Dorothy Sebastian (born Stella Dorothy Sabiston; April 26, 1903The book Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries: A Directory gives Sebastian's date of birth as April 26, 1907. – April 8, 1957) was an American film and stage actress.

Early years Sebastian was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, the daughter of Lycurgus (Lawrence) Robert and Stella Armstrong Sabiston. In her early years she aspired to be a missionary, since her grandparents were missionaries, but when she was taken to a theater during this time, she changed her mind and aspired to be an actress. She attended the University of Alabama but only for a short while and then married her high-school sweetheart, Allan Stafford, some time in 1920. She lived with him in Birmingham and helped operate the Staffords' laundry store. After her marriage ended in 1924, she left for New York sometime after.

After leaving Alabama and starting a career on the stage, she changed the spelling of her name to Sebastian. Upon her arrival in New York City, she had a southern drawl thick enough, in the words of one news report, to "cut with a knife". She spent her days visiting theatrical agents—and being consistently rejected—before returning at night to a $12-a-month room.

Career Her first break came when she secured a role in George White's Scandals as a chorus girl. She then met Max Aitken, otherwise known as Lord Beaverbrook. Through this connection, she scored a screen test with Henry King, which led to her first starring role, in the film Sackloth and Scarlet. This part landed her a five-year contract with MGM, where she co-starred with Joan Crawford and Anita Page in a popular series of MGM romantic dramas, including Our Dancing Daughters (1928) and Our Blushing Brides (1930). Sebastian appeared in 1929's Spite Marriage, cast opposite the then-married Buster Keaton, with whom she began an affair.

MGM released Sebastian in 1930; her last film for the studio was a short subject starring the young Jack Benny. Harry Cohn of then-low-budget Columbia Pictures seized on Sebastian's availability by signing her to a Columbia contract; Cohn welcomed any former MGM players for their name value. After Columbia released Sebastian a year later, she began freelancing, mostly at low-budget independent studios. Her most familiar appearance in sound films is probably in Allez Oop (1934), a short comedy produced by Educational Pictures that reunited her with Buster Keaton.

In 1930 Sebastian married outdoor-adventure star William Boyd (the future Hopalong Cassidy). After their 1936 divorce, she returned to acting, appearing in mostly bit parts. Her last onscreen appearance was in the 1948 film The Miracle of the Bells.

Songwriting Sebastian co-wrote the ballad "The Leaves Mustn't Fall" with Jack Kenney.

Personal life

While still in Birmingham, Sebastian married her high-school sweetheart, Allen Stafford, on November 9, 1920. The marriage ended four years later just before she moved to New York.

Sebastian married actor William Boyd in December 1930 in Las Vegas, Nevada. They began a relationship after meeting on the set of His First Command in 1929. They divorced in 1936.

Legal issues On November 7, 1938, Sebastian was found guilty of drunk driving in a Beverly Hills, California Justice Court. The night she was arrested, she had been dining at Buster Keaton's home with her nephew. She was given a 30-day suspended jail sentence and paid a fine of $75.

In 1940, Sebastian was denied an award of $10,000 from a San Diego court. She had appeared at a Red Cross benefit in San Francisco in 1937 and failed to pay her hotel bill. She contended the promoter for the event should have paid the bill. An employee of the Plaza Hotel took out the suit, charging "defrauding an innkeeper." The State Supreme Court of California reversed the lower court's decision, which had awarded her the money on grounds of malicious prosecution.

Death and legacy On April 8, 1957, Sebastian died of cancer at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California, a few weeks before her 54th birthday. She is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, California dorothysebastian.com.

For her contribution to the motion picture industry, Sebastian has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6655 Hollywood Boulevard. It was dedicated on February 8, 1960.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1925 Bluebeard's Seven Wives Gilda La Bray Lost film 1925 Sackcloth and Scarlet Polly Freeman Lost film 1925 Why Women Love Pearl Lost film 1925 Winds of Chance Laura 1926 Torrent Woman in Audience Uncredited 1926 You'd Be Surprised Ruth Whitman 1927 The Show Salvation Army Worker Uncredited 1927 The Demi-Bride Lola Lost film 1927 On Ze Boulevard Gaby de Sylva 1927 The Isle of Forgotten Women Marua Incomplete film 1927 Slide, Kelly, SlideTrain Passenger Uncredited 1927 California Carlotta del Rey Lost film 1927 Twelve Miles Out Chiquita 1927 Tea for Three Annette Lost film 1927 The Arizona Wildcat Regina Schyler Lost film 1927 LoveSpectator Extra at Races Uncredited 1927 The Haunted ShipGoldie Kane Lost film 1928 Our Dancing DaughtersBeatrice 1928 Show PeopleDorothy Sebastian Uncredited 1928 A Woman of Affairs Constance 1928 Their Hour Cora Lost film 1928 The House of Scandal Ann Rourke Lost film 1928 WyomingSamantha Jerusha Farrell Lost film 1928 The AdventurerDolores de Silva Lost film 1929 Spite Marriage Trilby Drew 1929 His First Command Judy Gaylord 1929 Morgan's Last RaidJudith Rogers Lost film 1929 The Devil's Apple TreeDorothy Ryan Lost film 1929 The Rainbow Lola 1929 The Spirit of Youth Betty Grant 1929 The Single StandardMercedes 1929 The Unholy Night Lady Efra Cavender Alternative title: The Green Ghost 1930 BrothersNorma Moore 1930 Montana Moon Elizabeth "Lizzie" Prescott 1930 Officer O'BrienRuth Dale 1930 Free and EasyDorothy Sebastian - Actress in Cave Scene1930 Hell's Island Marie1930Our Blushing BridesFrancine Daniels 1930 The Rounder Ethel Dalton MGM short, costarring Jack Benny. 1930 Ladies Must Play Norma Blake 1930 The Utah KidJennie Lee 1931 The Big GambleBeverly 1931 The Deceiver Ina Fontanne 1931 The Lightning FlyerRose Rogers 1931 Ships of HateGrace Walsh 1932 They Never Come Back Adele Landon 1933 Ship of Wanted Men Irene Reynolds 1934 The Life of Vergie Winters Lulu 1937 The Mysterious Pilot Jean McNain 1939 The Arizona Kid Bess Warren 1939 Days of Jesse James Zerilda James 1939 Rough Riders' Round-up Rose 1939 The Women Saleswoman Pat 1941 Among the Living Woman in Cafe 1941 Kansas Cyclone Helen King 1942 True to the Army Gloria Uncredited 1942 Reap the Wild Wind Guest at Ball Uncredited 1945 George White's ScandalsGloria Uncredited 1948 The Miracle of the Bells Miss Katie Orwin Uncredited

Notes

References

Los Angeles Times, "Alabama Steps To Top", August 10, 1930, Page B16. Oakland Tribune, "Kin of Actress Burns To Death", May 14, 1938, Page 1.

External links

DorothySebastian.com Dorothy Sebastian at Virtual History