Florence La Badie l b d i was an American actress in the early days of the silent film era. Though little known today, she was a major star between 1911 and 1917. Her career was at its height when she died at agefrom injuries sustained in an automobile accident.
While her film career is well documented, her early life is somewhat clouded in mystery, including who her real parents were and what her birth name was. She was the adopted daughter of the La Badie family. Joseph E. La Badie, was believed to have been born in Montreal, Quebec, and is said to have been a prominent attorney there at one time. His wife, the former Amanda Victor, is said to have been born in Europe, possibly Paris. Her adoptive uncle, Oddiehon LaBadie, maintained an estate in nearby St. Lambert. Other sources have claimed that she was born in Austin, Texas and adopted by the La Badie family. One source states plainly that she was born in Montreal, another that she was born Florence Russ in Manhattan on April 27, 1888. Florence was educated in New York City schools and at the Convent of Notre Dame in Montreal.
Source: Wikipedia