by Hal Erickson
biography
A stage actress of long standing, Edythe Chapman entered films in 1915. Nearly always cast in matriarchal roles, Chapman became a favorite of director Cecil B. De Mille. She was afforded generous screen time in such De Mille productions as The Little American (1917), The Whispering Chorus (1918), Saturday Night (1922), and Manslaughter (1923). She is best remembered for her portrayal of Bible-thumping Ma MacTavish in De Mille's The Ten Commandments (1923), which featured Chapman's husband James Neill as Moses' brother Aaron in the flashback sequences. Edythe Chapman retired from films after the death of her husband in 1931.
