Marcella Pershing

Biography

Marcella Pershing was featured in several silent-era two-reeler westerns, all released in 1921, eight opposite Hoot Gibson and two opposite Art Acord. The feature western 'Looped for Life (1924)_ was also made opposite Art Acord. While credited in 11 films, one writer on the silent era, 'George Katchmer', believes she was actually in more. Born Florence Wilkinson, Marcella acquired her stage surname legitimately, as it was the maiden name of her paternal grandmother. Her third great-grandfather was Frederick Pershing, a Huguenot who emigrated from Alsace and settled a "tomahawk" possession in western Pennsylvania. She was a third cousin of Gen. John J. Pershing, who led the American Expeditionary Force in WWI. In 1922 she left moviemaking to marry and then move to Florida. At the time the Pershing genealogy was published, Marcella had one child, Helen, born March 31, 1924.