Volume III: Biographies

BURKE, Peggy *

Actress (1914-1917)

Thanhouser Career Synopsis: Peggy Burke appeared in Thanhouser films from 1914 to 1917.

Biographical Notes: Before entering films, Peggy Burke was an artists' model. She posed for Harrison Fisher, Henry Hutt, Hamilton King, Coles Phillips, and other well-known magazine and book illustrators of the day. She was described as having lustrous black hair and blue eyes.

For Thanhouser she appeared in supporting roles. In the summer and autumn of 1914 she was seen on the stage in vaudeville on certain evenings, while during the days she worked at the Thanhouser studio.

A 1914 Sketch: The New Rochelle Pioneer, November 21, 1914, printed this sketch by John William Kellette: "Peggie [sic] Victoria Burke came to Thanhouser's after a successful apprenticeship as a model for some of the most prominent artists in America with New York City studios, and many of the Harrison Fisher, Stanlaws, Straus, and Kimball masterpieces were made from Peggie's poses. Her face had become famous before she appeared in films, and just prior to coming to New Rochelle she was with the Reliance at Yonkers, and New York, in the Komic brand, when David W. Griffith sent her to 'The City Beautiful.'

"Peggie's first picture was At the Cabaret, a Komic film, and her first Thanhouser appearance was in The Somnambulist, featuring Florence LaBadie, Cyril Chadwick and Peggie. It was a comedy, and Peggie didn't have part enough to bring out anything wonderful in the acting line, but what she did she did well. Now she lives in New York City, but it wasn't many years ago that she was born in Ireland, emigrating, with her parents, a wee tot in arms. She is a typical New York City girl; vivacious, earnest and sincere. She is a brunette of pronounced type, and has learned her lesson in posing well. There isn't an overhanging angle, and all her poses show grace. Peggie's one desire is to be a star. Not for the honor attached to the 'star business,' mind you, but so as to rise in her chosen work. If study will get her there she's going to arrive someday, when she'll be the center of interest.

"Often, now, as one views a Thanhouser release, they'll wonder who that pretty girl is,' and unless they follow the trade journals they won't find out, because it is only there that the cast is published. But Peggie is content to commute, daily, browse around the studio and await her turn to get before the bank of arc lights and take direction and transfer it to action. Peggie is very democratic, and at the studio realizes that everybody should know everybody. She isn't afraid to say 'how-de,' and always has time to chat if it doesn't interfere with her work. She hopes, someday, to be able to move to New Rochelle, as she loves this city, but the 'call of the city' is too strong just now to wean her away from the big burg. Watch Peggie. She'll be having plots revolve about her some day - and she'll look the part."

1915 and Later: An article in Reel Life, August 14, 1915, told of her athletic prowess: "Peggy Burke, of the Thanhouser studios, has been elected manager of the studio's feminine baseball team [the Thanhouser Stars]. Miss Burke, who is an all-round athlete, does the pitching as well as the managing and has scored a great success in both positions. A diamond, on which they practice, has been laid out immediately in the rear of the New Rochelle studios. Up to this time they have vanquished a team composed of male members of the studio, beaten a nine comprised of college girls, played a tie with a semi professional team, and been defeated twice. Pretty good record."

The New Rochelle Pioneer, December 25, 1915, informed readers that Peggy Burke had left Thanhouser recently to become a star with a New York City studio. However, she later worked with Thanhouser and was seen in films released through 1917. New Rochelle city directories gave her home address as 14 Stephenson Boulevard, from 1916 to 1918.

Note: Her surname was occasionally misspelled as "Bourke" in Thanhouser publicity (including publicity for Glorianna's Getaway), a confusion with Thanhouser actress Fan Bourke.

Thanhouser Filmography:

1914: The Somnambulist (5-17-1914), The Harlow Handicap (6-30-1914), A Mother's Choice (9-1-1914)

1914-1915 Serial: The Million Dollar Mystery

1915: A Newspaper Nemesis (2-28-1915), Jealousy (3-26-1915), A Double Exposure (4-11-1915), The Moment of Sacrifice (4-13-1915), Fairy Fern Seed (5-25-1915), The Silent Co-Ed (Falstaff 7-2-1915), A Maker of Guns (7-6-1915), When the Fleet Sailed (8-3-1915), Gussie, the Graceful Life Guard (Falstaff 8-13-1915), Help! Help! (Falstaff 8-20-1915), Glorianna's Getaway (Falstaff 8-23-1915), The Bowl-Bearer (9-7-1915)

1916: Fear (3-29-1916)

1917: It Happened to Adele (7-15-1917)

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