Volume III: Biographies

BELLE, Tula *

Actress (1915-1917)

Thanhouser Career Synopsis: Tula Belle, a young girl, appeared in many Thanhouser films during the 1915-1917 era. In some credits she was listed as Tulla Hough, to which biographical entry refer.

Biographical Notes: Tula Belle was born Tula (or Tulla) Hoegh in Christiania, Norway on July 6, 1909. She received her education at Mrs. Beckwith's School in New Rochelle. Though she played in numerous films, she was often omitted from publicity notices concerning them. During the era she was working for Thanhouser, Miss Belle also appeared in The Brand of Cowardice, a 1916 Rolfe for Metro release.

Tula Hoegh was listed in film credits as Tula Belle and Tulla Hough. The New Rochelle Pioneer, September 16, 1916, printed this item: "Florence LaBadie points out something one probably never thought of. At the studio the other day several persons were displaying astonishment because Tula Belle, the child actress, pronounced her last name 'Hirk' and spells it Hoegh. 'Is it more queer' asked Miss LaBadie, with a twinkle in her eye, 'than the fact that you pronounce a certain day of the week 'Wensday' and spell it 'Wednesday?'"

In 1916 a directory noted that she was 4'2" tall and had brown hair and blue eyes. At the time she lived at 33 Jackson Street in New Rochelle. Riding and swimming were her favorite recreational activities. Later, Tula Belle appeared in many other films, including Maurice Tourneur's 1917 production of The Bluebird. A note in The Moving Picture World, April 21, 1917, stated she was working in a film for Goldwyn Pictures Corporation. Films in which she appeared included Over the Hill (Astra for Pathé, December 1917), A Doll's House (Paramount, June 1918), The Miracle Man (Mayflower for Paramount, 1919), Deliverance (Edwin Liebfried and Francis Trevelyan Miller for Kleine, August 1919), and Old Dad (Chaplin-Mayer Pictures for First National, 1920).

Note: Her name was transposed as Belle Tula in some notices. Credits for The Miracle (9-26-1915) listed her variously as Tula Belle and Tulla Hough.

Thanhouser Filmography (as Tula Belle):

1915: The Miracle (9-26-1915), The Conscience of Juror No. 10 (10-26-1915), The Little Captain of the Scouts (11-9-1915)

1916: A Bird of Prey (3-16-1916), The Fear of Poverty (9-10-1916)

1917: The Vicar of Wakefield (2-25-1917), The Woman and the Beast (Graphic Features 4-17-1917)

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