Francelia Billington

'Francelia Billington' (qv) was born in Dallas, Texas and raised on a ranch. She became an expert horsewoman, and was also on stage from an early age. The pretty young Texan made the journey to Hollywood and became a star of westerns and melodramas, first working with the Kalem Film Co. in 1912, then moving on to Reliance-Majestic and Thanhouser the following year. She starred in many films for legendary director 'D.W. Griffith' (qv) and later joined Universal Pictures, where she worked with such directors as 'Rupert Julian' (qv) and 'Rex Ingram' (qv), She didn't confine herself to just horse operas, though. One of her best roles was in 'Erich von Stroheim' (qv)'s epic _Blind Husbands (1919)_ (qv)). She also starred alongside her husband 'Lester Cuneo' (qv) in many westerns in the 1920s. He committed suicide after their marriage broke up in 1925, and she died of tuberculosis at the tragically young age of 39.::Paul Rothwell-Smith (qv's & corrections by A. Nonymous)