm)
 39 
Eleonora Duse
(Actress)
Eleonora Duse
2
Birthdate: October 3, 1858
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Vigevano, Italy
Died: April 21, 1924
 40 
Lillian Russell
(Former Actress, Singer known for her beauty and style, as well as for her voice and stage presence)
Lillian Russell
1
Birthdate: December 4, 1860
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Clinton, Iowa, United States
Died: June 6, 1922
 41 
Nellie Clifden
(Irish Actress)
Nellie Clifden
2
Birthplace: Ireland
 42 
Valérie Quennessen
(Actress)
Valérie Quennessen
1
Birthdate: December 3, 1957
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Boulogne-Billancourt, France
Died: March 19, 1989
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 43 
Adah Isaacs Menken
(Actress)
Adah Isaacs Menken
2
Birthdate: June 15, 1835
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Bordeaux, France
Died: August 10, 1868
 44 
Beatrice Lillie
(Actress)
Beatrice Lillie
1
Birthdate: May 29, 1894
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Toronto, Canada
Died: January 20, 1989
Height: 5'4" (163 cm)
 45 
Celia Lovsky
(Actress)
Celia Lovsky
2
Birthdate: February 21, 1897
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Vienna, Austria
Died: October 12, 1979
 46 
Lilia Skala
(Architect)
Lilia Skala
4
Birthdate: November 28, 1896
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Vienna, Austria
Died: December 18, 1994

One of the first female architects from Austria, Lilia Skala later also became a reputed actor, winning an Academy Award nomination for her film Lilies of the Field. She had also worked in Broadway plays such as Letters to Lucerne and in soaps such as Claudia: The Story of a Marriage.

 47 
Jeanne Eagels
(Actress)
Jeanne Eagels
1
Birthdate: June 26, 1890
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Kansas City, Missouri
Died: October 3, 1929
 48 
Michèle Girardon
(Actress)
Michèle Girardon
1
Birthdate: August 9, 1938
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Lyon, France
Died: March 25, 1975
 49 
Grace Moore
(American Opera Singer and Actress Whose Films Helped to Popularize Opera)
Grace Moore
1
Birthdate: December 5, 1898
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Del Rio, Tennessee, United States
Died: January 26, 1947

American opera singer Grace Moore, also known as the Tennessee Nightingale, initially sang in New York nightclubs and then moved on to Broadway. She is remembered for her Academy Award-nominated role in the romantic musical One Night of Love. She died in a plane crash in Copenhagen after a performance.

 50 
Pearl White
(Actress)
Pearl White
1
Birthdate: March 4, 1889
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Green Ridge
Died: August 4, 1938