Stella Helen Gilmore (1900 – October 8, 1947) was an American stage actress, composer, lyricist and magazine editor from Chicago, Illinois.

Stock company player Gilmore came to New York City in 1917 and studied for a time at Columbia University. On November 22, 1920, she made her acting debut in When We Are Young with Henry Hull."The Stage Door". New York Tribune. November 17, 1920. p. 8. Retrieved December 5, 2021."'When We Are Young,' Another Drama of Boarding House Life". New York Clipper. p.23. Retrieved December 7, 2021.Broun, Heywood (November 23, 1920). "Old Sweets Are Trite and Cloying in New Play". New York Tribune. p. 8. Retrieved December 5, 2021. She appeared with the stock company of George Cukor in Providence, Rhode Island. On tour she acted in support of Bette Davis, William Hodge, Spencer Tracy, and other stars.

Magazine editor Gilmore left the theater in 1933. She became affiliated with Liberty. In 1938 she was appointed editor of Movie Mirror Magazine, a Macfadden publication. She became editor of Photoplay in 1941 after the periodical merged with Movie Mirror. Her career as an editor lasted approximately a decade.

Gilmore died of acute leukemia at Mt. Sinai Hospital, New York in 1947. She was 47 years old.

Theatre performances Year Play Author Character Venue or Company Notes 1920 When We Are Young Kate L. McLaurin Marcet Blair Broadhurst Theatre November 22, 1920 – ? 1921 A Little Journey Liberty Theater May 15, 1921 – May 21, 1921"Opening Tonight, Liberty Theater: The Liberty Players in 'A Little Journey' This Week". Dayton Daily News. p. 33. Retrieved December 13, 2021. 1923 The Invisible Guest Victor E. Lambert The Majestic Theatre January 8, 1923 – ?"Majestic: Opening Monday Night". The Buffalo Commercial. January 6, 1923. p. 7. Retrieved December 13, 2021. 1923 Ladies Must Love Lajos Bartok Lyric Theatre February 23, 1923 – ?"At the Lyric". The Allentown Morning Call. p. 10. Retrieved December 13, 2021. 1924 Undercover "second leading lady" Alhambra Stock Players September 15, 1924 – ?"'Under Cover' to Open Alhambra's Season". New York Daily News. p. 78. Retrieved December 13, 2021. 1925 Playthings Frederic and Fanny Hatton Wilkes Orange Grove August 9, 1925 – ?"New Hatton Play Bringing Crowds to Orange Grove". The Billboard. p. 29. "Supporting Roberta Arnold in the cast are Rex Cherryman, Hope Drown, Kenneth Gibson, Lillian Elliott, Rafael Brunetta, William Strauss, Thomas Shirley, Helen Gilmore, Harry Shutan, Rhea Mitchell and Arnecla Williams". 1926 The Show-Off George Kelly July 1926"'Bluffs' Sister-in-Law; 'The Show-Off' Amusing Comedy'". The San Francisco Examiner. July 20, 1926. p. 12. Retrieved December 14, 2021. 1928 Yellow George M. Cohan Cukor-Kondolf Stock Company October 29, 1928 – November 3, 1928;"Temple Bills 'Yellow,' Cohan Melodrama". Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved December 14, 2021. 1928 Tommy Howard Lindsay, Bert Robinson minor role Cukor-Kondolf Stock Company November 5, 1928 – November 10, 1928.David, George L. (November 6, 1928). p. 11. "On the Stage: Temple Theater". Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. "Walter Folmer did good, clean-cut work as Bernard, and Elmer Brown and Helen Gilmore played well enough in minor roles." 1928 Cock o' the Roost Rita Johnson Young minor role Cukor-Kondolf Stock Company December 3, 1928 – December 8, 1928.David, George L. (December 4, 1928). "On the Stage: Temple Theater". Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. p. 15. "Elmer Brown and Helen Gilmore played well enough in minor roles." 1928 Queen High Buddy DeSylva, Lewis Gensler, Laurence Schwab, Edward Peple Cukor-Kondolf Stock Company December 10, 1928 – December 15, 1928.David, George L. (December 11, 1928). "On the Stage: Temple Theater". Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. p. 15. "George Nettleton, Miss Charlotte Wynters, Miss Helen Gilmore, Elsie Esmond and Walter Folmer also contributed a good deal to the performance. [...] The final act is just broad farce carried along by the penchant of Mr. Tucker for this kind of humor, and by the able work of Mr. Hartley and Miss Gilmore." 1928 Kongo Chester De Vonde, Kilbourn Gordon Ann Whitehall Cukor-Kondolf Stock Company December 17, 1928 – December 22, 1928.David, George L. (December 18, 1928). "On the Stage: Temple Theater". Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. p. 15. "Harland Tucker did much to establish illusion and build suspense with his able playing of a doped doctor, and Helen Gilmore did sincere, intelligent work as the white girl."

Compositions Except where otherwise noted, all words and music by Stella Helen Gilmore. "Honolulu"Catalog of Copyright Entries, 1918 Music First Half of 1918 New Series Vol 13 Part 1. p. 669. "Syncopated Lullabye"Catalog of Copyright Entries, 1918 Music First Half of 1918 New Series Vol 13 Part 1. p. 707. "Wy-ree-woo"Catalog of Copyright Entries, 1918 Music First Half of 1918 New Series Vol 13 Part 1. p. 721. "Swing Me" Catalog of Copyright Entries, 1919 Music First Half of 1919 New Series Vol 14 Part 3. p. 688. "Inconsistency" Catalog of Copyright Entries, 1919 Music First Half of 1919 New Series Vol 14 Part 3. p. 780 "Examination Blues"Catalog of Copyright Entries, 1920 Music Last Half of 1920 New Series Vol 15 Part 2. p. 1300 "Spanish Infanta"Catalog of Copyright Entries, 1920 Music Last Half of 1920 New Series Vol 15 Part 2. p. 1423 "Cause It's You" (w - Sidney Levy)Catalog of Copyright Entries, 1924 Musical Compositions New Series Vol 19 Part 3. p. 155. "The Gift"Catalog of Copyright Entries, 1924 Musical Compositions New Series Vol 19 Part 3. p. 189. "I Want to Say"Catalog of Copyright Entries, 1924 Musical Compositions New Series Vol 19 Part 3. p. 208. "When I Come Riding Home"Catalog of Copyright Entries, 1924 Musical Compositions New Series Vol 19 Part 3. p. 318. "Where Syringa Trees Blow"Catalog of Copyright Entries, 1924 Musical Compositions New Series Vol 19 Part 3. p. 320. "Ye Who Have Lifted Your Hearts"Catalog of Copyright Entries, 1924 Musical Compositions New Series Vol 19 Part 3. p. 324. "My Crossword Puzzle Girl" (as Helen Gilmore; w – Cecil Owen)Catalog of Copyright Entries, 1925 Musical Compositions For the Year 1925 New Series Vol 20 Part 3. p. 102.

References

Further reading Articles "Social Notes; Arrivals". New Ocean House Reminder. July 23. 1914 . p. 19 Price, Theo H. (October 31, 1917). "Editorial Incidence and Reflection". Commerce and Finance. No. 44. p. 1103 "Five O'Clock Tidbits". The Spur. February 1, 1918. p. 32 Dudley, Bide (December 4, 1920). "About Plays and Players: Gossip". The New York Evening World. Comic Page. Muray, Nikolas (June 1920) "Players Who Captivate Broadway: Helen Gilmore". Theatre Magazine. p. 363 Gilmore, Stella Helen (January 1922). "To Europe: Something new, Something true; Something to make you happy, too". Vanity Fair. p.  16 "Daily Graphic Review of News Events: On Complaint of his wife...". The Bridgeport Times and Evening Farmer. August 12, 1922. "Transfer Actress's Suit". The New York Times. February 16, 1923. p. 13 "News Notes". Modern Hospital. Vol. XXII, No. 3. March 1924. p. 308 "'Buffs' Sister-in-Law; 'The Show-Off' Amusing Comedy'". The San Francisco Examiner. July 20, 1926. p. 12 Muir, James (May 22, 1927). "Sparkling Brunette Beauty of Wright Players Wants to Live With the Indians". Dayton Daily News. p. 22. "Is Ready Favorite With Patrons of the Victory Theater". The Dayton Daily News. June 12, 1927. p. 22 Gilmore, Helen (December 1941). "Exclusive! The Real Reason Stirling Hayden Quit Hollywood" [sic]. Photoplay. pp. 30 – 31, 76 Gilmore, Helen (November 1943). "Bette Davis Faces Sorrow". Photoplay. pp. 69 – 70, 72, 74 Kerr, Adelaide (February 23, 1944). "Editor Likes Movies, With Good Reason: Helen Gilmore". Eau Clare Leader-Telegram. p. 4 "Inside Stuff". Photoplay. July 1947. p. 22 "117 Equity Members Died Last Year". Variety. June 16, 1942. p. 53

Books Library of Congress (1922). Catalog of Copyright Entries: Musical compositions, Part 3; List of Copyright Renewals; List of Notices of User. Washington Government Printing Office. p. New York City Board of Estimate and Apportionment (1923). Minutes of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment of the City of New York. p. 476 Muir, Peter C. (2004). Before "Crazy Blues": Commercial Blues in America, 1850–1950. New York, NY : City University of New York. .