Beryl Mercer

Beryl Mercer (August 13, 1882 – July 28, 1939) was a Spanish-born American actress of stage and screen who was based in the United States. Early years Beryl Mercer was born to British parents in Seville on 13 August 1882. Her father was Edward Sheppard Mercer, said to be Spanish despite his name, and her mother was the actress Effie (née Martin). Career She became a child actor, making her debut on 14 August 1886 at the Theatre Royal, Yarmouth, when she was age 4. She returned to the stage when she was ten. In London, she appeared in The Darling of the Gods and the production by Oscar Asche of A Midsummer Night's Dream. In 1906 she appeared as a Kaffir slave in the West End play The Shulamite. She travelled with this play to the United States, where she received good reviews. That 1906 play marked her Broadway debut. Mercer was honored by Dowager Queen Alexandra for her work as an entertainer during World War I.