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Lydia Knott
Lydia Knott
Lydia Knott
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Lydia Knott (October 1, 1866 – March 30, 1955) was an American actress of the silent film era.[1] She appeared in more than 90 films between 1914 and 1937.

Key Information

Biography

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Lydia Knott in 1902.

Knott was born in Tyner, Indiana, the daughter of Lambert and Clarissa Knott. She died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles. She was the mother of director Lambert Hillyer.[2]

For years, Knott was David Higgins' leading lady. She acted in stock theater in Albany, Chicago, Cincinnati, and Toledo, among other cities. She toured the United States in at least five productions.[3] She also acted in vaudeville.[4]

Partial filmography

[edit]
Detail of ad for The Flirt, 1922

References

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Lydia Knott

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''Lydia Knott'' (full name Lydia Willette Knott) is an American actress known for her prolific career as a character actress in silent films and early sound films, appearing in more than 90 productions between 1914 and 1937. Born on October 1, 1866, in Tyner, Indiana, she became a veteran of both stage and screen, frequently portraying mothers and supporting characters in Hollywood films during the 1910s and 1920s. Her notable appearances include roles in films such as ''A Woman of Paris'' (1923), directed by Charlie Chaplin, as well as ''Luck in Pawn'' (1919), ''The Flirt'' (1922), and others where she often played maternal or elderly figures. Knott was the mother of film director Lambert Hillyer, and her career extended into the sound era with occasional uncredited and supporting parts through the mid-1930s. She died on March 30, 1955, in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, at the age of 88.

Early life

Birth and family background

Lydia Willette Knott was born on October 1, 1866, in Tyner, a small community in Polk Township, Marshall County, Indiana, United States. She was the daughter of Lambert Knott and Clarissa Knott. Her family included an older brother, Adelbert Knott. She grew up in Indiana before later embarking on a career in theatre.

Stage career

Theatre work and professional experience

Lydia Knott maintained a long and active stage career prior to her transition to motion pictures in 1914. She served as leading lady to David Higgins for many years, collaborating with the regional actor in various theatrical productions. Knott performed with stock theatre companies in Albany, Chicago, Cincinnati, and Toledo, among other cities, gaining extensive experience in repertory and resident theatre settings. She toured the United States in at least five theatrical productions, appearing in cities across the country as part of traveling companies. Additionally, Knott appeared in vaudeville performances, including an engagement at the Maryland Theatre in Baltimore in 1905. Her stage work encompassed both dramatic stock roles and variety entertainment, establishing her as a seasoned performer before entering the film industry.

Film career

Silent films (1914–1929)

Lydia Knott began her motion picture career in 1914, making her screen debut in the silent film As Ye Sow as Mrs. St. John. She quickly established herself as a prolific character actress in the silent era, appearing in numerous productions through 1929 and amassing a substantial portion of her nearly 100 total career credits during this period. Knott specialized in supporting roles as mothers, matrons, widows, and other respectable older women, often portraying maternal or elderly authority figures in both leads and smaller parts. Her notable silent-era performances include His Mother in Crime and Punishment (1917), Mrs. Lee in Luck in Pawn (1919), Mama Madison in The Flirt (1922), Jean's Mother in A Woman of Paris (1923), and Mrs. Hare in East Lynne (1925). As the silent period progressed into the mid-1920s, many of her appearances shifted toward smaller supporting roles or uncredited bits in larger productions, such as in The King of Kings (1927).

Sound films (1930–1937)

Lydia Knott continued her acting career into the sound era, appearing in films from 1930 to 1937 primarily in small supporting or uncredited bit parts. These roles often cast her as older women such as residents, mothers, patients, or other minor figures, a common pattern for character actors of her generation transitioning to talking pictures. Among her credits in this period were her appearance as Mrs. Healy in Men Without Law (1930), an uncredited role as an Idylwood Resident in If I Had a Million (1932), an uncredited part as Jim Conroy's Mother in The Final Edition (1932), and an uncredited appearance as a Hospital Patient in The Defense Rests (1934). She also appeared as Miss Willoughby in Fair Warning (1937). Her final known film appearance came in Git Along Little Dogies (1937), marking the end of her screen work.

Personal life

Family and relationships

Lydia Knott was the mother of Lambert Hillyer, a director known for his work in silent and sound films, particularly westerns. Her son Lambert Hillyer, born in 1893, entered the film industry in 1917 after earlier experience in journalism and acting, and he maintained a long career directing until his death in 1969. Knott was married to George Hillyer circa 1890. They had one known child, Lambert Hillyer. Knott was survived by her son Lambert H. Hillyer at the time of her death in 1955.

Death

Lydia Knott died on March 30, 1955, in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California.

Selected filmography

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