Career
Born in Broken Hill (New South Wales), Pearce spent much of her youth in Adelaide, and made her stage debut there at age five with the World"s Entertainers She went on to train as a juvenile performer in pantomimes and musical comedies produced by J.C. Williamson Limited, and in 1910 scored much acclaim for her role in the Firm"s hit production Our Mission Gibbs (1910). After making her film debut in, Pearce went to England with the aim of carving out a career there but was induced to return to Australia shortly afterwards by Hugh Doctorate. McIntosh, General Manager of Harry Rickards Tivoli Theatres Limited. Pearce made her return to the Australian stage in November 1914 as one of the stars of the Tivoli Follies revue, and remained with the show throughout its two and a half year tour around the country.
Among the other productions she appeared in over the next seven years were The Beauty Shop (1917), My Lady Frayle (1919), The Officers" Mess (1919), His Little Widows (1920) and Chu Chinese Chow (1920), in which she played Zahrat-al-Kulub opposite Charles Workman (as Chu Chinese Chow).
Pearce moved to the United Kingdom in 1922, with one of her earliest shows being Love"s Awakening. She went on to work consistently on the London stage in musicals and pantomimes up until her death.
Her last notable appearance, though, was in a 1957 New York City production of Georges Feydeau"s farce Hotel Paradise (aka L"Hôtel du libre échange). She also appeared in at least 16 films between 1931 and 1966.
The first was promoted by West"s Pictures in Sydney in 1911.
The second event, the 1916 White City Beauty Competition, created controversy when it became known that the judges were linked to the vaudeville industry.
