Edith Roberts was a silent film actress who tragically died after giving birth
She was born Edith Josephine Kohn on September 17, 1902 in New York City. Her father, Max Kohn, was a clerk from Hungary. Edith was educated at a seminary on the Hudson River. When she was a child she started performing in vaudeville. At the age of thirteen she convinced her mother to take her to Hollywood. In 1916 she made her film debut in When The Call Came. She was teamed with Eddie Lyons in several comedies including What A Clue Will Do and Minding The Baby. The lovely brunette also became one of Mack Sennett's bathing beauties. During this time she was briefly engaged to actor Neil Burns. Her sister, actress Leona Kohn, married comedian Billy Bevan. Edith took a break from acting in 1919 to appear in Ziegfeld's Midnight Frolic. Then Cecil B. Demille cast her in the 1920 drama White Youth. Universal offered her a long term contract and she quickly became one of their most popular actresses. She had leading roles in the dramas The Adorable Savage, Saturday Night, and Luring Lips.
The petite star was only five feet tall and weighed 105 pounds. Edith was a Christian Scientist who didn't even drink coffee. In her spare time she enjoyed swimming and playing tennis. On November 1, 1923 she married Frank Kenneth Snoke, who owned a car dealership. She continued to make films but by 1928 her career was in trouble. Edith was now appearing in low budget films like Dreary House and The Phantom Of The North. After divorcing Kenneth she married real estate agent Harold Carter. Then she decided to quit acting. Her final film was the 1929 western The Wagon Master with Ken Maynard. She settled into her new life as a Beverly Hills housewife. Edith gave birth to a baby boy named Robert on August 6, 1935. Although she was a Christian Scientist she had the baby in a hospital. Unfortunately there were complications from the delivery. Just two weeks later, on August 20, she tragically died from sepsis. She was only thirty-two years old. Edith was cremated and buried at Hollywood Forever cemetery in Los Angeles, California.
