Biography

Beautiful dark haired star Jessalyn Van Trump born in Ohio in 1887. began in drama theatre from the early 1900's. Starred and supported in more than 110 silent drama and westerns, making her film debut as Alice in 'Alice's Sacrifice' for the Lubin Film Co in 1911, then Jessalyn starred opposite the legendary cowboy star J. Warren Kerrigan in many short westerns produced by the American Film Company. She left with J. Warren Kerrigan when they moved to the more prosperous film companies including Rex Motion Picture Co, Bison Film Co and the better known Universal and in 1914 she appeared in many dramas with Wallace Reid and Pauline Bush until 1916 when her career seem to be over, only appearing in minor roles and even as an extra, including a Chaplin short 'A Day's Pleasure' in 1919, then in 1920 she was offered the supporting role playing Vera in Rollin S. Sturgeon's 'The Girl in the Rain' starring Anne Cornwall and Lloyd Bacon at Universal, but she still struggle to find work her last film role was a bit part in 'The Bargain Hunt' in 1928. Jessalyn or Toodles to her friends died in Hollywood in 1939 age 52.
- IMDb mini biography by: Paul Rothwell-Smith