Today in Wheeling History: September 30–Lina Basquette, silent film star and dog breeder, passed away in Wheeling, where she had been a resident since 1975 (1994).
Lina Basquette, born Lena Copeland Baskette on April 19, 1907, in San Mateo, California, was a prominent actress during the silent film era. She began her career as a child dancer and secured her first film contract at the age of nine. Basquette’s most notable role was as Judith in Cecil B. DeMille’s “The Godless Girl” (1929). Throughout her career, she appeared in numerous films and was known for her tumultuous personal life, including multiple marriages, most famously to Sam Warner, co-founder of Warner Bros. In 1937, Basquette was invited to Germany, where she met Adolf Hitler, who was an admirer of her work. She later claimed that Hitler made a pass at her, and she responded by kicking him in the groin.
After her film career declined, Basquette turned to dog breeding and became a renowned breeder of Great Danes, winning numerous professional show prizes. In 1975, Basquette moved to Wheeling, West Virginia, where she continued her work with dogs and served as a judge for the American Kennel Club. She also wrote several books on dog breeding. Basquette passed away from lymphoma on September 30, 1994, at her home in Wheeling. She was cremated, and the location of her ashes is unknown.
To learn more: Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/33swkhx5), Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/bdjjdc2w), Encycopedia.com (https://tinyurl.com/yywftu74)
Photo credits: Wikimedia Commons
Lina Basquette, born Lena Copeland Baskette on April 19, 1907, in San Mateo, California, was a prominent actress during the silent film era. She began her career as a child dancer and secured her first film contract at the age of nine. Basquette’s most notable role was as Judith in Cecil B. DeMille’s “The Godless Girl” (1929). Throughout her career, she appeared in numerous films and was known for her tumultuous personal life, including multiple marriages, most famously to Sam Warner, co-founder of Warner Bros. In 1937, Basquette was invited to Germany, where she met Adolf Hitler, who was an admirer of her work. She later claimed that Hitler made a pass at her, and she responded by kicking him in the groin.
After her film career declined, Basquette turned to dog breeding and became a renowned breeder of Great Danes, winning numerous professional show prizes. In 1975, Basquette moved to Wheeling, West Virginia, where she continued her work with dogs and served as a judge for the American Kennel Club. She also wrote several books on dog breeding. Basquette passed away from lymphoma on September 30, 1994, at her home in Wheeling. She was cremated, and the location of her ashes is unknown.
To learn more: Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/33swkhx5), Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/bdjjdc2w), Encycopedia.com (https://tinyurl.com/yywftu74)
Photo credits: Wikimedia Commons
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