May McAvoy

Person

May McAvoy

Acting September 6, 1899

New York City, New York, USA

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 role…

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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

Movies and shows, newest first

  1. 2000
    Gareth Hughes

    Movie Self (archive footage)

  2. 1959
    Ben-Hur

    Movie Woman in crowd (uncredited)

  3. 1957
    The Wings of Eagles

    Movie Nurse (uncredited)

  4. 1954
    Executive Suite

    Movie Grimm's Secretary (uncredited)

  5. 1952
    The Bad and the Beautiful

    Movie Pebbel's Secretary (uncredited)

  6. 1950
    Mystery Street

    Movie Nurse (uncredited)

  7. 1950
    The Yellow Cab Man

    Movie (uncredited)

  8. 1948
    Luxury Liner

    Movie Woman (uncredited)

  9. 1947
    The Romance of Rosy Ridge

    Movie Wife (uncredited)

  10. 1944
    Movie Pests

    Movie Woman Whose Vision Gets Blocked (uncredited)

  11. 1944
    Two Girls and a Sailor

    Movie Dowager (uncredited)

  12. 1942
  13. 1942
    Rio Rita

    Movie Hotel Guest (uncredited)

  14. 1942
    Born to Sing

    Movie (uncredited)

  15. 1941
    Main Street on the March!

    Movie Window Shopper (uncredited)

  16. 1941
    Ringside Maisie

    Movie 1st Nurse (uncredited)

More credits
  1. 1941
    Sucker List

    Movie Secretary (uncredited)

  2. 1941
    Love Crazy

    Movie Sanity Hearing Secretary (uncredited)

  3. 1941
    1-2-3-Go!

    Movie Nurse

  4. 1941
    Whispers

    Movie Gossip (uncredited)

  5. 1940
    Third Finger, Left Hand

    Movie Telephone Operator (uncredited)

  6. 1940
    Dulcy

    Movie Miss Murphy - Van Dyke's Secretary (uncredited)

  7. 1940
    Phantom Raiders

    Movie Middle Telephone Operator

  8. 1940
  9. 1940
    Two Girls on Broadway

    Movie Chatworth's Secretary (uncredited)

  10. 1929
    No Defense

    Movie Ruth Harper

  11. 1929
    Stolen Kisses

    Movie May Lambert

  12. 1928
    The Terror

    Movie Olga Redmayne

  13. 1928
    Caught in the Fog

    Movie The Girl

  14. 1928
    The Lion and the Mouse

    Movie Shirley Ross

  15. 1928
    The Little Snob

    Movie May Banks

  16. 1927
    If I Were Single

    Movie May Howard

  17. 1927
    A Reno Divorce

    Movie Carla

  18. 1927
    The Jazz Singer

    Movie Mary Dale

  19. 1927
    Slightly Used

    Movie Cynthia Martin

  20. 1927
    Irish Hearts

    Movie Sheila

  21. 1927
    Matinee Ladies

    Movie Sallie Smith

  22. 1926
    The Fire Brigade

    Movie Helen Corwin

  23. 1926
    The Savage

    Movie Ysabel Atwater

  24. 1926