Velma Whitman | |
|---|---|
 Whitman c. 1907 | |
| Born | |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1905–1919 |
| Known for | Whitman's Comedians Silent films |
| Notable work | The Mysterious Model |
Velma Virginia Whitman was an American actress who appeared in comedy theatre and silent films during the 1900s and 1910s. A Virginian, she began appearing in theatre roles in 1905 and became known for her portrayal of complicated emotional characters. After appearing with multiple different theatre groups, she established her own in 1906 named Whitman's Comedians and acted as the leading woman for most performances, alongside her husband as the leading man. The large theatre company became well known throughout the American South for their numerous and varied plays up through 1910.
Performing with other companies once again from 1911 through 1912, including her husband's newly formed theatre company named Own Stock, she moved to California in 1913 and began appearing in a large number of silent films in the just formed field of motion pictures. She became a lead performer for Siegmund Lubin's Lubin Manufacturing Company and had dozens of major roles up through 1919.