Merna Kennedy

Biography

Merna Kennedy was born Maude Kahler on September 7, 1908, to German-American parents who later changed their name to Kennedy. After her parents separated, she began touring with her brother as a vaudeville act, where she met Lita Grey, who encouraged her to pursue silent films. She gained recognition for her role in Charlie Chaplin's "The Circus" (1928), playing the circus bareback rider due to her dancer background and distinctive physical features.