Portrait of Beverly Bayne

Beverly Bayne walked into Chicago’s Essanay Studios when she was 16 years old and immediately turned heads with her big brown eyes and soft, dark hair. She became a pioneering silent film star of the 1910s, forming a popular romantic duo with matinee idol Francis X. Bushman – most notably in 1916’s Romeo and Juliet. Their onscreen chemistry was real. The couple married in 1918, but it begot scandal as Bushman had been divorced from his previous wife for only three weeks. Bayne’s film career subsequently waned, she and Bushman divorced in 1925 and Bayne turned from the screen to the theater. This print captures Bayne in an upright pose. She holds an over-sized opened floral parasol. Bayne’s gaze is directed over her right shoulder with an air of wistfulness.
Portrait of Beverly Payne
Inventory
Collection Number
17524
Building
Current Location
Vault Level
Floor
Lower Level/Vault
Description
Details
A sepia toned photographic print of silent era screen and theater star, Beverly Bayne.
Artist
Framed
Yes
 - Glass
Width
1 inch
Height
31 inches
Length
25 inches
Donor
Donor Name
James R. and Joyce A. Finley and Charles David and Linda Hixon
Library Owns
No
Permissions
Reproduce the Work in Library publications/publicity, including film or videotape
Yes
Reproduce
Library has Photography Rights
Yes
Photograph
Permit the general public to photograph the work
Yes
Slides/Video