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Edna Purviance was born in 1895 in Paradise Valley, Nevada to Louise and Madison Gates Purviance. At the age of three, her family moved to Lovelock, Nevada to take part in the hotel industry. In 1902, her parents were divorced and her mother was later re-married to Robert Nurnberger, a German plumber. Growing up, Purviance was a talented piano player. Upon her high school graduation in 1913, Purviance attended business college in San Francisco.
In 1915, Charlie Chaplin was working on his second film with Essanay Studios, working out of Niles, California, one hour southeast of San Francisco. Chaplin was looking for a leading lady to appear in his film, A Night Out. One of Chaplin's associates noticed Purviance at a Tate's Café in San Francisco and thought she should be cast in the film. Chaplin arranged a meeting with Purviance and although he thought that she was too serious for a comedic role, she won the part.
From 1915-1923, Purviance appeared in 35 Chaplin films, including the 1921 classic The Kid. Her last film with Chaplin, A Woman of Paris was her first lead role. She went on to appear in two more films (Sea Gulls, never released; and Education de Prince, French film release) before retirement from filmmaking in 1926.
Chaplin had tremendous respect for her, she remained on Chaplin's payroll until she died on January 13, 1958. (As stated on her official California death certificate.) She is interred in the Grand View Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.
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