Myrtle Gonzalez: The Star Actress of the Silent Era

In Short:

1. Early Talent: Myrtle Gonzalez, born in LA in 1891, showed dramatic talent and a soprano voice from a young age.
2. Silent Film Career: She debuted in 1913 during the silent film era, appearing in around 80 films over four years.
3. Pioneering Roles: Gonzalez challenged norms by portraying independent and opinionated women on screen, a rarity during her time.
4. Cultural Impact: As Hollywood’s first Latin-American star actress, she reshaped perceptions of women and Latin representation in cinema.
5. Personal Life: Gonzalez married twice and had a son from her first marriage before succumbing to the Spanish flu at just 27 in 1918.
6. Legacy: Despite her brief career, Gonzalez’s contributions to cinema were recognized in 2022 with a Google Doodle, highlighting her enduring influence.

Myrtle Gonzalez, born in LA, was a Latina Superstar who gained popularity due to her exceptional work in the silent cinema. Myrtle became a fan of the stage at a very young age. She inherited her mother’s desire to perform on stage, so she began singing and acting as a child. Myrtle got her first role in 1913 when film studios began to relocate from New York to Los Angeles. She was divorced and had a baby son at the time.

Myrtle changed the perception of women during the silent era, as she took bold roles where women would be independent, would wander in nature, and would succeed, and be opinionated. Even though these things seem like normal things in today’s world, it was a revolution during the 1900’s. Gonzalez not only challenged the norms of the silent era cinema through her role, but she also challenged the norms in real life by being Hollywood’s first Latin and Hispanic star actress. Between 1913 and 1917, Gonzalez appeared in approximately 80 silent films.

Gonzalez used to participate in local plays before joining the silent film studio Vitagraph Company of America, where she made her film debut in The Yellow Streak (1913). She also appeared in the 1914 film The Kiss.

Myrtle Gonzalez Bio

Myrtle Gonzalez’s Early Life

Myrtle Gonzalez was born on September 28, 1891, in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Manuel George Gonzalez (1868-?) and Lillian L. Cook (1874-1932). Stella M. Gonzalez (1892-1965) and Manuel G. Gonzalez, Jr. (1898-?) were her siblings.

Myrtle showed remarkable dramatic talent since childhood, and she had an excellent soprano voice. She sang in church choirs and many local events and benefits. She later appeared on stage in juvenile roles alongside Fanny Davenport and Florence Stone. Myrtle graduated from a Los Angeles convent with a degree in music and languages and worked in stock firms before joining Vitagraph and then Universal.

Gonzalez died at the age of 27 during the 1918 worldwide Spanish flu pandemic. She was at her parents’ home at 908 West Thirtyth Street in Los Angeles at the time of her death.

Myrtle Gonzalez’s Family Background & Marriage Life

Her father’s family is a native Hispanic Californio family from Mexico, and her mother’s grandparents were born in Ireland. Her father was a retailer of groceries, and her mother was a popular opera singer.

Gonzalez married James Park Jones in her first marriage. Before they divorced, they had one son, James Parks Jones, Jr. (c. 1911-1970). She married actor/director Allen Watt (April 4, 1885-September 15, 1944) in Los Angeles on December 1, 1917. She then quit her job as a screenwriter and retired. Watt had previously worked as an assistant director at Universal, where they met.

Watt had been assigned as an officer at Camp Lewis in Washington state when the First World War began. Gonzalez and her husband moved to Washington. However, her health was too frail for the climate, and Capt. Watt was placed on the retirement list so that he could return her to Southern California. He returned to Universal and began directing.

Myrtle Gonzalez’s Professional Life

Since she grew up in Los Angeles, the relocation of film production to her hometown was a significant benefit to her. Gonzalez worked for companies like Vitagraph and Universal. Her feature film debut was in William J. Bauman’s The Yellow Streak (1913).

At Vitagraph, she appeared in five films, including

• the comedy/drama Her Husband’s Friend (1913),
• the drama Tainted Money (1914),
• the comedy Millions for Defence (1914),
• the drama The Kiss (1914),
• the drama Captain Alvarez (1914)

Some of her most brilliant movies were The Level, The Little Sheriff, Chalice Of Courage, and many more.

Myrtle didn’t get much attention at first in her career, but she gradually gained more important roles. Her leading ladies, as in “The End of the Rainbow” (1916), were strong heroines who lived in nature and did not let adversity stand in their way of success.

Myrtle had a brief career. However, in December 1917, she quit the movies in to marry for the second time. Myrtle Gonzalez died of Spanish flu less than a year later, in October 1918. She was only 27 years old and suffered from a heart condition. Allen Watt, her widower, directed and acted in some Universal films in the 1920s.

Myrtle Gonzalez’s Fame

The actress got a lot of fame as a Latina Star and got recognition for her brilliant work in movies. Recently, she was featured on Google in 2022. Google featured her in a Google Doodle in the United States on November 23, 2022. The anniversary of the release of her 1914 film The Level, in which she starred, is November 23. Ana Ramrez González, a Bay Area-based guest artist, illustrated the Doodle, which depicts the actress on a winter hike.

Conclusion

Myrtle Gonzalez, a pioneering Latina actress, left an indelible mark on the silent film era through her bold portrayals of women and her significant role in reshaping Hollywood’s cultural landscape. Despite her short career, her legacy as a trailblazer for Latin representation in cinema continues to inspire and resonate to this day.

FAQ:

1- What did Myrtel Gonzales do?

Myrtle Gonzales was an actress, who acted in at least 78 movies

2- In which era did Myrtle Gonzales act?

Myrtle Gozales acted in the silent era motion pictures

3- Was Myrtle Gonzales Latina?

Yes, Myrtle Gonzales was a Latin-American Actress

4- In which year did Myrtel get recognition froZm Google?

Myrtle got recognition from Google in 2022

5- How many silent movies has Myrtel Gonzalez acted in?

Myrtle Gonzalez has acted in around 80 silent movies.