Carolyn Lilja

Carolyn Lilja (November 8, 1881 – December 12, 1967) immigrated to the United States in the late 1800s from Sweden with her sister, Ellen Lilja. She began her Broadway career in 1903 staring in her first major play called “Peggy from Paris”. She also starred in several other plays including:
“Mary is a Grand Old Name” (produced by George M. Cohan) – Broadway – 1906
“Knight for a Day” Fremont Theater – Boston - 1907
“Parlor, Bedroom and Bath” Broadway – 1917
She also sang as a soprano in the “Fine Arts Quartette” in both Michigan and Chicago – 1902-1903
In 1918, she married her co-star in “Mary is a Grand Old Name”, Joe Smith Marba who also has a distinguished career on Broadway and in Hollywood films. Carolyn changed her name slightly and became “Caroline Marba” as the married actress. The couple then moved to Los Angeles where her husband, Joe Smith Marba, continued his career in motion pictures. Carolyn or “Caroline” starred in a few more plays, mainly “Mary is a Grand Old Name” in California.
Sadly, Caroline’s husband, Joe, passed away in 1938 leaving her in a state of grief for many years. She eventually retired and became a friend of her neighborhood by producing plush dolls for children. She had several offers to create a business but she felt she could not add the personal touches to her work if she did that. She passed away in December of 1967.