Nina Byron
| Nina Byron | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Nina Betts July 27, 1900 Christchurch, New Zealand |
| Occupation |
|
| Spouse(s) | Nicholas Dunaew (1884–1963) |
Nina Byron (born July 27, 1900, died January 21, 1987) was a silent film actress from Christchurch, New Zealand. Her given name was Nina Clarice Betts.
She came to America with her mother. Her father stayed behind in New Zealand and committed suicide. She studied dancing, went on tour, and joined the Hitchykoo company. Only a year after coming to New York City, Byron came to Los Angeles to make Truthful Tulliver (1917) with William S. Hart. As Abby Hope in The Heir of the Ages (1917), Byron was described by a critic as having substantial acting skills. She was the for House Peters. The material she was given to work with, according to the reviewer, did not test her ability. He likens Byron's laughter in the film to Mary Pickford. Her character was merely required to laugh like the silent film icon. Her other film credits are for roles in The Cruise of the Make-Believes (1918), The Source (1918), The Dub (1919), Johnny Get Your Gun (1919), The Boomerang (1919), and The Broken Butterfly (1919).
In June 1922 Nicholas Dunaew, actor and leading man with Pauline Frederick, sued Byron for divorce. Dunaew was also a film director who desired to produce a series of anti-Bolshevist motion pictures. He resided at the Green Room Club in New York at the time. In his divorce petition he stated that he had attempted to lift his wife from poverty to his own level, but failed. He concluded by saying one cannot make a silk purse from a sow's ear. Dunaew met Byron in New York when she was at the August and Louis Lumiere studio having some pictures taken. He quickly fell in love with her and brought her, together with mother, to Los Angeles. Byron and Dunaew married in September 1918 and resided at 1504 McCadden Place in Hollywood. They separated on January 4, 1920. Dunaew claimed Byron deserted him. It was during the time she was a member of the Hitchykoo that he did not see her again. Dunaew made reference to Byron's reprehensible conduct which he later became aware of through his friends. She later married cinematographer Harold Rosson (1924-26), and set designer Frank Hotaling (July 5, 1939 - April 13, 1977) until his death.
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