Biography

Born and mostly raised in Chicago. Mother took her and brother Eddie to Los Angeles when she was 14 (c. 1918) but reportedly looked a few years older, and got her into movies. Worked for Christy and Fox Studios. Around 1926, married entrepreneur Ashton Dearholt and bore him two children, son Lee and daughter Caryl Lee, and left show business permanently to tend home and family. Divorced Dearholt after he returned from a business trip to Guatemala with would-be starlet Ula Holt in tow and insisted on Holt living in the Dearholt home. Married Dearholt-family friend Edgar Rice Burroughs, 28 years her senior, who had admired her from afar, had recently also separated from his wife. Left this marriage allegedly because, after a period of happiness, during which they moved to Hawaii, Burroughs began drinking, treated her coldly, and was verbally hostile towards her son, while lavishing affection on her daughter. Florence Gilbert's third husband was Albert S. Chase who legally adopted both her children. She remained socially connected to the film community through her professional friendships and marriages. Daughter Caryl Lee eventually became an animal trainer in Hollywood, using the name Cindy Cullen.
- IMDb mini biography by: Rich Wannen <RichWannen@worldnet.att.net.>

According to the Blue Book of the Screen (published 1923), she lived in a small bungalow in Hollywood with her mother, brother, one sister, and a library of over 700 books. Her hobbies included horseback riding, swimming and tennis.

According to her son Lee Chase, Florence was good friends with Janet Gaynor, Mary Martin and Rochelle Hudson after leaving pictures.

Mother of Lee Chase and of Caryl Lee Dearholt aka Cindy Cullen.

Her daughter Caryl Lee remained close with her ex-stepfather Edgar Rice Burroughs til his death in 1950 which angered Florence deeply.