A blonde, blue-eyed comedy ingénue, Ethel Burton reputedly made her screen debut with Vitagraph in Brooklyn in 1915 without any prior acting experience. She quickly became a popular presence in one- and two-reel farces and joined the much-heralded World Comedy Stars Film Corp. later that year. When that firm failed after only two releases, Burton embarked on her long association with Vim and its successor of sorts, King Bee, starring in Ambitious Ethel (1916) and other comedies and later appearing as leading lady to Charles Chaplin imitator Billy West. By then, most of her comedies were directed by her husband, the Swedish-born Arvid E. Gillstrom. Described as 5' 1/2" and "in fine physical trim," Burton was reportedly not afraid of anything and always willing to try any stunt suggested by either West or Gillstrom. Alas, like most of her contemporaries, Burton was gone from the scene before the 1920s.
by Hans J. Wollstein
biography
