Margaret Campbell

Margaret Campbell (April 24, 1883 – June 27, 1939) was an American character actress in silent films. In her later years, she was the secretary of the Baháʼí Spiritual Assembly of Los Angeles.

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Campbell was the leading lady of the Bramhall Players. She appeared on Broadway in Lightnin' (1918), Keeping Up Appearances (1918), The Silent Assertion (1917), Difference in Gods (1917), Keeping Up Appearances (1916), The Merchant of Venice (1913), Hamlet (1912), and Kassa (1909). Later she followed her husband, actor Josef Swickard, into films and was usually cast as rather grand ladies. She retired from the screen at the advent of sound.

In 1939, Campbell was sexually assaulted and bludgeoned to death with a hammer. Her son, Campbell McDonald, was the initial suspect. He was also suspected of having bludgeoned to death a Russian dancer, Anya Sosoyeva, as well as having assaulted the young actress Delia Bogard, who survived. He was later cleared of those attacks when the actual murderer was captured by the Los Angeles police force. Both attacks occurred on the Los Angeles City College campus.