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Mildred Kornman

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Mildred Kornman
Born
Mildred Gene Kornman

(1925-07-10)July 10, 1925
Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
DiedAugust 19, 2022(2022-08-19) (aged 97)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • model
  • businesswoman
  • photographer
Years active1926–1962
SpouseNorton Hinsey (1943–?)
Websitewww.mildredkornman.com

Mildred Gene Kornman[1] (July 10, 1925 – August 19, 2022), also billed as Ricki VanDusen, was an American actress, model, businesswoman, and photographer. At the time of her death, she was the last living actress of the silent era.

Life and career

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Kornman was born in Hollywood on July 10, 1925.[2][3] She was the younger sister of fellow child actress Mary Kornman.[4] Her father was Eugene Kornman, a professional still photographer who was employed by Harold Lloyd at the time of Kornman's birth. She was named after Lloyd's wife, actress Mildred Davis.[1]

When Kornman was nine months old, she appeared with her sister Mary in The Fourth Alarm.[4] Along with Mary, she was featured in the Our Gang short films series. Mildred was initially a regular in the series, with appearances from 1926 to 1928, and returned for a second stint from 1930 until 1935, in uncredited, non-speaking roles when many children were needed for a scene, such as a classroom.

After graduating Hollywood High School, Kornman became an actress at 20th Century Fox, albeit only in uncredited roles, under the name Ricki VanDusen.[5] She was also a model, featuring in magazines such as Vogue and Harpers Bazaar, and in television commercials. She majored in art, English, and Spanish at the University of California, Los Angeles.[6] Kornman married Norton Hinsey on December 30, 1943.[7]

In 2014, Kornman attended a reunion of Our Gang cast members, hosted by The Sons of the Desert as part of their 19th International Convention.[8] In 2015, aged 89, she was living on a remote ranch in Utah.[9] Kornman was one of the final surviving actors from the Our Gang series, which was produced from 1922 to 1944.[10] Kornman died on August 19, 2022, at the age of 97. She was one of the longest lived Our Gang cast members ever.[11][12][13]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1926 Thundering Fleas Mildred Short film
1926 The Fourth Alarm Mildred Short film
1926 War Feathers Mildred Short film
1926 The Nickel-Hopper Short film
1927 Bring Home the Turkey Mildred Short film
1927 Ten Years Old Mildred Short film
1927 Love My Dog Little Girl on the Building Ledge Short film
1927 Baby Brother Jackie's Sister Short film
1927 Olympic Games Mildred Short film
1927 Heebee Jeebees Mildred Short film

Lost film

1928 Dog Heaven Mildred Short film
1928 Playin' Hookey baby Short film
1928 Spook-Spoofing Mildred Short film
1928 Rainy Days Mildred Short film
1928 The Smile Wins Mildred Short film
1928 Edison, Marconi & Co. Mildred Short film

Lost film

1928 Barnum & Ringling, Inc. Mildred Short film
1928 Fair and Muddy Mildred Short film
1930 Teacher's Pet student Short film
1930 School's Out student Short film
1932 Birthday Blues Girl at Party Short film
1933 Fish Hooky Student Short film
1935 Little Sinner Short film
1936 Our Gang Follies of 1936 Short film
1937 Hoosier Schoolboy (uncredited)
1938 Mr. Boggs Steps Out (uncredited)
1938 Mad About Music Schoolgirl
1944 Up in Arms (Goldwyn Girl) (uncredited)
1944 Atlantic City Woman at Racetrack (uncredited)
1945 Diamond Horseshoe Chorine (uncredited)
1945 The Dolly Sisters Lady in Booking Office (uncredited)
1946 Cinderella Jones Junior League Member (uncredited)
1947 I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now Chorine (uncredited)
1947 T-Men Girl on Plane (uncredited)
1953 Abbott and Costello Go to Mars Girl (uncredited)
1962 The Interns Model (uncredited)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Mildred Davis Has Namesake". The Los Angeles Times. California, Los Angeles. July 20, 1925. p. 28. Retrieved August 4, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "New Generation". The Tampa Tribune. Florida, Tampa. April 22, 1928. p. 38. Retrieved August 4, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Welcome To The Official Mildred Kornman aka Ricki VanDusen Website". Ricki VanDusen! ~ One Of The First Super Models!. Archived from the original on April 17, 2022. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  4. ^ a b "'The Fourth Alarm' at the California". The Californian. California, Salinas. December 23, 1926. p. 4. Retrieved August 4, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Maltin, Leonard; Bann, Richard W. (1992). The Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang. Crown. p. 249. ISBN 9780517583258.
  6. ^ Hopper, Hedda (October 3, 1943). "Blond, Dark And Red – 1943 Goldwyn Girls". The Baltimore Sun. Maryland, Baltimore. p. Section 1–4. Retrieved August 4, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Chapel Ceremony Unites Charming Mildred Kornman and Lieut. Norton Hinesy". North Hollywood Valley Times. January 3, 1944. p. 4. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
  8. ^ Lee, Julia (2015). Our Gang: A Racial History of The Little Rascals. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press. ISBN 9781452949789.
  9. ^ Lamont, Tom (May 23, 2015). "'I spent most of my life as a nobody': the last of the silent movie stars". The Guardian. Archived from the original on May 31, 2015. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  10. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (July 27, 2017). "Leonard Landy, 'Our Gang' Actor, Dies at 84". Variety. Archived from the original on April 17, 2022. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  11. ^ "'Our Gang' Actress, '40s Fashion Model Mildred Kornman Dies at 97". Extra TV. August 21, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  12. ^ Mildred Kornman
  13. ^ "Mildred Kornman, child actor of the silent film era who later modelled for Vogue – obituary". The Telegraph. September 19, 2022. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
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