Background
She was born Nora Dorothy Bernard in Portuguese Elizabeth, British Cape Colony, now part of South Africa, to William H Bernard and Roy Elizabeth Ayrd. Her father was from Auckland, New Zealand, and her mother was born in Sligo, Ireland.
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Dorothy Bernard
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She appeared in 87 films between 1908 and 1956. Although her birth date is listed as July 25, 1890 in many biographies, her death certificate and United States. passport both state her birth date as June 25, 1890. An only child, she spent her formative years in Portland, Oregon where her father, William H. Bernard (1864–1915), worked as a stock company manager and was a well-respected actor.
As a child actress, Bernard appeared in several plays in Portland under "Dot Bernard" in the Baker Theater Company.
Her stepmother, actress Nan Ramsey, also appeared in several productions. In 1905, her family moved to Los Angeles, California, and her father accepted a position to manage the Balasco theater.
