Peggy Cartwright

Posted by Jenniffer Sheldon on Wednesday, May 1, 2024

Peggy Cartwright, former film actress who appeared in more than 15 silent films produced between 1919 and 1924 and later starred in musical theater, died June 13 of natural causes at Mt. Tolmie Nursing Home in Victoria, Canada. She was 88.

Cartwright, a native of Victoria, came to Hollywood at age 5 with her mother and brother. While taking a dance class, she was noticed by silent screen star Sessue Hayakawa, who helped land her a film role in an “Our Gang” comedy and also in a Harold Lloyd film, “From Hand to Mouth.”

A sampling of her film credits includes “The Iron Horse,” “Quiet Street,” “Young Sherlock” “Fire Fighters,” “One Terrible Day,” “Penrod” and “Goodnight Vienna” (1932).

At age 15, she was given a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. While there, she trained in Russian ballet and eventually worked on the London stage. She starred in musical comedy on the West End, appearing with Bobby Howes as the lead in the musical “For the Love of Mike.”

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Cartwright was brought back to the United States in 1932 by Lee and J.J. Shubert and appeared in the Broadway musical “Americana.” Then she met and married vaudeville headliner Phil Baker and retired from show business to raise a family. Later the couple divorced and she subsequently married Bill Walker, who died in 1992.

In later life, Cartwright became a novelist and screenwriter.

She is survived by two daughters and two sons, including composer Michael Baker.

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