Actress. A 14-year-old when she made her professional debut with a theatrical touring company in San Francisco in 1887, Dupree went on to impress New York critics with an outstanding performance in William Gillette’s “Held by the Enemy” the following year. Described as a “handsome blonde, and the possessor of a magnificent head of curly hair”, the newcomer advanced from ingenue to leading lady by the turn of the century. During the course of her 60-year career, she was acclaimed in comic and dramatic roles on the Broadway and London stages, and toured in Vaudeville, where she was known for her deft comic touch. Although stymied by the lack of vehicles to showcase her stellar talents in later life, she triumphed in the original Broadway production of “Arsenic and Old Lace”, playing the role of Martha Brewster in the long-running hit. Dupree also appeared in several Hollywood films, most notably “The Young in Heart” with Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and Paulette Goddard.  Lauding her performance as the backbone of the film, a NY Times reviewer credited her with stealing the picture. A life-long humanitarian, the actress studied nursing during World War I, and employed her skills on the homefront during the flu epidemic of 1918.  She also helped found a relief fund for unemployed performers during the Great Depression of the 1930’s.  Although never married, her engagement to divorced multi-millionaire William H. Langley made Gilded Age headlines. For undisclosed reasons the marriage did not take place, but the couple remained close friends until his death in 1919.  Dupree’s family came to live in Mount Vernon, NY, while the actress was still in her teens, as it was conveniently located between the theatre districts in Manhattan and New Haven, CT.  She later moved to New York City, but following her death there at the age of 74, she joined her mother and brother in the Dupree plot in St. Paul’s.    (bio by: Nikita Barlow)  Family links:  Parents:  Elnora Graham Dupree (____ – 1894) Inscription:”Dearly Beloved Minnie DuPree”