Mildred Harris Biography

Mildred Harris was an American actress, who is remembered for playing the ingénue in a number of silent movies. She started working in films when she was just 11 years old. She starred in over 40 films as the leading lady and was particularly impressive as 'Dorothy' in the ‘Wizard of Oz’ series of movies. But more than her glamorous career, it was her brief and doomed marriage to superstar Charlie Chaplin that brought her worldwide fame. The marriage, which was always under intense public scrutiny, could not withstand multiple scandals surrounding it. Her career also suffered a similar fate. Mildred mostly acted in silent movies in the early 20th century, but the industry was transitioning toward talkies. Her inability to adjust to the new kind of cinema was blamed for the demise of her acting career. After her marriage with Chaplin ended, she married two more times. Mildred died of pneumonia-related complications at the age of 43 in California.