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May McAvoy
Actor

May McAvoy

6 Sep 1899Born
26 Apr 1984Died
84Age at death
75Credits

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

May McAvoy (September 8, 1899 – April 26, 1984) was an American actress who worked mainly during the silent film era. Some of her major roles are Laura Pennington in The Enchanted Cottage, Esther in Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, and Mary Dale in The Jazz Singer.

McAvoy appeared in her first film, entitled Hate, in 1917. After appearing in more than three dozen films, she co-starred with Ramón Novarro and Francis X. Bushman in director Fred Niblo's 1925 production of Ben-Hur, released by MGM.

Read the full biography

The feature-length film was one of the most lavish and spectacular productions of the silent movie era.

Although her voice was not heard in The Jazz Singer, McAvoy did speak in several other films, including the second "all-talkie" released by Warner Brothers, The Terror, which was directed by Roy Del Ruth and co-starred Conrad Nagel.

For years a rumor circulated that McAvoy retired from the screen at the transition to sound films because of a lisp or speech impediment. In truth, she married the treasurer of United Artists, who asked her not to work.

Later, she returned to films and played small roles during the 1940s and 1950s, making her final film appearance in a small part in the 1959 version of Ben-Hur.

Known for

Filmography

  1. 1959Ben-HurFilm: Woman in crowd (uncredited)
  2. 1957The Wings of EaglesFilm: Nurse (uncredited)
  3. 1954Executive SuiteFilm: Grimm's Secretary (uncredited)
  4. 1952The Bad and the BeautifulFilm: Pebbel's Secretary (uncredited)
  5. 1950Mystery StreetFilm: Nurse (uncredited)
  6. 1950The Yellow Cab ManFilm: (uncredited)
  7. 1948Luxury LinerFilm: Woman (uncredited)
  8. 1947The Romance of Rosy RidgeFilm: Wife (uncredited)
  9. 1944Movie PestsFilm: Woman Whose Vision Gets Blocked (uncredited)
  10. 1944Two Girls and a SailorFilm: Dowager (uncredited)
  11. 1942Mr. Blabbermouth!Film
  12. 1942Rio RitaFilm: Hotel Guest (uncredited)
  13. 1942Born to SingFilm: (uncredited)
  14. 1941Main Street on the March!Film: Window Shopper (uncredited)
  15. 1941Ringside MaisieFilm: 1st Nurse (uncredited)
  16. 1941Sucker ListFilm: Secretary (uncredited)
  17. 1941Love CrazyFilm: Sanity Hearing Secretary (uncredited)
  18. 19411-2-3-Go!Film: Nurse
  19. 1941WhispersFilm: Gossip (uncredited)
  20. 1940Third Finger, Left HandFilm: Telephone Operator (uncredited)
  21. 1940DulcyFilm: Miss Murphy - Van Dyke's Secretary (uncredited)
  22. 1940Phantom RaidersFilm: Middle Telephone Operator
  23. 1940Hollywood: Style Center of the WorldFilm: Saleslady
  24. 1940Two Girls on BroadwayFilm: Chatworth's Secretary (uncredited)
  25. 1929No DefenseFilm: Ruth Harper
  26. 1929Stolen KissesFilm: May Lambert
  27. 1928The TerrorFilm: Olga Redmayne
  28. 1928Caught in the FogFilm: The Girl
  29. 1928The Lion and the MouseFilm: Shirley Ross
  30. 1928The Little SnobFilm: May Banks
  31. 1927If I Were SingleFilm: May Howard
  32. 1927A Reno DivorceFilm: Carla
  33. 1927The Jazz SingerFilm: Mary Dale
  34. 1927Slightly UsedFilm: Cynthia Martin
  35. 1927Irish HeartsFilm: Sheila
  36. 1927Matinee LadiesFilm: Sallie Smith
  37. 1926The Fire BrigadeFilm: Helen Corwin
  38. 1926The SavageFilm: Ysabel Atwater
  39. 1926The Passionate QuestFilm
  40. 1926My Old DutchFilm: Sal Gratton
  41. 1926The Road to GloryFilm: Judith Allen
  42. 1925Lady Windermere's FanFilm: Lady Windermere
  43. 1925Ben-Hur: A Tale of the ChristFilm: Esther
  44. 1925TessieFilm: Tessie
  45. 1925The Mad WhirlFilm: Cathleen Gillis
  46. 1924Three WomenFilm: Jeannie Wilton
  47. 1924TarnishFilm: Letitia Tevis
  48. 1924The Bedroom WindowFilm: Ruth Martin
  49. 1924The Enchanted CottageFilm: Laura Pennington
  50. 1924West of the Water TowerFilm: Bee Chew
  51. 1923Her ReputationFilm: Jacqueline Lanier
  52. 1923HollywoodFilm: May McAvoy
  53. 1923Only 38Film: Lucy Stanley
  54. 1923GrumpyFilm: Virginia Bullivant
  55. 1922Kick InFilm: Myrtle
  56. 1922ClarenceFilm: Cora Wheeler
  57. 1922The Top of New YorkFilm: Hilda O'Shaunnessey
  58. 1922Through a Glass WindowFilm: Jenny Martin
  59. 1922A Homespun VampFilm: Meg Mackenzie
  60. 1921A Virginia CourtshipFilm: Prudence Fairfax
  61. 1921MoralsFilm: Carlotta Carlotta
  62. 1921A Private ScandalFilm: Jeanne Millett
  63. 1921Sentimental TommyFilm: Grizel
  64. 1920The Truth About HusbandsFilm: Leslie Brownell
  65. 1920The Devil's GardenFilm: Norah
  66. 1920The Forbidden ValleyFilm: Morning Glory
  67. 1920The House of the Tolling BellFilm: Lucy Atheron
  68. 1920The Sporting DuchessFilm: Mary Aylmer
  69. 1920My Husband's Other WifeFilm: Nettie Bryson
  70. 1919The Way of a WomanFilm: Grace Lee
  71. 1919The Woman Under OathFilm: Edith Norton
  72. 1919Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage PatchFilm: Australy Wiggs
  73. 1918I'll Say SoFilm
  74. 1918A Perfect LadyFilm: Claire Higgins
  75. 1918To Hell with the Kaiser!Film: Wounded Girl

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.