Frances Dade

Biography

Frances Dade was an American actress from Philadelphia. She had a rather brief career, spanning from the late 1920s to the early 1930s. Her most notable role was playing the fledgling vampire Lucy Weston in "Dracula" (1931), based on the novel's Lucy Westenra. She was the first actress to ever play the character of Lucy in a feature film. In 1907, Dade was born in Philadelphia. Her parents were Francis Cadwallader Dade, Jr. and Frances Rawle Pemberton. Through her mother, she was a grandniece of the Confederate general John Clifford Pemberton (1814 - 1881). Her great uncle is remembered as the commanding officer during the Confederate surrender at the Siege of Vicksburg (1863). Also through her mother, Dade was a first cousin of the famous ice hockey player Hobey Baker (1892 - 1918). Dade started her career as a theatrical actress. She played Lorelei Lee in the touring company of the musical "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" (1925) by Joseph Fields and Anita Loos. She was offered a contract by film executive Samuel Goldwyn (1882 - 1974), though she later primarily worked as a freelancer. Dade made her film debut in the romantic drama "The Constant Nymph" (1928), an adaptation of a controversial novel written by Margaret Kennedy (1896 - 1967). Her initial film role was a bit part. She had a more substantial role as Monica Grey in the romantic comedy "He Knew Women" (1930). In the film, Monica's unrequited love for a young poet eventually turns into a desire to hurt him for rejecting her feelings. Dade had a supporting role in the mystery film "Raffles" (1930), an adaptation E. W. Hornung's short stories about gentleman thief A. J. Raffles. In the crime film "Grumpy" (1930), Dade played Virginia Bullivant, the main character's granddaughter. This film is remembered as the directorial debut of George Cukor. In 1931, Dade played a female vampire in "Dracula". This role catapulted her to fame, and she was selected as one of thirteen WAMPAS Baby Stars of the year. It was a list of up-and-coming starlets. Within the year, she appeared in several other films. The most notable among them was the crime mystery "Daughter of the Dragon", where Anna May Wong was cast as a daughter of Dr. Fu Manchu. In 1932, she only appeared in one feature film: "Big Town". It was her last film appearance. In August 1932, Dade married the wealthy socialite Brock Van Avery. She retired from acting, and reportedly later pursued a new career as a nurse. In 1968, Dade died in relative obscurity. She is still remembered by fans of classic horror films, as one of the first female vampires on screen.