Anita Garvin

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Anita Garvin (February 11, 1907 – July 7, 1994) was an American actress and comedian who appeared in both silent and sound films. She is best known for her work with comedians Laurel and Hardy and Charley Chase. Garvin was born in New York City.] Her two sisters who danced in vaudeville encouraged her talents. At age 12, she lied to an agent saying she was "almost sixteen" and got a job being a bathing beauty for one of Mack Sennett's stage shows. The following year she joined the Ziegfeld Follies. She took pride in being the only woman allowed to touch Will Rogers's ropes. She also appeared in Earl Carroll Vanities. Garvin went on tour with the musical Sally staying with the show for two seasons, then decided to stay in California when the tour left that stop in 1924. In Hollywood, Garvin began working for Christie Film Company's comedies. She recalled her co-star Bobby Vernon dropping butter on the floor onto which she stepped and tumbled, cementing her career as a comedian. Charles Lamont brought her over to work for Educational Pictures. In 1926, Hal Roach took her under contract, where she appeared in many silent films with Charley Chase, James Finlayson, and Max Davidson as well as playing occasional supporting roles in feature films. Standing around 6 feet tall, "her regal countenance and deadpan expression" made her the perfect comic foil. Roach later considered her "one of his finest actresses." Reflecting upon her frequent co-star Stan Laurel, Garvin observed: "One thing about Stan--with apologies to a lot of directors--they thought they were directing him. And they thought they were directing the picture. But Stan was the one...He was very clever about it. The director was never cognizant of the fact that he was not doing all the directing. Stan's mind was going all the time, always thinking of gags and things to do. The script didn't mean a thing." Garvin appeared in a total of eleven Laurel and Hardy films. In 1928, she was teamed with Marion Byron as a short-lived female version of Laurel and Hardy. Along with Edgar Kennedy, Byron and Garvin appeared in A Pair of Tights, an "acknowledged masterpiece."

Filmography

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2024
Laurel & Hardy: Year Two
Movie (archive footage) (uncredited)
1940
He Asked for It
Movie
1940
Sunk by the Census
Movie
1940
Bested by a Beard
Movie Mrs. Vivian Errol
1940
A Chump at Oxford
Movie Mrs. Vandevere (uncredited)
1939
Truth Aches
Movie Mrs. Errol
1939
Home Boner
Movie
1938
Swiss Miss
Movie Tradesman's wife
1937
Topper
Movie
1936
Sleepless Hollow
Movie Harry's Wife
1936
While the Cat's Away
Movie Emma
1934
Merry Wives of Reno
Movie Male-Seeking Woman in Hotel Lobby (uncredited)
1933
His Silent Racket
Movie Mrs. Finlayson
1933
Asleep in the Feet
Movie Dance Hall Hostess
1932
The Millionaire Cat
Movie Natalie
1932
Yoo-Hoo
Movie Anita

More credits

1932
Show Business
Movie Anita Garvin
1932
The Hollywood Handicap
Movie
1931
Murder at Midnight
Movie Party Guest (uncredited)
1931
The Skulls
Movie Señora Laurel
1931
Be Big!
Movie Mrs. Laurel (uncredited)
1931
The Chiselers
Movie Mme. Laurel
1930
Whispering Whoopee
Movie Miss Garvin
1930
Blotto
Movie Mrs. Laurel
1930
Sally
Movie Party Guest (uncredited)
1929
Dynamite
Movie Undetermined Role (uncredited)
1929
Red Hot Rhythm
Movie Mable
1929
Stepping Out
Movie The Date
1929
Hunting the Hunter
Movie
1929
Our Modern Maidens
Movie Bridesmaid (uncredited)
1929
The Single Standard
Movie Packy's Jealous Girlfriend at Art Exhibition (uncredited)
1929
Modern Love
Movie Mrs. Weston - the Brunette
1929
On With the Show!
Movie Chorine (uncredited)
1929
Movie Night
Movie
1929
The Charlatan
Movie Mrs. Paynter
1929
Trent's Last Case
Movie Ottilie Dunois
1929
Off to Buffalo
Movie Mrs. Brown
1929
A Pair of Tights
Movie Anita
1929
Going Ga-Ga
Movie Anita
1928
Feed 'em and Weep
Movie