Background
Badgley was born in Saratoga Springs, New York, and by the time she was just 3 years old she was appearing in her first film, Brother Bob"s Baby in 1911.
Badgley was born in Saratoga Springs, New York, and by the time she was just 3 years old she was appearing in her first film, Brother Bob"s Baby in 1911.
In 1912 she appeared in eleven films, and in 1913, that number increased to twenty two. At age six she lost her two front teeth and "retired" until new ones could appear. She never went back. She ended up with 103 credits to her name earning her the title "Thanhouser Kidlet" after the movie studio Thanhouser located in New York City which burned down.
Her father was Gerald Badgely, expert mechanic and electrician at the studio where he perfected the Vista moving picture recorder.
He would record the "Fireside Chats" with Franklin Delano Roosevelt during World World War World War II They raised four children in Fairfax, Virginia, Bob, Helen, Gail and Jacquie. Struck with Rheumatoid arthritis, Helen and her four teenagers moved to Phoenix, Arizona. Helen remained in a wheel chair in the later years of her life.
She died on October 25, 1977.