Minna Gombell

Minna Marie Gombell (née Gombel; May 28, 1892 – April 14, 1973) was an American stage and film actress.

Minna Gombell
Gombell in 1917
Born
Minna Marie Gombel

(1892-05-28)May 28, 1892
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
DiedApril 14, 1973(1973-04-14) (aged 80)
Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Other namesNancy Gardner
Winifred Lee
OccupationActress
Years active1912–1961
Spouses
Howard C. Rumsey
​
​
(m. 1916; div. 1921)​
    Ferdinand Eggena
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1922; div. 1924)​
      Joseph W. Sefton Jr.
      ​
      ​
      (m. 1933; div. 1954)​

      Early years

      She was born Minna Marie Gombel in Baltimore, Maryland, the daughter of William and Emma M. Debring Gombel. Her father was a medical doctor who came to the United States from Germany in 1880. Her mother was from Baltimore and of German descent.[1]

      Life and work

      Gombell was active in stock theater, starring with troupes in Albany, Atlanta, Cleveland, New Orleans, and Los Angeles.[2] Her Broadway credits include Indiscretion (1928), The Great Power (1928), Ballyhoo (1926), Alloy (1924), Mr. Pitt (1923), Listening in (1922), On the Hiring Line (1919), The Indestructible Wife (1917), Six Months' Option (1917), and My Lady's Garter (1915).[3]

      She had a successful stage career from 1912 as Winifred Lee before being signed by the Fox Film Corporation in the late 1920s. Her first film was Doctors' Wives (1931) in which she played under the name Nancy Gardner, a name given to her by Fox. After this, she spent a time coaching several young actresses before returning to film under her real name.

      She appeared in some fifty Hollywood films including: Block-Heads, The Merry Widow, The First Year, Boom Town, High Sierra, Hoop-La, The Thin Man, Doomed Caravan, and The Best Years of Our Lives.

      Personal life

      Gombell married Howard Chesham Rumsey on March 9, 1916, in New York City. They divorced in 1921.[1]: 68  In 1922 she was married in secret to the aviator and press agent Ferdinand Eggena in Atlanta, Georgia. Their marriage was revealed when he was arrested for fraud in November.[4][5] She filed for divorce the next month, which was granted in 1924.[6][7] On May 19, 1933, she was married for a third time to millionaire banker Joseph W. Sefton Jr.[8] They separated in 1947 and were divorced in 1954.[1]: 70 

      Some sources state she was married to writer/producer Myron C. Fagan,[9] who put Gombell in several plays and films in the 1920s, but Fagan was married during this period to another woman, who died in 1966.[1]: 70 

      Gombell died in Santa Monica on April 14, 1973, and was buried in Loudon Park Cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland.[10][1]: 70 

      Partial filmography
      Year Film Role Director Notes
      1929 The Great Power Joan Wray
      1931 Doctors' Wives Julia Wyndram Frank Borzage
      1931 Bad Girl Edna Driggs Frank Borzage
      1931 Skyline Minor Role Sam Taylor uncredited
      1931 Sob Sister Vonnie Alfred Santell
      1931 Good Sport Virginia Casey Kenneth MacKenna
      1932 The Rainbow Trail Ruth David Howard
      1932 Stepping Sisters Rosie La Marr Seymour Felix
      1932 Dance Team Cora Stuart Sidney Lanfield
      1932 After Tomorrow Else Taylor Frank Borzage
      1932 Careless Lady Yvette Logan Kenneth MacKenna
      1932 Bachelor's Affairs Stella Peck Alfred L. Werker
      1932 The First Year Mrs. Barstow William K. Howard
      1932 Wild Girl Millie Raoul Walsh
      1933 Pleasure Cruise Judy Mills Frank Tuttle
      1933 Hello, Sister! Mona La Rue
      1933 What Price Innocence? Amy Harper
      1933 The Big Brain Margy George Archainbaud
      1933 Wild Boys of the Road Aunt Carrie William Wellman
      1933 The Way to Love Suzanne Norman Taurog
      1933 Hoop-La Carrie Frank Lloyd
      1934 Cross Country Cruise Nita Borden Edward Buzzell
      1934 Keep 'Em Rolling Julie Argyle Nelson (assistant)
      1934 Marrying Widows The Press Agent Sam Newfield
      1934 No More Women Annie Fay Albert S. Rogell
      1934 Registered Nurse Beulah Schloss Robert Florey
      1934 Strictly Dynamite Miss LaSeur Elliott Nugent (unbilled)
      1934 The Thin Man Mimi Wynant Jorgenson W. S. Van Dyke
      1934 The Hell Cat Pauline McCoy Albert S. Rogell
      1934 The Lemon Drop Kid Maizie Marshall Neilan
      1934 The Merry Widow Marcelle Ernst Lubitsch
      1934 Cheating Cheaters Nell Brockton Richard Thorpe
      1934 Babbitt Zilla Reisling William Keighley
      1935 The White Cockatoo Grete Lovscheim Alan Crosland
      1935 Women Must Dress Linda Howard Reginald Barker
      1935 Two Sinners Mrs. Pym Arthur Lubin
      1935 Miss Pacific Fleet Sadie Freytag Ray Enright
      1936 Champagne Charlie Lillian Wayne James Tinling
      1936 Banjo on my Knee Ruby John Cromwell
      1937 Make Way for Tomorrow Nellie Chase Leo McCarey
      1937 Slave Ship Mabel Tay Garnett
      1937 Wife, Doctor and Nurse Constance Walter Lang
      1938 Block-Heads Mrs. Hardy John G. Blystone
      1938 The Great Waltz Mrs. Hofbauer Josef von Sternberg (uncredited)
      1938 Comet Over Broadway Tim Adams John Farrow (uncredited)
      1938 Going Places Cora Withering Ray Enright
      1939 Second Fiddle Jenny Sidney Lanfield
      1939 Stop, Look and Love Emma Haller Otto Brower
      1939 The Hunchback of Notre Dame Queen of Beggars William Dieterle
      1940 Boom Town Spanish Eva Jack Conway
      1941 Doomed Caravan Jane Travers Lesley Selander
      1941 High Sierra Mrs. Baughmam Raoul Walsh
      1941 Thieves Fall Out Ella Barnes Ray Enright
      1942 Cadets on Parade Della Lew Landers
      1942 Mexican Spitfire Sees a Ghost Edith Fitzbadden Leslie Goodwins
      1943 Salute for Three Myrt Ralph Murphy
      1944 Chip Off the Old Block Milly Charles Lamont
      1944 Johnny Doesn't Live Here Any More Mrs. Collins Joe May
      1944 The Town Went Wild Marian Harrison Ralph Murphy
      1944 Destiny Marie Julien Duvivier (uncredited)
      1945 Night Club Girl Rita Edward F. Cline
      1945 Penthouse Rhythm Taffy Edward F. Cline
      1945 Swingin' on a Rainbow Minnie Regan William Beaudine
      1945 Sunbonnet Sue Mrs. Fitzgerald Ralph Murphy
      1945 Man Alive Aunt Sophie Ray Enright
      1946 Perilous Holiday Mrs. Latham Edward H. Griffith
      1946 The Best Years of Our Lives Mrs. Parrish William Wyler
      1947 Wyoming Queenie Lassiter Joseph Kane
      1948 Mr. Reckless Ma Hawkins Frank McDonald
      1948 Return of the Bad Men Emily Ray Enright
      1948 The Snake Pit Miss Hart Anatole Litvak
      1949 The Last Bandit Winnie McPhail Joseph Kane
      1950 Pagan Love Song Kate Bennett Robert Alton
      1951 Here Comes the Groom Mrs. Godfrey Frank Capra
      1951 I'll See You in My Dreams Mrs. LeBoy Michael Curtiz final film role

      References
      1. Nissen, Axel (2016). Accustomed to Her Face: Thirty-Five Character Actresses of Golden Age Hollywood. McFarland. pp. 86–70. ISBN 9781476626062. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
      2. "Minna Gombell Has The Usual Luck". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. New York, Brooklyn. February 15, 1925. p. 62. Retrieved May 1, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
      3. "("Minna Gombell" search results)". Playbill Vault. Playbill. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
      4. "Arrest Reveals Fraud". The Seattle Star. 1922-11-24. p. 10.
      5. "More Trouble for Eggena?". The Billboard. December 30, 1922. p. 27.
      6. "Asked for bail, gets served with summons; Minna Gombel answers plea from husband with divorce action". Variety. December 15, 1922. p. 12.
      7. "Divorces". The Billboard. April 26, 1924. p. 131.
      8. "Sefton-Gombell". The Billboard. 1933-05-27. p. 52.
      9. Parish, James Robert (1978). Hollywood Character Actors. Arlington House. p. 229. ISBN 978-0-87000-384-4.
      10. "Minna Gombell, 81, of Stage and Films". The New York Times. April 16, 1973.
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