Fontaine La Rue
Matilda Fernández, stage name Fontaine La Rue (July 18, 1890 in Hermosillo, Mexico – September 13, 1964) was an American silent film actress appearing in films from 1918 to 1929. Her career ended with the advent of talkies. She was one of seven children born to Diego and Carlotta Monreal Fernandez. After immigrating to the United States in 1907, Matilda married Victor Garcia Rojas. The couple had three children, Victor Paul, Matilda Garcia, and Victoria Grace. After the couple divorced, Matilda entered show business. She got her start on stage as a toe dancer and in musical comedy. She toured with the Trimble Musical Comedy Company in 1914 before breaking into films the following year in comedy shorts for Keystone. She first used the name Dora Rodgers, but reinvented herself with the name Fontaine La Rue, tiring of playing vamps. On occasions she would switch between the names. Notably she appeared in the lost film, A Blind Bargain with Lon Chaney. After a lengthy love affair with actor Nelson McDowell, Fontaine married real estate broker Wayne Hancock and retired from the screen. The Keystone Vamp died of Acute Myelogenous Leukemia on September 13, 1964, at UCLA Medical Center.
Known For
Credits
- 1925 · Flyin' Thru as Sybil
- 1925 · Love on the Rio Grande as
- 1924 · The Torrent as Dancing Girl
- 1924 · Unseen Hands as Madame Le Quintrec
- 1923 · The Showdown as
- 1923 · The Love Letter as
- 1922 · A Blind Bargain as Mrs. Lamb
- 1922 · Oh, Mabel Behave as The Barmaid
- 1922 · The Bear Cat as Mary Lang
- 1922 · The Secret Code as
- 1922 · The Further Adventures of Yorke Norroy as
- 1921 · The Great Impersonation as Princess Eiderstrom
- 1921 · Beyond as Mrs. Langley
- 1921 · The Lost Romance as Elizabeth Erskine
- 1921 · The Faith Healer as Mary Beeler
- 1920 · The Sins of Rosanne as Rachel Bangat
- 1920 · A Prohibition Monkey as
- 1920 · Human Stuff as Boka
- 1920 · The Isle of Love as
- 1919 · The Man Beneath as Countess Petite Florence
- 1919 · Boots as Mme. De Valdee
- 1918 · Borrowed Clothes as Rita Morris (as Fontine La Rue)
- 1918 · Who Killed Walton? as Elsa Armytage
- 1918 · Did She Do Wrong? as
- 1917 · Cactus Nell as The Gent's Accomplice
- 1917 · His Naughty Thought as Babe Delores
- 1915 · Stolen Magic as Secondary Supporting Role
- 1915 · Love, Loot and Crash as Mary, The Banker's Daughter
- 1915 · Droppington's Family Tree as Cabaret Dancer
- 1915 · The Home Breakers as Mts. Walrus
- 1915 · Fatty and Mabel at the San Diego Exposition as 1st Street Crowd Participant (uncredited)
- 1915 · Peanuts and Bullets as The Maid They All Love