Jobyna Lancaster Ralston (21 November 1899-29 January 1967)famed silent film actress, was born in South Pittsburgh, TN in 1899 to wealthy parents, who named her after famed entertainer of the time, Jobyna Howland. Ralston moved to New York when she was 18 and learned dancing. That would lead to her "break" with director Hal Roach, where she would star in one reel comedies.
In 1923 she was named a WAMPAS Baby Star. This award was given every year to the top up and coming female stars. This same year she would star with famed silent comedian Harold Lloyd in "Why Worry?". She would then go on to be Lloyd's leading lady in five other films. These six films with Ralston are considered some of Lloyd's finest because of Ralston's ability to perform comedy with Lloyd instead of being a casual observer as Lloyd's other leading ladies seemed to be. In 1927 she co-starred in the William Wellman drama "Wings", which won the first Academy Award for Best Picture. She married one of her co-stars, Richard Arlen the next year. They had one child Richard Arlen Jr. Ralston would star in eleven more silent films. She starred in two "talkies" before retiring because of a lisp in her voice. Her and Richard Arlen would divorce in 1945 and she would spend the rest of her life suffering from rheumatism and a series of strokes.
Jobyna died from complications of pneumonia in Los Angeles, California on January 22, 1967.
Rick Arlen, who is the son of Jobyna, was invited to attend the ceremony and do the unveiling, but was unable to attend due health related issues making it difficult to the travel the 2800 miles from California where he and his wife, Mary, reside.
Jobyna memorabilia sits on the table nearby for the viewing of all guest.
Jobyna went on to make a series of silent comedy cinema classics with Harold Lloyd, which are still delighting new audiences today, courtesy of the restoration and publicity work done by the Harold Lloyd Trust.
In 1927 Jobyna had a role in the silent film classic "Wings", starring Clara Bow, Charles Buddy Rogers, and Richard Arlen; she played a traditional role as the girl next door, waiting for her man to return from the war.
Jobyna and her co-star from "Wings", Richard Arlen, were married that year and went on to have a son together, Richard Arlen, Jr., born in 1933.
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