Sidney Ainsworth

Sidney Ainsworth was born in Manchester, England, on December 21, 1873, according to contemporaneous sources. As an infant, he was brought to America, where his family settled in Madison, Wisconsin. As a boy, he sang in the choir at Grace Church in Madison. After graduating from Madison High School, he studied drama at the University of Notre Dame for several years. He then earned his undergraduate degree from the Chicago Musical College. Shortly after graduation, he was invited by Maud Adams to co-star in "The Little Minister." His stage career was briefly interrupted when he served in the Spanish American War, as a member of the First Wisconsin Infantry. Later, Ainsworth toured the United States and England, appearing in various productions. After appearing in a large number of short films, Ainsworth signed with the Goldwyn Company in 1919. In early 1922, he returned to Madison, suffering from an illness, and was under the care of a nurse. He died on May 21, 1922. Some newspapers attributed his death in part to yellow fever, which he had never overcome since contracting it during his military service.