Vintage original 7.5 x 9.5 in. US double-weight matte publicity photograph of silent film star ESTHER RALSTON c.1924. She is depicted in an interior medium shot holding a card with the letter "S" as the composition is accentuated by the shadows on the wall (most likely the "S" was one letter in the film's title, which would have been spelled by displaying the respective photographs in sequence that were taken for this purpose). On the verso is a Paramount Pictures publicity notice rubber stamp. It is in fine condition and was lightly trimmed from 7.75 x 9.75 in.
*"Esther Ralston (born Esther Louise Worth, September 17, 1902 – January 14, 1994) was an iconic American silent film star. Her most prominent sound picture was To the Last Man in 1933. Ralston was born Esther Louise Worth in Bar Harbor, Maine, one of five siblings. She was the older sister of actor Howard Ralston (July 25, 1904 – June 1, 1992), who appeared in nine films between 1920 and 1924.
She began her career as a child actress in a family vaudeville act which was billed as "The Ralston Family with Baby Esther, America's Youngest Juliet". From this, she appeared in a few small silent film roles, including a role alongside her brother in the 1920 film adaptation of Huckleberry Finn. Ralston later gained attention as Mrs. Darling in the 1924 film version of Peter Pan.
In the late 1920s, she appeared in many films for Paramount, at one point earning as much as $8,000 per week, and garnering much popularity, especially in United Kingdom. She appeared mainly in comedies usually with her name billed above the title, often portraying spirited society girls, and also received good reviews for her forays into dramatic roles. On radio, Ralston portrayed Kathy Marsh in Portia Faces Life and Marcella Hudnall in Our Gal Sunday.
On January 14, 1994, Ralston died of a heart attack at age 91 in her home in Ventura, California. The family held services on January 17, 1994, in Ventura, California, the day of the Northridge earthquake."
*(source: Wikipedia)
3RB