May McAvoy
Acting • Born 1899-09-06 – Died 1984-04-26
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. 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.
Filmography
76 credits
The Jazz Singer
Movie • 1927
Mary Dale
Love Crazy
Movie • 1941
Sanity Hearing Secretary (uncredited)
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
Movie • 1925
Esther
Third Finger, Left Hand
Movie • 1940
Telephone Operator (uncredited)
Two Girls and a Sailor
Movie • 1944
Dowager (uncredited)
A Homespun Vamp
Movie • 1922
Meg Mackenzie
Clarence
Movie • 1922
Cora Wheeler
Hollywood
Movie • 1923
May McAvoy
Lady Windermere's Fan
Movie • 1925
Lady Windermere
The Bedroom Window
Movie • 1924
Ruth Martin
The Fire Brigade
Movie • 1926
Helen Corwin
Irish Hearts
Movie • 1927
Sheila
Three Women
Movie • 1924
Jeannie Wilton
The Yellow Cab Man
Movie • 1950
(uncredited)
The Mad Whirl
Movie • 1925
Cathleen Gillis
A Trip to Paramountown
Movie • 1922
Self
I'll Say So
Movie • 1918
Morals
Movie • 1921
Carlotta Carlotta
Only 38
Movie • 1923
Lucy Stanley
Gareth Hughes
Movie • 2000
Self (archive footage)
A Perfect Lady
Movie • 1918
Claire Higgins
The Bad and the Beautiful
Movie • 1952
Pebbel's Secretary (uncredited)
A Private Scandal
Movie • 1921
Jeanne Millett
The Devil's Garden
Movie • 1920
Norah
Hollywood: Style Center of the World
Movie • 1940
Saleslady
Her Reputation
Movie • 1923
Jacqueline Lanier
Two Girls on Broadway
Movie • 1940
Chatworth's Secretary (uncredited)
Ben-Hur
Movie • 1959
Woman in crowd (uncredited)
My Old Dutch
Movie • 1926
Sal Gratton
The Truth About Husbands
Movie • 1920
Leslie Brownell
The Savage
Movie • 1926
Ysabel Atwater
A Reno Divorce
Movie • 1927
Carla
The Little Snob
Movie • 1928
May Banks
Phantom Raiders
Movie • 1940
Middle Telephone Operator
Movie Pests
Movie • 1944
Woman Whose Vision Gets Blocked (uncredited)
The Road to Glory
Movie • 1926
Judith Allen
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
Movie • 1919
Australy Wiggs
Ringside Maisie
Movie • 1941
1st Nurse (uncredited)
The Way of a Woman
Movie • 1919
Grace Lee
The Enchanted Cottage
Movie • 1924
Laura Pennington
Dulcy
Movie • 1940
Miss Murphy - Van Dyke's Secretary (uncredited)
Born to Sing
Movie • 1942
(uncredited)
Luxury Liner
Movie • 1948
Woman (uncredited)
The Lion and the Mouse
Movie • 1928
Shirley Ross
Caught in the Fog
Movie • 1928
The Girl
The Terror
Movie • 1928
Olga Redmayne
Stolen Kisses
Movie • 1929
May Lambert
No Defense
Movie • 1929
Ruth Harper
Sentimental Tommy
Movie • 1921
Grizel
The Woman Under Oath
Movie • 1919
Edith Norton
Mystery Street
Movie • 1950
Nurse (uncredited)
Slightly Used
Movie • 1927
Cynthia Martin
Whispers
Movie • 1941
Gossip (uncredited)
Main Street on the March!
Movie • 1941
Window Shopper (uncredited)
Mr. Blabbermouth!
Movie • 1942
Tarnish
Movie • 1924
Letitia Tevis
The Passionate Quest
Movie • 1926
If I Were Single
Movie • 1927
May Howard
Kick In
Movie • 1922
Myrtle
Sucker List
Movie • 1941
Secretary (uncredited)
Rio Rita
Movie • 1942
Hotel Guest (uncredited)
The Top of New York
Movie • 1922
Hilda O'Shaunnessey
1-2-3-Go!
Movie • 1941
Nurse
West of the Water Tower
Movie • 1924
Bee Chew
Tessie
Movie • 1925
Tessie
Matinee Ladies
Movie • 1927
Sallie Smith
Executive Suite
Movie • 1954
Grimm's Secretary (uncredited)
To Hell with the Kaiser!
Movie • 1918
Wounded Girl
The Forbidden Valley
Movie • 1920
Morning Glory
A Virginia Courtship
Movie • 1921
Prudence Fairfax
The House of the Tolling Bell
Movie • 1920
Lucy Atheron
The Sporting Duchess
Movie • 1920
Mary Aylmer
Through a Glass Window
Movie • 1922
Jenny Martin
Grumpy
Movie • 1923
Virginia Bullivant
The Romance of Rosy Ridge
Movie • 1947
Wife (uncredited)
My Husband's Other Wife
Movie • 1920
Nettie Bryson