Lina Basquette

Lina Basquette, born Lena Copeland Baskette , was an American actress noted for her 75year career in entertainment, which began during the silent film era. Talented as a dancer, she was paid as a girl for performing and gained her first film contract at age nine. In her acting career, Basquette may have been best known for her role as Judith in The Godless Girl The film was based on the life of Queen Silver, known as a 20thcentury child prodigy, and feminist and Socialist activist.

She was born Lena Copeland Baskette to Frank Baskette, a drugstore owner, and his wife Gladys Baskette in San Mateo, California. She began dancing as a child. An RCA Victor representative saw her dancing to a record in her fathers store. He hired her at the age of eight to advertise Victrolas at the 1915 PanamaPacific International Exposition, held in San Francisco. Basquette later began studying ballet.

Source: Wikipedia