Photo: IMDb.com
Martha Mansfield was born in New York City in July, 1899 with the name Martha Ehrlich, and at a very early age she had decided on an acting career. She took the name Martha Mansfield, choosing a new last name after the town in Ohio where her mother was born.
Her career began on Broadway in 1912 at the age of 13 when she was chosen as a cast member of “Little Women” She also worked as a dancer and a model. She danced in the stage production “Hop O’ My Thumb” while also gaining roles in “The Passing Show of 1915” and “Robinson Crusoe Jr” She also posed for over 300 photographs for famous photographer Alfred Cheney Johnston…known for his work with Ziegfeld Follies showgirls and other famous actors and actresses of the day.
Photo: Vamps and Flappers of the 1910’s, 1920’s and early 30s
After making some movies for Essanay Studios, she announced that she had decided on a full time acting career, and subsequently moved to Hollywood.
Once relocated, her first movie there was “Civilian Clothes” in 1920, and then she gained a lot of attention starring as Millicent Carew ( originally offered and turned down by Tallulah Bankhead ) in the film adaptation of “Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde” opposite John Barrymore.
Photo: Martha Mansfield and John Barrymore….Silence is Golden
Her next big role was alongside Eugene O’Brien in “The Perfect Lover”
Photo : Martha Mansfield and Eugene O’Brien……Get Archive Collections
She was noticed, and was subsequently signed to the Fox Film Corporation. Her first role for the new studio was “The Silent Command” with Edmund Lowe and Bela Lugosi.
Photo: Wikipedia
This was followed by her 1923 roles in “Potash and Perlmutter”
Photo: IMDb.com
and “The Leavenworth Case”
Photo: Wikipedia
These performances ultimately brought Martha Mansfield to San Antonio where she was to star as Agatha Warren in the movie “The Warrens of Virginia” a silent film drama set in the Civil War.
San Antonio’s Brackenridge Park doubled as a battlefield at Appomattox.
Photo: Early Brackenridge Park….San Antonio Express News
It was Thursday November 29th….Thanksgiving Day that year. The forecast was for a day full of sunshine, and the director wanted to take advantage of the beautiful day and make up for lost days due to previous bad weather. After a grueling filming schedule thus far, the cast were told they would have to work for their turkey dinner later in the day so that the weather conditions could be fully utilized. Nobody complained because it only involved a few shots to complete the filming.
Martha, who was playing the heroine of the story, put on her costume for the filming, a billowing snow white hoop skirt with ruffles, and buttoned high at the collar. It also featuring an elaborate brooch.
Following a breakfast with fellow actors at the St. Anthony Hotel where they were staying, Martha Mansfield traveled to Brackenridge Park for final filming of the romance drama. The scenes were shot at the northern end of the park, near to where the Lambert Beach Softball Field is located today.
Following the completion of her scenes, Martha Mansfield went to rest in her limousine parked nearby….and that’s where the mystery and tragedy began.
It was only a few minutes later when the filming was interrupted by piecing screams. Everyone turned to where the sounds were coming from to be confronted with a scene of horror. Martha Mansfield was running away from her car totally engulfed in flames.
Her co-star Wilfred Lytell was the first to reach her and attempted to smother the flames with his coat. He shielded her face to avoid any scarring, but the fire had taken hold of the material of her flowing dress, and the actress suffered severe burns to her body and legs.
She was hurriedly put in a car and driven to the San Antonio Physicians and Surgeons Hospital.
Photo: San Antonio Physicians’ and Surgeons’ Hospital….McGovern Historical Center
Despite suffering horrific burns to her body, initially the doctors thought that she would recover from the traumatic injuries, and according to this week’s radio KLAQ account of the incident, she asked doctors,” Are you sure my face is not harmed? Won’t my cheeks and neck be scarred forever ?”
Original plans were to take her back to the St Anthony Hotel to recover, however, her condition worsened and she passed away at noon the next day, November 30th, in the San Antonio Physicians and Surgeons Hospital at the age of 24….one hundred years ago today. There was never a word from the actress as to what actually occurred in the car the day before.
Photo: Associated Press
To this day there is conjecture as to what happened that tragic day. Some reports say that she returned to her car to relax with friends and a dropped match in the car started the fire. There are others who claim that the actress was alone in the vehicle, and although her mother maintained that Martha Mansfield did not smoke, she lit a cigarette, and in the process dropped a match onto her clothing, causing it to instantly ignite.
A more sinister claim is that someone nearby threw a match in her direction which started the blaze.
However, nobody was ever charged with a crime, and it is widely thought that the actress accidentally caused the fire herself. Whatever the true story, it was a tragedy and ended the life of a promising young actress here in San Antonio.
Photo: Short History
Her body was returned to New York City where she was buried.
Photo: Find a Grave
Sadly, like a lot of silent movies of that era, there is no copy of the film.
Additional story:
- Here is a Youtube tribute to Martha Mansfield
Sources:
1.bp.blogspot.com
Wikipedia
betweentherailroadandtheriverwalk.blogspot.com
San Antonio Express News
travsd.wordpress.com
KLAQ
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Memories of San Antonio 
One of the many ghosts that haunt Brackenridge Park and the halls of the St. Anthony Hotel….
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