Unforgotten Project: Edna Mae Cooper - Help Mark Her Grave

Hello Friends –

My name is E.J. Stephens, the co-founder of the Newhallywood Silent Film Festival in Newhall, California. As part of our ongoing efforts to recognize forgotten stars from cinema’s Silent Era, my wife Kimi and I are launching the Unforgotten Project.

This effort is intended to mark the final resting places of Silent Film stars who were interred in graves left unmarked due to a lack of funds. Our mission is to raise money to bring recognition of these important lives to future generations.

The first star we are recognizing is Edna Mae Cooper (1900-1986). Once a household name, Edna appeared in 79 films between 1911 and 1927. Besides acting, Edna’s other passion was flying. In 1931, she and renowned aviatrix Bobbi Trout set the women’s world record by flying nonstop for nearly 123 hours.

Edna was later the subject of a mysterious disappearance when she took off from Santa Monica in her plane and was discovered days later in a Northern California hotel with no memory of how she got there.

Edna was married to noted cinematographer Karl Brown from 1922 until her death. She was buried at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills next to her mother. Forest Lawn has graciously allowed us to purchase a marker for her because she has no living descendants.

Edna Mae Cooper was born in Baltimore on July 19, 1900. We kicked off the sourcing for her marker on Saturday, July 19, 2025, Edna's 125th birthday.

Please help us bring this forgotten star’s memory back to the land of the living.

E.J. and Kimi Stephens, Newhallywood Silent Film Festival