May Robson

Born Mary Jeanette Robison. She was the youngest daughter of Henry Robison of Penrith, Cumberland, England and Julia Schelesinger of Liverpool, Lancashire, England. Her father died in 1860 and her mother remarried.

In 1866/67 they were living in St Kilda, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia and moved back to London, England in 1871.

She ran away from home to marry Charles Leveson Gore in 1875 and in 1877 the young couple went to Fort Worth, Texas, USA to establish a cattle ranch.

Gave birth to her 1st child at age 18, a son Edward Gore on December 2, 1876. Child's father was her 1st husband, Charles Gore/.

Gave birth to her 3rd child at age 22, a daughter Nellie Candler Gore on April 28, 1880. She died on May 1, 1882. Child's father was her husband, Charles Gore.

They survived for two years before moving to New York where her husband died about 1881.

Gave birth to her 2nd child at age 21, a son James Beryl Gore in 1879. He died at age 3 on April 26, 1882. Child's father was her husband, Charles Gore.

In 1884 she took up acting to support her three children (only her son Edward Gore survived childhood). She played both leads and supporting roles on the road and on Broadway, and over several decades she became highly respected as a character actress.

She appeared in a few silent films, then returned to the screen for good in 1926 and flourished in the subsequent sound era. She was usually cast as crusty, gruff, domineering society matron or grandmother.

May moved to Hollywood in 1927 at the age of sixty-nine. She shared her home with her dog and her longtime female partner Lillian Harmer.

Appeared in three Oscar Best Picture nominees: Lady for a Day (1933), A Star Is Born (1937) and Four Daughters (1938).

Her son Edward died on September 23, 1954 in Los Angeles, California at age 77.