THE THIRD WIFE OF FRANCIS X. BUSHMAN - Norma Emily Atkin

Longtime readers of this blog will know that I have always been a fan of silent movies and silent movie stars.  Most stars of the silents faded into obscurity as the years went by, although some were able to carve out a second career for themselves either in sound films or in the "new medium" of television.  I was recently watching a rerun of an old Perry Mason episode, and one of the actors in the episode was silent film star Francis X. Bushman (1883-1966).

Francis X. Bushman in 1912

Much has been written about the life and career of Francis X. Bushman.  If you have never heard of him, or don't know that much about him, Wikipedia would probably be a good place to start:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_X._Bushman

If you would rather hold a book in your hands, there is an excellent biography of FXB called King of the Movies: Francis X. Bushman by Lon and Debra Davis (2009, BearManor Media, Albany, Georgia)  Seeing Bushman on television reminded me of the time I visited his crypt at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.  He is interred in the Freedom Mausoleum, Patriots Terrace (lower floor), Corridor of the Patriots, Sanctuary of Gratitude (right/south side wall), Single Mausoleum Crypt #21408:

People of today who are not aware of Bushman, probably have no idea of just how popular he was.  At the peak of his career, Bushman was advertised as "The Handsomest Man in the World".  He was also known as "the King of the Photoplay" or "the King of the Movies".  He is probably best remembered for his role as "Massala" opposite Ramon Novarro in the 1925 silent epic 'Ben Hur'.  But this article is not about Bushman per se, it is about one of the four women who were his wives.  They were:

Josephine Louisa Fladung

1882–1964 (m. 1902)

Beverly Bayne

1893–1982 (m. 1918)

Norma Emily Atkin 

1902–1956 (m. 1932)

Iva Millicent Beeks 

1893–1988 (m. 1956) 

  

For this article I want to concentrate on wife #3, Norma Emily Atkin Bushman.  Let's see what we can "dig up" about her to try to find out what it was like to be married to "The Handsomest Man in the World."

Note:  Norma went by many different names:  Emily Magdeline Atkin, Norma Emily Atkin, and Emma Atkin, to name a few.  Francis X. Bushman called her "Mike" but for this article I'll refer to her as Emma, the name on her tombstone. 

Emma Atkin was born Emily Magdeline Atkin on September 25, 1902 (some sources say November 25) in Bloomington, Utah.  She was the daughter of Heber Charles Atkin (1872-1942) and his second wife Mary Abigail Pearce (1870-1965).  The Atkin family was a large and distinguished family of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (the "Mormons").   

Emma's father Heber Atkin had previously married to his second wife Mary's older sister Emily Minerva Pearce (1880-1901) who died in 1901.  With her he had one child, a daughter Emma (1901-1901).  

With his second wife Mary, Heber had six children: Emily M (1902–1996), Owen Woodruff (1904–1966), Nellie (1906–1955), May (1908–1996), Kate (1910–1976), and Inez (1915–1949).   

Before she married to Emma's father, Mary Pearce had been married to John Henry Miller (1870-1899) and had three sons:  William Henry Miller (1894-1965), Raymond Leon Miller (1896-1980) and Ralph Harrison Miller (1898-1905).

I did not find any evidence of plural marriage (polygamy) in Emma's immediate family, but in those days LDS members were not always completely honest with the authorities.  It is a known fact that the Atkin family provided a sanctuary for Elder Willford Woodruff, an Apostle and later President of the Latter Day Saints Church. Wilfred began practicing polygamy in Nauvoo, Illinois before the exodus to the West. When the Federal Government attempted to eradicate polygamy Elder Woodruff was forced into "Underground" or self exile. Between 1885 and 1887 he found sanctuary with the Atkin family. Woodruff frequently used the Atkin family pond for fishing and hunting as well as a hiding place from the Marshals. 

Emma's first "official" appearance was in the 1910 US Census when she was 8 years old.  The Census found the Atkin family living in Bloomington Township, Washington County, Utah.  The family consisted of Heber C. Atkin (37 years old), Mary A. Atkin (39), stepson Raymond (14), daughters Emily (7), and Nellie (4) and son Owen (2).  Heber reported his occupation as "Farmer."  Heber, Mary and the children were all born in Utah.  Everyone in the family spoke English, and the adults could all both read and write.  They owned their farm free and clear.

In the 1920 US Census, eighteen year old Emma was still living at home with her parents and siblings in Washington Township, Washington County, Utah.  The family consisted of Heber (49), Mary (49), son Owen (15), daughters Emily (17) , Nellie (13), May (11), Katie (10), and Inez (4).  Heber was now a "Laborer," in the industry called "Working Out."  He owned his home and there was no mortgage.  Everyone could read and write except for Inez, and the young children were all in school (again, except for Inez.)

How did Emma meet "The King of the Movies?"  She told the story to the Salt Lake City (UT) Tribune in 1951.  

"I had gone down to visit a friend who had a beach house in Santa Monica.  That was 21 years ago (1930).  She mentioned that Bushman the movie star was living in the house next door.  I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw him exercising his huge Great Dane on the sands."

Her first impression?  

"Well, I thought him a darned good looking man and that was all.  Meeting him came about naturally - and the day after he calmly told my younger sister that he intended to marry me - just like that!"

Here is a photo of Emma Atkin Bushman at home with husband Francis X. Bushman, sister Inez Atkin and one of Bushman's magnificent Great Danes:

Left to right: Inez, FXB, Emma, Unnamed Great Dane

In the Davis biography of FXB they related that Emma Atkin had been married before she met Bushman, and that in fact she was recently separated from her husband when she met Bushman but that her husband was refusing to grant her a divorce.   

Emma's relationship with Bushman was no foolish whirlwind romance but circumstances kept it from developing into anything else.  Again, according to Davis, a year later Bushman, in Paris making a film, was in low spirits because he was unable to be with Emma.  One day he received a letter from her stating that her husband had finally agreed to a divorce.  Bushman immediately cabled her to meet him in La Havre, France at once because he couldn't stop work to come after her.  FXB said that once she arrived he would be able to take some time off from filming and thought this would be an ideal time and France the ideal place to get married.  Upon her arrival they went to Paris and were married on a beautiful September day.  Between his film work in France and England they toured the continent.

The Davis biography reported that ten years after they were married in Paris there was some question as to the legality of the marriage.  FXB and Emma were therefore remarried in San Francisco.

I must point out that although I did extensive research on Emma Atkin Bushman, I was unable to find any record of this supposed first marriage.  Members of the LDS Church are outstanding record keepers inasmuch as tracing their ancestry is one of the tenets of their religion.  Emma's "official" family tree record from the LDS Church mentions Francis X. Bushman as her only spouse.  

Emma reported that she and Bushman decided to keep the news about their marriage quiet because his career had been hurt so badly when the news that he had been a married man all along reached the fans of that day.  Emma said "It has worked out very well."

Did it?  

On February 8, 1934 newspapers reported:

As the article mentions, the "engagement" to Ponselle followed an earlier report that Bushman agreed to marry any woman "who could support him in the style to which he would like to become accustomed."

Had Bushman decided to adopt Mormon customs and practice polygamy?  Not a chance.  Emma reported "It was just a joke.  A publicity stunt which Frank did as a favor to a friend who was Miss Ponselle's press agent."

The newspapers reported a week after the announcement that the "engagement" had been called off  "by mutual agreement."

While on this engagement escapade, the Bushmans were staying at the St. Clair Hotel on Ohio Street in Chicago:

For the first decade of their marriage, the Bushmans lived in New York between trips to Europe for acting roles for FXB.  

At the time of the 1940 US Census, Francis and Emma Bushman were living in Europe and did not participate.  

In 1941-1942 the Bushmans built their home at 740 Hartzell Street in Pacific Palisades, California.  The house that currently occupies that spot was built in 1992.

"It was their permanent home, said Emma.  "It's less than a half mile from the beach."  She said it was also near the home of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Conway.  He is a screen director and she is one of the children of Francis X. Bushman (with his first wife Josephine).  "She's a lovely girl and we're the best of friends," says the present Mrs. Bushman.  "In fact, all his children are wonderful, I think, and also are close to us."  The Davis biography of FXB states that Mr. and Mrs. Conway in fact paid for the house in Pacific Palisades.

"Their Pacific Palisades home is no glittering showplace," she says, "but they live an idyllic life in an artistic small house.   They like to walk, to read and garden-both vegetables and flowers.  They give no cocktail parties and attend none.  The main point is whatever they do they do together.  She usually accompanies him on his business trips.

"I guess we feed thousands of birds a year," she said.  "We buy bird food in 100 lb. bags to feed our wild birds - but we've only one small canary indoors.  We built our home in Pacific Palisades chiefly because it was in the heart of a big bird sanctuary.  Frank has always been fond of pets; at one time he had an aviary with 1,500 birds in it."

In early 1955 Emma checked in to the Motion Picture Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills. 

The Motion Picture Country House and Hospital

Her health had been deteriorating and her doctors determined that she needed round-the-clock care. 

Emma Bushman died at 10:50 am on February 4, 1956.  She was 53 years old.  The cause of death was "Coronary Thrombosis" with the complicating factors of "Athero Sclerosis and Laennec's Cirrhosis of the Liver."  Here is her Death Certificate:

Her death barely merited a mention in the newspapers.  Here is one from the Los Angeles Times from February 5, 1956:

Here is the Death Notice:

Emma Bushman was buried in the Angelus Rosedale Cemetery in Los Angeles, Section Q, Lot 111, Grave 2 SW.  Thanks to my Find a Grave friend Bob Marlowe, here are photos of her grave:

The records of Angeles Rosedale Cemetery are available online through Family Search.  Here is the entry from the Interment Register about Emma Bushman:

She was buried February 7, 1956:

  

Unfortunately Emma Bushman is virtually forgotten today.  The Davis biography of FXB was recently made into a documentary and in October of 2021 it was shown on Turner Classic Movies.  The documentary showed one photo of Emma and the coverage of her lasted a mere 8 seconds in a one hour program.  And yet, Francis X. Bushman was married to Emma longer than his three other wives.  He was married to Josephine Fladung for 16 years; to Beverly Bayne for 8 years; and to Iva Beeks for 10 years - however he was married to Emma for 24 years.  According to Emma she was happy to stay in the background as long as Bushman was nearby.  In a 1951 interview, Emma said:  "...we haven't spent more than six days apart since we were married.  I travel everywhere with Frank, and just sit and listen to the things people say about him when they don't know who I am."     

At one point, Francis X. Bushman was asked to give his own version of the secret of this long, unpublicized and peaceful marriage.

"I can tell you in one sentence," he said, "it has been successful because I married her."

Emma Bushman in 1951

May Emma Atkin Bushman rest in peace. 

On August 15, 1956, Francis X. Bushman married Iva Millicent Beeks (1893-1988) in Nevada.  Iva Beeks had been Bushman's next-door neighbor in Pacific Palisades.  

Francis X. Bushman died August 23, 1966 in Pacific Palisades.  He was 83 years old.  As mentioned at the beginning of this article, he is interred in the Freedom Mausoleum at Forest Lawn in Glendale.

Iva Millicent Beeks Longshore Richardson Bushman died April 17, 1988 in Pacific Palisades.  She was 94 years old.  She was cremated at the Pomona Cemetery Crematorium.  The final disposition of her remains is unknown.