Madeline (Madeleine) (November 15, 1900 – January 15, 1989) and her twin sister Marion Fairbanks (November 15, 1900 – September 20, 1973) were American stage and motion picture actresses active in the silent era.
Early life Born in New York City, the twins were mainly educated by private tutors at home and while traveling. Their mother was actress Jennie M. Fairbanks, a.k.a. Jane Fairbanks, and their father was the son of Nathaniel Fairbanks, who served in the American Civil War, and a descendant of Jonathan Fairbanks, a Massachusetts hero of the Revolution. Madeline and Marion had an older brother, Robert.
Career
The Fairbanks twins began their stage career in The Bluebird at the New Theatre in New York, NY.
They then appeared on Broadway in The Piper (1911), Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch (1912) and Snow White (1912). As the Thanhouser Kids they appeared in films such as Cousins (1913), The Flying Twins (1915), The Bird of Prey (1916), and The Answer (1916); on Broadway, they in the Ziegfeld Follies (1917–20), Mercenary Mary (1925), Oh, Kay! (1926), Allez-Oop (1927) and Happy (1927); Marion appeared solo in Grab Bag (1924) and on a tour of Little Nellie Kelly. Madeline performed solo in The Ritz Revue in (1924).
They entered films with Biograph the Thanhouser Film Corporation in 1912, where they were billed as "The Thanhouser Twins", and remained there until 1916. The Fairbanks sisters appeared in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1918 and 1919, as well as the Ziegfeld Midnight Frolic in 1918 and Ziegfeld 9 O'clock Frolic in 1921.
Later years By 1932, Marion was on stage separately at the Waldorf Theatre, New York City. She succeeded Eleanor King as leading lady in Whistling in the Dark. 1930s news accounts reported that she operated a beauty parlor and directed a branch of a cosmetics manufacturer. In her later years she knew much unhappiness and struggled with the temptations of alcohol.
Deaths Marion Fairbanks died in Georgia in 1973 and was buried at Westview Cemetery. Her name was then Marion Fairbanks Delph. She had no survivors other than her sister. Madeline married Leonard Sherman in 1937. The union ended in divorce in 1947. She lived in New York until early 1989, where she died of respiratory failure.
Work Stage Date Stageplay Performing 1912 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Madeline & Marion 1916 The Century Girl Madeline & Marion 1917 Ziegfeld Follies of 1917 Madeline & Marion 1918 Ziegfeld Follies of 1918 Madeline & Marion 1919 Ziegfeld Follies of 1919 Madeline & Marion 1921 Ziegfeld 9 O'clock Frolic Madeline & Marion 1921 Two Little Girls in Blue Madeline & Marion 1924 Hassard Short's Ritz Revue Madeline 1924 The Grab Bag Marion 1925 Mercenary Mary Madeline 1926 Oh, Kay! Madeline & Marion 1927 Allez-oop Madeline 1928 Happy Madeline
Film Date Movie Acting 1912 The Twins Madeline & Marion 1912 Cousins Madeline & Marion 1912 As Others See Us Madeline & Marion 1912 The Little Girl Next Door Madeline & Marion 1913 An Unfair Exchange Madeline & Marion 1913 Life's Pathway Madeline & Marion 1913 The Twins and the Other Girl Madeline & Marion 1913 The Children's Hour Madeline & Marion 1913 Their Great Big Beautiful Doll Madeline & Marion 1913 Uncle's Namesakes Madeline & Marion 1913 Lawyer, Dog and Baby Madeline & Marion 1913 Jack and the Beanstalk Madeline & Marion 1914 Twins and a Stepmother Madeline & Marion 1914 Guilty or Not Guilty Madeline 1914 The Tin Soldier and the Dolls Madeline & Marion 1914 Beating Back Madeline 1914 In Her Sleep Madeline 1914 The Legend of Snow White Marion 1914 The Girl Across the Hall Marion 1914 The Million Dollar Mystery Madeline & Marion 1914 The Widow's Mite Madeline & Marion 1914 The Pendulum of Fate Madeline & Marion 1914 In Peril's Path Madeline & Marion 1914 In Danger's Hour Madeline & Marion 1914 The Benevolence of Conductor 786 Madeline & Marion 1914 Left in the Train Madeline & Marion 1914 Shep's Race with Death Madeline & Marion 1914 Pawns of Fate Madeline & Marion 1914 Shadows and Sunshine Madeline & Marion 1914 A Hatful of Trouble Marion 1915 When Fate Rebelled Madeline & Marion 1915 $1,000 Reward Madeline & Marion 1915 Their One Love Madeline & Marion 1915 Fairy Fern Seed Madeline & Marion 1915 Through Edith's Looking Glass Marion 1915 Which Shall It Be? Madeline & Marion 1915 The Flying Twins Madeline & Marion 1915 The Twins of the G.L. Ranch Madeline & Marion 1915 An Innocent Traitor Madeline & Marion 1915 The Baby and the Boss Marion 1916 Bubbles in the Glass Madeline 1916 The Burglars' Picnic Madeline & Marion 1916 A Bird of Prey Madeline 1916 The Answer Madeline & Marion 1916 The Heart of a Doll Madeline & Marion 1922 The Beauty Shop Madeline & Marion 1929 On with the Show! Madeline & Marion
References
New York Times, Theatrical Notes, August 9, 1920, Page 6. Syracuse Herald, Juvenile Performers Are Stage Veterans, May 5, 1912, Page 48.
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