{{Short description|American actress (1894–1967)}} {{Infobox person | name = Wilda Bennett | image = WILDA BENNETT From Who's Who on the Screen.jpg | image_size = 220px | alt = | caption = Portrait of Bennett in ''Who's Who<br>on the Screen'', 1920 | birth_name = <!-- only use if different from name --> | birth_date = {{Birth date|1894|12|19}} | birth_place = Asbury Park, New Jersey | death_date = {{Death date and age|1967|12|20|1894|12|19}} | death_place = Winnemucca, Nevada | other_names = | occupation = Actress | years_active = | spouse = {{plainlist| * Robert Schable<br> Abraham de Albrew<br> Anthony J. Wettach * Munro Whitmore }} | known_for = | notable_works = }}
'''Wilda Bennett''' (December 19, 1894 – December 20, 1967) was an American actress in musical comedies and in film. Her tumultuous personal life also kept her in the headlines.
==Early life== Bennett was born in Asbury Park, New Jersey.<ref>Burns Mantle, [https://books.google.com/books?id=_nzNAAAAMAAJ&dq=Wilda+Bennett&pg=PA988 "What's What in the Theater"] ''Green Book Magazine'' (December 1917): 988.</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Wilda Bennett Arrives |work=The New York Times |date=October 17, 1917 |page=28 |id={{ProQuest|98080087}}}}</ref> Bennett's father was John H. Bennett, a city building inspector.<ref name="newspapers_1914">[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/18540729/wilda_bennett_1914/ "Praise Wilda Bennett"] ''Asbury Park Press'' (October 17, 1914): 2. via Newspapers.com {{open access}}</ref>
==Career== Bennett's Broadway credits included ''Everywoman'' (1911–1912), ''A Good Little Devil'' (1913), ''The Only Girl'' (1914–1915), ''The Riviera Girl'' (1917), ''The Girl Behind the Gun'' (1918–1919), ''Apple Blossoms'' (1919–1920), ''Music Box Revue'' (1921–1922), ''The Lady in Ermine'' (1922–1923),<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/18540848/wilda_bennett_1922/ "Lovely Little Runaway Scores Her Greatest Operatic Success"] ''Asbury Park Press'' (November 7, 1922): 5. via Newspapers.com{{open access}}</ref> and the title role in ''Madame Pompadour'' (1924–1925). She had a "sweet" soprano voice.<ref name="newspapers_1914"/> Bennett's later stage appearances were in ''Lovely Lady'' (1928),<ref>{{cite news |title=Wilda Bennett in Lovely Lady |work=The New York Times |date=February 22, 1928 |page=24 |id={{ProQuest|104647712}}}}</ref> and ''Merrily We Roll Along'' (1934).<ref>{{cite news |title=Wilda Bennett in New Play |work=The New York Times |date=September 13, 1934 |page=26 |id={{ProQuest|101195201}}}}</ref> She reprised her title role in ''The Only Girl'' for a radio production in 1927.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/18540126/wilda_bennett_1927/ "Victor Herbert's 'The Only Girl' On Air Next Saturday"] ''The Morning Call'' (October 9, 1927): 34. via Newspapers.com{{open access}}</ref>
Films featuring Wilda Bennett included ''A Good Little Devil'' (1914, lost), ''Love, Honor and Obey'' (1920), ''Bullets or Ballots'' (1936), ''Dark Victory'' (1939), ''The Women'' (1939), ''What a Life'' (1939), ''Ninotchka'' (1939), ''Those Were the Days!'' (1940), and ''The Lady Eve'' (1941).
==Personal life== Bennett's personal life involved multiple legal troubles that brought additional, ongoing, national press attention.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/18539831/wilda_bennett_1925/ "Wilda Bennett's Hard Luck – Isn't it the Limit?"] ''Courier-Journal'' (October 11, 1925): 99. via Newspapers.com{{open access}}</ref> In 1925, she was sued for $100,000 by a woman named Katherine Frey, who believed that Bennett had been her husband Charles Frey's lover. Katherine Frey won a judgment of $25,000 in the case.<ref>{{cite news |title=Frey Verdict Due Today: Decision Against Wilda Bennett Seen In Jurymen's Greeting |work=The New York Times |date=October 26, 1925 |page=3 |id={{ProQuest|103487017}}}}</ref> While the lawsuit was still pending, Charles Frey was driving Bennett's car when it struck a young woman, who was killed. Bennett was a passenger in the car.<ref>{{cite news |title=Wilda Bennett's Auto Kills Girl in Crash: Driver a Party in $100,000 Alienation Suit |work=The New York Times |date=July 31, 1925 |page=1 |id={{ProQuest|103514546}}}}</ref> In 1927, she was sued for the care expenses of a horse she once owned.<ref>{{cite news |title=$5 for Horse's Tooth: Hostlers File $1,279 Against Wilda Bennett for Care of Mount |work=The New York Times |date=October 27, 1927 |page=38 |id={{ProQuest|104072479}}}}</ref> In 1928, she was sued for damages by a landlord who said Bennett destroyed furniture and removed other items from a rented apartment. Bennett lost that case, too, and had to pay $400 to the landlord.<ref>{{cite news |title=Wilda Bennett Case Opens: Mrs. C.K. Palmer Testifies Actress Damaged Her Apartment |work=The New York Times |date=June 19, 1928 |page=18 |id={{ProQuest|104543206}}}}</ref> In 1930, Bennett sued Anthony J. Wettach after another car accident; she ended up marrying him instead.<ref>{{cite news |title=Wilda Bennett Weds Defendant in her Suit: A.J. Wettach Was Named by Actress in $20,000 Action for Auto Injuries |work=The New York Times |date=December 17, 1930 |page=30 |id={{ProQuest|98726998}}}}</ref> In 1932, she was arrested on charges of being drunk and disorderly.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/18541336/wilda_bennett_1932/ "Wilda Bennett Under Arrest"] ''Central New Jersey Home News'' (August 16, 1932): 1. via Newspapers.com{{open access}}</ref>
Bennett was married four times. Her husbands were, in order, actor-producer Robert Schable (divorced in 1920), Argentine dancer Abraham "Peppy" de Albrew (married 1926, separated in 1927),<ref>{{cite news |title=Wilda Bennett Wed to Cabaret Dancer: Married Peppy DeAlbro Two Weeks Ago – Actress Lost in Alienation Suit Last Fall |work=The New York Times |date=April 24, 1926 |page=20 |id={{ProQuest|103806126}}}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Actress and Dancer Part: Wilda Bennett May Seek Legal Release From de Albro |work=The New York Times |date=December 9, 1927 |page=29 |id={{ProQuest|104004472}}}}</ref> Anthony J. Wettach (married 1930, divorced 1933),<ref>{{cite news |title=Wilda Bennett Divorced: A.J. Wettach Gets Decree From Actress in Trenton, N.J. |work=The New York Times |date=July 28, 1933 |page=18 |id={{ProQuest|100894348}}}}</ref> and mining engineer Munro Whitmore (died 1960).
Bennett died on December 20, 1967, in Winnemucca, Nevada.<ref>{{cite news |title=Wilda Bennett Dead at 73; Starred in Musicals Here |work=The New York Times |date=December 23, 1967 |page=23 |id={{ProQuest|117507941}}}}</ref><ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/18541090/wilda_bennett_1967/ "Wilda Bennett, 73; Left City for Stage Success"] ''Asbury Park Press'' (December 24, 1967): 2. via Newspapers.com {{open access}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category|Wilda Bennett}} * {{IMDb name|0072118}} * [https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/wilda-bennett-31738 Wilda Bennett's listing at IBDB] * [https://www.allmusic.com/artist/wilda-bennett-mn0001010440 Wilda Bennett's listing at AllMusic] * [https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47da-0037-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99 An undated photograph of Wilda Bennett] in the Billy Rose Theatre Collection Photograph File, New York Public Library Digital Collections * [http://digitalcollections.lib.washington.edu/cdm/ref/collection/sayre/id/5459 A 1926 photograph of Wilda Bennett] in the J. Willis Sayre Collection of Theatrical Photographs, University of Washington Libraries, Digital Collections
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bennett, Wilda}} Category:1894 births Category:1967 deaths Category:American stage actresses Category:American film actresses Category:American silent film actresses Category:People from Asbury Park, New Jersey Category:20th-century American actresses Category:Actresses from Monmouth County, New Jersey