Florence Vidor (née Cobb, later Arto; July 23, 1895 – November 3, 1977) was an American
silent film actress.
Early life
Vidor was born in Houston[1] on July 23, 1895,[2] to John and Ida Cobb. Her parents had married in Houston on March 3, 1894, but divorced only three years later.[3] Ida remained in Houston and soon married John P. Arto, a real estate man who later served as deputy chief of the city's fire department.
Career
Florence Vidor started working in
silent movies through the influence of her husband, film director
King Vidor, whom she had married in 1915. She signed her first contract with
Vitagraph Studios in 1916. Her early fame was due to her role in the 1921 film Hail the Woman. Throughout the 1920s, she was a major box office attraction for
Paramount Pictures. Her career ended with the advent of
sound films. In 1929 she became so frustrated by the difficulties of making the partial sound film Chinatown Nights that she retired from acting before the production was completed. Director
William A. Wellman had to use a voice double to complete some of her scenes.[4]
Personal life and death
Florence and King Vidor divorced in 1924.[citation needed] They had a daughter, Suzanne.[5] Despite the end of their marriage, Florence continued to use Vidor as her surname.
Vidor married classical violinist
Jascha Heifetz on August 20, 1928, in New York City.[5] They had two children together[6] and Heifetz also adopted Suzanne before divorcing in 1945.