As a theatrical performer she played the leading lady in both The Virginian and The Squaw Man (1909).

[3] Van Buren became prominent in motion pictures at the time of the development of feature-length movies in 1914.

Mabel was the first leading lady of the Famous Players–Lasky studio on Vine Street in Hollywood, California.

Other films in which she plays a prominent part are The Warrens of Virginia (1915), The Man From Home (1914), and Craig's Wife (1928).

Van Buren's residence was 4351 Kingswell Avenue, Los Angeles, California.