Alma Rubens was a talented American film actress and stage performer, born on February 19, 1897. She began her career in the mid-1910s, quickly rising to stardom in 1916 after appearing opposite Douglas Fairbanks in The Half Breed. Throughout the remainder of the decade, she appeared in supporting roles in comedies and dramas, solidifying her reputation as a versatile and talented actress.
In the 1920s, Rubens received her first stage opportunity when a chorus girl in a musical comedy theater troupe fell ill, and she was chosen to take her place. There, she met Franklyn Farnum, who would later convince her to leave the troupe and pursue a career in film acting. Her breakthrough performance came in 1916, with the movie Reggie Mixes In, followed by six more films that same year.
In 1917, Rubens starred in The Firefly of Tough Luck, which was a major success. She gained widespread recognition when she became Douglas Fairbanks's leading lady in The Half Breed (1916),and later supported Fairbanks and Bessie Love in the cocaine comedy The Mystery of the Leaping Fish. In 1918, she announced that she was changing the spelling of her last name from Rueben to "Rubens" due to the confusion it caused in the movie industry and publications.
Rubens continued to thrive in her career, starring in films such as The World and His Wife (1920),opposite Montague Love, and The Price She Paid and Cytherea (1924). However, her success was eventually overshadowed by her struggles with drug addiction, which ultimately ended her career.
Tragically, Rubens died of pneumonia shortly after being arrested on narcotics charges in January 1931. A funeral service was held on January 24 at the Little Church of the Flowers at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, and her body was later shipped to Fresno for a second service at the Christian Science Church on January 26. She was interred in Ararat Massis Armenian Cemetery in Fresno.
In recognition of her significant contributions to the motion picture industry, Alma Rubens has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located at 6409 Hollywood Blvd.
