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Death of Helen Menken, notorious and accomplished actress

Helen Menken was born to be a star. Her rapid rise through the ranks of prominent actresses began at an early age: within two years of her debut in Humpty Dumpty at the age of three, she was playing Peaseblossom in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Born on December 12, 1901, to artist Frederick William Menken and Katherine (nee Moden) in New York City, she was acting professionally at age 15. A serious actor who challenged herself throughout her life, in the mid-1920s, she presented a string of powerful performances in challenging dramas by Ibsen and Karel Čapek. She married Humphrey Bogart on May 20, 1926.

At the height of her career in 1926, she appeared with John Barrymore in The Captive, where Menken portrayed a woman who abandons her husband to take up with a female lover. On February 9, 1927, the performance was stopped when the police arrested the cast, along with the casts of The Virgin Man and Sex, including Mae West, Sex’s playwright and star. Menken, wrapped in e

Helen Menken

American actress (1901–1966)

Helen Menken

Menken in 1920

Born

Helen Meinken


(1901-12-12)December 12, 1901

New York City, U.S.

DiedMarch 27, 1966(1966-03-27) (aged 64)

New York City, U.S.

OccupationActress
Years active1915–1963
Spouses

Humphrey Bogart

(m. 1926; div. 1927)​

Henry T. Smith

(m. 1932; div. 1947)​

George N. Richard

(m. 1948)​

Helen Menken (néeMeinken; December 12, 1901 – March 27, 1966) was an American stage actress.[1][2]

Early years

Menken was born in New York City to a German-French father, Frederick Meinken, and an Irish-born mother, Mary Madden. Both of her parents were deaf, and her early communication came via sign language. She did not begin speaking aloud until age 4.[3][2] Her sister, Grace Menken, was also an actress.[4] At age 12, she was sent to a school in Brighton, England.

Helen Menken Autographs, Memorabilia & Collectibles

HELEN MENKEN

Born: December 12, 1901 in New York City, New York

Died: March 27, 1966 in New York City, New York

Biography

Helen Menken (1901-1966) was born in New York and made her Broadway debut in 1917 in Parlor, Bedroom and Bath. She stayed on stage through the 1930's appearing in many great plays including Seventh Heaven(1922-1924), Mary of Scotland(1933-1934), and The Old Maid(1935) - her final being The Laughing Woman(1937).  Menken remained active behind the scenes in theater and was active on the radio in the 1940s.  In 1966 she received a special Tony Awardposthumously for her lifetime work. She was married to Humphrey Bogart from 1926-1927 - the first marriage for both.

Film Credits

1963-The-17th-Annual-Tony-Awards (in person), 1943-Stage-Door-Canteen (in person), 1961-The-15th-Annual-Tony-Awards (in person), 1962-The-16th-Annual-Tony-Awards (in person), 1960-The-14th-Annual-Tony-Awards (in person)

Theater Credits | show moreshow less

The-Laughing-Woman - Performe

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