Background
She was born Dorothy Greville Cumming in Boorowa, New South Wales. Her father, Victor Albert Cumming was an officer of the Lands Department and also owned Narrangullen sheep station, near Yass. Her mother was the former Sarah T. Fennell.
She was born Dorothy Greville Cumming in Boorowa, New South Wales. Her father, Victor Albert Cumming was an officer of the Lands Department and also owned Narrangullen sheep station, near Yass. Her mother was the former Sarah T. Fennell.
There, while a student at Ascham School, Dorothy attended elocution and acting lessons, appearing on stage from 1907.
She appeared in 39 American, English, and Australian films between 1915 and 1929, notably appearing as the Virgin Mary in Cecil B. DeMille"s 1927 film The King of Kings and the jealous wife in Lillian Gish"s 1928 The Wind. She also appeared in stage productions in those same countries. The family moved to Sydney around 1904, settling in the Sydney suburb of Woollahra.
In 1911 she appeared with Enid Bennett in J. C. Williamson"s production Everywoman.
At this time Williamsons made a handful of films using their own actors, in response to the threat of increasing American imports, including Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford and Officer 666, directed by Fred Niblo. Determined to follow a career in film, Dorothy departed for the United States in mid 1916.
Dorothy had three full siblings, including two sisters who also moved to the United States. Rose Cumming became a prominent American interior decorator, and Eileen Cumming an advertising executive, who married rheumatologist Doctor Russell LaFayette Cecil.
Dorothy also had several half-siblings from her mother"s first marriage.
She died in New York City in 1983.