STAGE NAME: Edna Hamel
INDUSTRY NICKNAME: Baby Edna, Little Edna Hamel
OTHER STAGE NAMES: Edna May Hamel, Edna Mae Hamel, Edna Hammel
BIRTH NAME: Edna Mae Hamel DOB: April 9, 1901 BIRTH PLACE: Lestershire, New York (now Johnson City)
DOD: May 17, 1964 PLACE OF DEATH: Southwick, Massachusetts CAUSE OF DEATH: Heart Attack
CEMETERY: TBA
CLAIM TO FAME: Theatre & Silent Film Actress
CAREER: From age 4-10 years old Edna starred in several stage plays. Her first play at age four was in "Rip Van Winkle," where she played the role of Little Meenie. It was Edna's Aunt Beatrice Mable (married name Beatrice Mansfield) who got her started in moving pictures. Aunt Beatrice was an actress in silent films with the Edison Studios and later worked with Helen Hayes. From age 11-15 years old Edna starred in 30 films for the Edison Company. From age 15-30 years old Edna starred in several plays as a ballet dancer and she travelled all over the United States. Her last performance was in "Capers" (1927), where she starred with her soon to be husband Ambrose Dietrich.
SPECIAL SKILLS: Ballet Dancer
MEMORABILIA / ENDORSEMENTS:
FAMILY
PARENTS: Married July 11, 1900 in Binghamton, New York
MOTHER MAIDEN NAME: Mary Bridget Mabel DOB: October 30, 1878 BIRTH PLACE: Binghamton, New York
DOD: July 17, 1950 PLACE OF DEATH: Schohaire, New York CAUSE OF DEATH: Auto Accident
OCCUPATION: Seamstress for Edison Films
FATHER: Hermas Wall Hamel DOB: July 16, 1878 BIRTH PLACE: Binghamton, New York
DOD: June 20, 1961 PLACE OF DEATH: Southwick, Massachusetts CAUSE OF DEATH: Heart Failure
OCCUPATION: Shoemaker
SIBLINGS: (3)
SISTER: Pauline Esther Hamel Monroe DOB: April 10, 1902 BIRTH PLACE: Binghamton, New York DOD: October 1964
BROTHER: Ambrose Hamel DOB: December 16, 1903 DOD: August 17, 1956
SISTER: Evelyn Marie Hamel Conrow DOB: May 17, 1920 DOD: February 27, 1999
Edna's sister Evelyn at one time worked with actress Edna Best as a personal assistant. Evelyn was the same size as Edna Best, so she was often her stand-in at costume fittings. Siblings Pauline and Ambrose also did some acting. Ambrose can be seen in a picture as one of the little chicks in the play "Chantecler".
MARRIAGES
SPOUSE: Ambrose Dietrich DOB: ???? DOD: July 17, 1950 CAUSE OF DEATH: Auto Accident
MARRIED: 1930 - until his death in 1950 CHILDREN: (0)
SPOUSE: Philip Montgomery Nelson DOB: ???? CAUSE OF DEATH: ?
MARRIED: July 26, 1952 in Southwick, Massachusetts CHILDREN: (0)
Special thanks to Edna Hamel's niece DianeMarie Frappier for contributing photos and information for her Aunt's museum.
) |
 "A Man's Broken Promise" |
 New York Times |
 New York Times |
 "The Bachelor's Baby" |
 "The Land of the Free" |
 Edna with brother Ambrose as |
 Edna and her brother in "Chantecler" (1911) |
 Edna Hamel & George Small |
 New York Times |
 "The Wife Decides" |
 New York Times |
 "Sign of the Rose" Part 1 |
 "Sign of the Rose" Part 2 |
 "Sign of the Rose" Part 3 |
) |
) |
) (September 27, 1912) |
 "The Little Bride of Heaven" (1912) |
 Edna's Aunt Beatrice Mable Appendicitis |
 "A Christmas Accident" |
 "The Grandfather" |
 Child Star Would Aid Schoolmates |
 "The Little Girl Next Door" |
 "Sophie's Imaginary visitors" |
 "The Perfect Fool" |
 "The Perfect Fool" with Ed Wynn |
 "The Perfect Fool" with Ed Wynn |
 "The Perfect Fool" with Ed Wynn |
 "The Perfect Fool" |
 "The Perfect Fool" |
 "Capers of 1927" |
 "Knick Knacks of 1927" |
 "Binghamton Girl Tells of Her Stage Career" |
 Love For The Stage (12/15/1907) |
 "Sophia's Imaginary Visitors" (2/17/1914) |
 "The Screen children's Gallery" (1914) |
 "Portraits of Popular Picture Players" (1913) |