Blanche L. Friderici (January 21, 1878 – December 23, 1933) was an American film and stage actress, sometimes credited as Blanche Frederici.
Early years Friderici was a native of Brooklyn, New York. Her parents were William E. Friderici and Rosetta Elizabeth Freeman Friderici.
Career
Friderici did not aspire to be an actress, but rather an acting and elocution teacher. However, her eyesight began to fail, deteriorating to the point she could no longer read, so she turned from teaching acting to actually acting. An admirer of her recitals introduced her to impresario David Belasco, who cast her in The Darling of the Gods.
Between 1914 and 1927, Friderici appeared in nine Broadway theatre productions in New York City, including a production of 39 East (1919) and as Mrs. Davidson in the play Rain.
Friderici appeared in sixty films from 1920 to 1934. Her début was as Miss McMasters in the film adaptation of 39 East (1920). In Night Nurse (1931), which starred Barbara Stanwyck and Clark Gable, she played a housekeeper too frightened to protect two children from a murder attempt. She portrayed a chaperone in Flying Down to Rio (1933). Her last film role was as a motel owner's wife in It Happened One Night (1934).
Personal life Friderici married Donald Campbell, a stage manager, in 1925.
Death On December 23, 1933, Friderici died in Visalia, California from a heart attack she suffered on her way to a Christmas service at General Grant National Park. She was 55.
Complete filmography
39 East (1920) as Miss McMasters No Trespassing (1922) as Dorinda Sadie Thompson (1928) as Mrs. Alfred Davidson Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1928) as Miss Chapman Fleetwing (1928) as Furja Stolen Love (1928) as Aunt Evvie Wonder of Women (1929) as Stephen Trombolt's Housekeeper The Awful Truth (1929) as Mrs. Leeson Jazz Heaven (1929) as Mrs. Langley The Trespasser (1929) as Miss Potter, Nurse The Flattering Word (1929 short) as Mrs. Zukor The Dead Line (1929 short) Marching On (1929 short) Trifles (1929 short) as Mrs. Peters Personality (1930) as Ma The Girl Said No (1930) as Mrs. McAndrews (uncredited) A Notorious Affair (1930) as Lady Teel (uncredited) Soldiers and Women (1930) as Martha The Bad One (1930) as Madame Durand Courage (1930) as Aunt Caroline Numbered Men (1930) as Mrs. Miller The Office Wife (1930) as Kate Halsey Billy the Kid (1930) as Mrs. McSween Kismet (1930) as Narjis The Cat Creeps (1930) as Mam' Pleasant Ten Cents a Dance (1931) as Mrs. Blanchard Woman Hungry (1931) as Mrs. Temple Night Nurse (1931) as Mrs. Maxwell Murder by the Clock (1931) as Julia Endicott The Woman Between (1931) as Mrs. Weston A Dangerous Affair (1931) as Letty Randolph Friends and Lovers (1931) as Lady Allice Wicked (1931) as Mrs. Johnson Honor of the Family (1931) as Mme. Boris Mata Hari (1931) as Sister Angelica The Hatchet Man (1932) as Madame Si-Si (uncredited) Lady with a Past (1932) as Nora Young Bride (1932) as Miss Margaret Gordon, the Librarian So Big (1932) as Widow Paarlenburg (uncredited) State's Attorney (1932) as Night Court Judge (uncredited) Miss Pinkerton (1932) as Mary Love Me Tonight (1932) as Third Aunt The Night Club Lady (1932) as Mrs. Carewe Thirteen Women (1932) as Miss Kirsten Three on a Match (1932) as Miss Blazer (uncredited) If I Had a Million (1932) as Mrs. Garvey (uncredited) Behind Jury Doors (1932) as Mrs. Lanfield A Farewell to Arms (1932) as Head Nurse Cynara (1932) as Concerned Mother in Courtroom (uncredited) The Thundering Herd (1933) as Mrs. Jane Jett Secrets (1933) as Mrs. Martha Marlowe Alimony Madness (1933) as Mrs. Van The Barbarian (1933) as Mrs. Hume Adorable (1933) as The Countess Hold Your Man (1933) as Mrs. Wagner Man of the Forest (1933) as Mrs. Peg Forney Aggie Appleby, Maker of Men (1933) as Aunt Katherine The Way to Love (1933) as Rosalie Flying Down to Rio (1933) as Dona Elena De Rezende All of Me (1934) as Miss Haskell It Happened One Night (1934) as Zeke's wife
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