Silent film Star: Gertrude Olmstead.

A Tribute to Gertrude Olmstead

A Tribute to Gertrude Olmstead Silent film actress Gertrude Olmstead began her career in Westerns. On June 13, 1920, Gertrude won the Herald-Examiner Elks’ beauty contest in Chicago, where she was born on November 13, 1897. Erich Von Stroheim was brought to Chicago to test the fifteen participants, and when Gertrude was declared the winner, Carl Laemmle immediately signed Gertrude to a contract at Universal.

In 1925, Gertrude became Lon Chaney’s leading lady in The Monster (1925) wearing a blonde wig, and she was to play a lesser role with him in Mr. Wu (1927). In the early 1920’s, Gertrude left Universal and embarked on a career as leading lady to many of the major male stars of the day. She played opposite John Gilbert in Cameo Kirby (1923), Tom Mix in Ladies to Board (1924), Reginald Denny in California Straight Ahead (1925) and The Cheerful Fraud (1927). Milton Sills in Puppets (1926), Charles Ray in Sweet Adeline (1926) George K. Arthur in The Boob (1926), and Richard Dix in Sporting Goods (1928). She reached  the peak of her career in September 1924, when she was signed by MGM, a studio with which she was to remain through 1927. It was the same year when Gertrude appeared in The Callahans and the Murphys starring Marie Dressler.

Two of the most memorable, if not the most important films of Gertrude’s career are Cobra (1925) with Rudolph Valentino and The Torrent (1926), on which she was billed third below Greta Garbo and Ricardo Cortez. One positive result from Gertrude’s MGM contract was playing Time, the Comedian (1925) on the set of which she met director Robert Z. Leonard. The couple were married in Santa Barbara, California in June 1926 and remained together until Leonard’s death in 1968. Gertrude continued to work through 1929. Her first talkie was Hit of the Show (1928) opposite Joe E. Brown, followed by four further sound productions. After 1929, Gertrude was happy to retire and spend more time with her husband. She considered her career to be very colorless and very short. Gertrude passed away on January 18, 1975. She was 78 years old.

Silent Film Star: Gertrude Olmstead .

Gertrude Olmstead (November 13, 1897 – January 18, 1975). Appeared in 56 films between 1920 and 1929. Her first credited film role was in the film, The Fox(1921). Today her best known role is, opposite Rudolph Valentino in the film, Cobra(1925). Valentino plays Count Rodrigo Torriani, an Italian noble, who  has a weakness for women. The production of Cobra was troubled by production costs. Also, Paramont Pictures , was unhappy with the final film and believing it would flop, held off releasing it until Valentino appeared in a more successful picture. When the film, Cobra was released in late 1925, it proved to be Valentino's comeback feature. Video: 1 of 8.



After sound films became popular her career faded and she retired from acting in 1929. In 1926, she met MGM director Robert Z. Leonard, and they were married June 8 of that year. Leonard and Olmstead remained married until his death in 1968.

Filmography:

Tipped Off (1920)
The Driftin' Kid (1921)
Sweet Revenge (1921)
Kickaroo (1921)
The Fightin' Fury (1921)
Out o' Luck (1921)
The Fox (1921)
The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe (1922)
The Loaded Door (1922)
Cameo Kirby (1923)
The Monster (1925)
Cobra (1925)
The Boob (1926)
Becky (1927)
Torrent (1926)
The Show of Shows (1929)
Sonny Boy (1929)

"Torrent” (1926)

“Torrent” (1926) is a silent romantic drama starring Ricardo Cortez, Greta Garbo and Gertrude Olmstead. Directed by Monta Bell and adapted from the novel by Spanish author, Vicente Blasco Ibanez, “Entre Naranjos,” this film is a story of lost love and missed chances. Leonora Moreno, a peasant girl, played by Greta Garbo, and Rafael Brull, played by Ricardo Cortez, have grown up in the same Spanish village. Although they are in love, Rafael is from an aristocratic family and dominated by his mother, Dona Bernarda Brull, played by Martha Mattox. Dona Bernarda forbids the relationship causing Leonora’s family to be kicked out of their home. Leonora’s father, Don Pedro Moreno, played by Edward Connelly, decides to take his daughter off to Paris where her trained voice is sure to be a hit. Meanwhile, her mother, Dona Pepa Moreno, played by Lucy Beaumont, is left behind to work as a maid for Dona Bernarda. After Leonora leaves for Paris, Dona Bernarda convinces Rafael that Remedios Matias, played by Gertrude Olmstead, would be the ideal wife for him mainly because her father, Don Matias, played by Mack Swain, has grown rich in hog raising, and he becomes engaged to her. While living in Paris, Leonora becomes a famous opera singer, La Brunna, and develops a reputation for being a loose woman. When Leonora returns to her home to see her mother, she and Rafael meet again and their love is rekindled. Unfortunately, Dona Bernarda separates them again, and he marries Remedios. Years later, Leonora and Rafael meet again. She is still beautiful, but he looks older than his years and is an unhappily married man with two children. The ending is surprising.











“Torrent” (1926) was Garbo’s American film debut and it helped establish her as a big star. With magnificent sets and costumes, this was MGM filmmaking at its best. The special effects must have been quite remarkable for their time. With no language barrier to deal with, the Swedish actress was able to play a Spanish peasant turned temptress with no disbelief from the audience. Handsome Ricardo Cortez was quite convincing as a Spaniard and does an admirable job appearing foolish and growing old ungracefully. One of the things I liked most about the film was the use of sepia, blue, lavender and red hues throughout. I liked the scene where Cortez braves the torrent in a row boat trying to rescue Leonora. One of my favorite scenes is when a lovesick Cortez wanders back to Garbo’s home and tells her he needs her and they dissolve into each other’s arms. The scene in which Cortez and Garbo are lying near the orange blossoms is breathtakingly romantic and very well done. “Torrent” is worth watching just for its stunning cinematography and Garbo’s impressive American film debut.

Ricardo Cortez, who looked like Latin Lover Rudolph Valentino, was invented, named and groomed to become a direct rival. Ironically, he wasn’t Latin at all, having been born Jacob Krantz to an Austrian Jewish family in New York City. He became starstruck growing up in Manhattan, began playing bit parts in New York-based films, and after moving to Hollywood, his appearance in a dance contest won him a Paramount contract. Jesse Lasky of Paramount was in the audience and noticed how much Krantz resembled Valentino. Lasky immediately offered Krantz a contract and began preparing him to take Valentino’s place. Lasky’s secretary picked the name Ricardo Cortez when it was decided the young actor needed a Latin name. Krantz stuck with his new name and went on to make ninety pictures from 1924 to 1958, all under the name of Ricardo Cortez. He also achieved a considerable degree of prominence during the silent era with films such as “Argentine Love” (1924), “The Spaniard” (1925), “The Swan” (1925) and “Torrent” (1926). Cortez moved easily into talkies and starred in such films as “The Maltese Falcon” (1931), “Symphony of Six Million” (1932), “Midnight Mary” (1933) and “Torch Singer” (1933). When Cortez retired from the film business, he went to work as a stockbroker on Wall Street. Cortez died in New York City on April 28, 1977. He was 76 years old. He was the brother of noted cinematographer Stanley Cortez (born Stanislaus Krantz).


Dona Bernarda has in mind Remedios Matias, played by Gertrude Olmstead, as a daughter-in-law mainly because her father, Don Matias, played by Mack Swain, has grown rich in hog raising.