Adele DeGarde (born Adelaide De Gard, also credited Adele De Garde; May 3, 1899 – November 1972)[1] was an American silent film actress, who performed in at least 114 productions between 1908 and 1918. A native of Brooklyn, New York, she initially worked in uncredited parts under the direction of D. W. Griffith at Biograph Studios in Manhattan and later became a screen star for Vitagraph Studios, often specializing in ingénue roles.[2]
In 1908, when pictures were looked at with a bit of apprehension, DeGarde (at the age of eight) began to appear in Vitagraph Studios. And DeGarde and her little pal, Kenneth Casey, were the mischievous, spoiled, or ill-treated children around whom centered many a melodramatic plot. As new stars joined the Vitagraph forces, DeGarde and Kenneth played with them. Many a picture of the "two-generation" or "from-child-to-woman" type would open with DeGarde as its child heroine and finish with Leah Baird, Edith Storey, or Dorothy Kelly rounding out the plot when the child had grown up.
As the years grew, so did DeGarde, until finally she grew too large for little-girl-before-growing-up parts, and, with many sighs, her directors were forced to "pass her up" and cast anxious glances around for another promising child. Loath to part with their two clever little players, the company produced some exceedingly funny pictures enacted entirely by children about fourteen or fifteen. These comedies proved extremely popular, because they were so typical of children at that age.
When Vitagraph was casting Within the Law, they were a trifle at a loss as to whom they should give the part of Aggie Lynch, a character on whom all the comedy relief of the play was dependent. After a careful study of the part, it was determined that DeGarde should have it. Press critics had nothing but lavish praise for her performance as Lynch and pronounced it "a huge success".[3]
Variety: "Adele DeGarde as Aggie Lynch, which in reality is nothing more than a comedy foil for the lead, had something on the star, judging from the impression she left on the minds of the audience."[5]
Moving Picture World: "Adele DeGarde as Aggie Lynch must be credited with one of the best performances in the picture. In a character easy to overplay she strikes just the right note, and her amusing unmorality [sic] is always without offense."[6]
