German-born actress who had a long, distinguished career in American films. She had a son, silent comedian Bobby Vernon, before she married actor/director/producer Harry Burns on 27 December 1914 in Santa Barbara, California. Sadly, she lost both her husband and her son within five months of each other in 1939.
Thanks to Jesse Brisson's discovery of Dorothy's Polish-born husband (JACOB ELMAN) who became a naturalized citizen, we find that his wife's birth place is listed as Amrum, Germany. Her son BOBBY's mini bio of 1919 says that he had "French and Fresian parents". Amrum was called North Friesland and the natives spoke their own language, Friesan. In the 1910 US Census, DOROTHY's aunt gave her native tongue as "Friesian".
Sometimes billed as Dorothy Burns.
*Note: Amrum is an island with several villages. Ancestry.com researchers say, without specific sources, that she was born in the village of Norddorf.
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