Doris Dawson

Doris Dawson

Born: April 16, 1905
Died: April 20, 1986
in Goldfield, Nevada, USA
Doris Dawson Levy was born on April 16, 1905, in Goldfield, Nevada, the child of Bonewitz Xerxes Dawson and Reba Greenwood. She was another starlet working away in low-budget silent and early sound movie comedies as well as doing some photo modeling for the fashion industry. Some Information from archive.org motion picture realm 1929: Height 5 '1", red hair, blue eyes, 103 lbs. Schooling: Miss Gildner's School for Girls, and the Virginia College in Roanoke, VA. Swimming, dancing, reading and riding. No formal training in stage. Doris Dawson got her start in 1927 in The Christie Comedies silent shorts made by Al Christie. “A girl I had known was working at the Mack Sennett studio. I went to lunch with her one day and then went back to the studio to watch her work during the afternoon. It was the first time I had ever been inside of a studio and I was quite excited. They were ‘shooting’ some swimming scenes and needed some girls who could dive.

“My chum, knowing that I could, said she would get me a job working in the picture if I wanted to. I declined at first since I had never before been given a thought to entering pictures. However, she urged me on and said we would have a lot of fun so I went to work.” Later on in 1927 she had small roles in "Gold From Weepah" and in the Tom Mix western "The Arazona Wildcat". During 1928 she was awarded the female lead opposite Harry Langdon in Heart Trouble. The role earned her a 1929 WAMPAS Baby Star nod (The WAMPAS Baby Stars was a promotional campaign sponsored by the United States Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers) and the trade paper Variety thought she had "more sex appeal than a lot of peaches Harry has picked in the past." Alas, Langdon's career was waning and few liked this comedy. After that she had roles in "Do Your Duty" and "The Little Wildcat" both made in 1928. Hardly anybody enjoyed her film, Hot Stuff released in August of 1928. It was a college burlesque which was set in "a little village in the state of Coma." During 1929 she had roles in "His Captive Woman", "Children Of The Ritz", "Hot Stuff" and in an early sound musical called "Broadway Scandels". After that she survived being hit by a car during September of 1929. On April 14, 1930 in Lyndhurst, New Jersey she married Pat William Rooney III the son of the famous Broadway tap dancer. Her screen career suffered a severe setback with the advent of sound due to a voice that some called "graiting". After divorcing Pat Rooney in 1934 Doris returned for a final film, the low-budget disaster "epic" Silver Streak in 1934. In 1938 she remarried to Robert Davis Levy and they both ran a dog kennel in Florida, where they raised some award winning show dogs. Doris passed on April 20, 1986, in Coral Gables, Florida, at the age of 81.

Movies for Doris Dawson...

The Silver Streak
Title: The Silver Streak
Character: Molly
Released: December 21, 1934
Type: Movie
A high-speed train becomes the star of the film as it rushes from Chicago to Hoover Dam to transport an iron lung to a needy patient.
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The Royal Four-Flusher
Title: The Royal Four-Flusher
Released: May 7, 1930
Type: Movie
Eddie, a modern man, suddenly finds himself in the palace in an ancient, mythical kingdom. This does not change his attitude or habits and, while pursuing a fair maid in the castle, he catches the attention of the Queen and forces him to make love to her. He slaps the King on the rump, thinking he is the Queen, and is sentenced to be beheaded.
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Broadway Scandals
Title: Broadway Scandals
Character: Bobby
Released: November 10, 1929
Type: Movie
Ted Howard, a vaudevillian left, stranded in a tank town. A local girl, Mary (Sally O'Neil), proposes to finance a new act with her savings and the team succeeds in a minor way until Ted is discovered by Broadway femme fatale Valeska (Carmel Myers). Not wishing to stand in her partner's way, Mary nobly resigns from the act and instead accepts a minor role in the show. She proves a sensation on opening night, however, and a jealous Valeska demands her ousted. But Ted, who is in love with Mary, reorganizes their old act and they begin a new life together as man and wife.
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The Man and the Moment
Title: The Man and the Moment
Character: Bit Part (uncredited)
Released: July 6, 1929
Type: Movie
Rich lout marries for freedom.
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Hot Stuff
Title: Hot Stuff
Character: Thelma
Released: May 5, 1929
Type: Movie
An uptight society aunt sends her too sexy niece to college so she can land a man.
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His Captive Woman
Title: His Captive Woman
Released: February 3, 1929
Type: Movie
Cabaret dancer Anna Janssen kills her sugardaddy and escapes to a South Seas island on the yacht of a wealthy admirer. Stolid, conscientious Tom McCarthy, a New York detective, is sent after Anna and arrests her, chartering a steamer to bring her back to the United States. The steamer sinks, and Anna and Tom are stranded on a small island. They fall in love, and Tom's influence brings about a benign change in Anna's character. They are rescued, however, and Anna is placed on trial for her life. Tom takes the stand in her defense and informs the judge of Anna's conversion in the solitude of the island. The judge instructs Tom to marry Anna and then sentences them to life--on the island where they found happiness together.
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Seven Footprints to Satan
Title: Seven Footprints to Satan
Character: Background Extra Bit Part
Released: January 27, 1929
Type: Movie
A young man of society wants to make an expedition to Africa, but his fiancée asks him for help about one of her fathers guests shortly before his planed departure. Her suspects about that guest were serious, this man tries to steal one of her fathers rubin, and she and her fiance are kidnapped and brought to a house, where strange things happen. The whole thing becomes a nightmare under the direction of a mysterious Mr. Satan.
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Naughty Baby
Title: Naughty Baby
Character: Polly
Released: December 16, 1928
Type: Movie
A cloak room girl (Alice White) falls for a rich boy who may not actually be rich.
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The Little Wildcat
Title: The Little Wildcat
Character: Sue
Released: December 8, 1928
Type: Movie
A pair of elderly Civil War veterans, Judge Holt and his friend Joel Ketchum, spent most of their time reminiscing about their wartime experiences. In the meantime, Holt's granddaughter falls in love with a devil-may-care aviator. The only problem is that Holt hates aviators and will do whatever he can to break up the romance.
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Do Your Duty
Title: Do Your Duty
Character: Mary Ellen Maloney
Released: October 14, 1928
Type: Movie
While patrolling his New York City beat, Sgt. Tim Maloney is knocked out by the Dalton gang, which was about to pull a robbery when he came along. They pour a bottle of whiskey over his unconscious body, then commit the robbery. When Maloney wakes up, still groggy from being knocked out, he stumbles out into the street, and the combination of his grogginess and the smell of whiskey leads to him being charged with being drunk on duty. He must clear his name and bring the criminal gang to justice.
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Heart Trouble
Title: Heart Trouble
Character: The Girl
Released: October 1, 1928
Type: Movie
No known surviving copy is known to exist. This well received film revolved around Harry Van Housen's rejection from service in WWI and subsequent heroism in foiling a ring of spies.
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The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come
Title: The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come
Character: Margaret Dean
Released: April 8, 1928
Type: Movie
An orphan (Richard Barthelmess) is adopted by Major Buford (Claude Gillingwater) is educated in Lexington and joins the Union Army as a Captain. He rediscovers his childhood sweetheart (Molly O' Day) and after his adopted father dies in the civil war, he gives up his inheritance in Kentucky for the girl he loves and moves back to be to his real birthplace to be with her. The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come is a lost 1928 silent film drama directed by Alfred Santell and starring Richard Barthelmess. It was produced and distributed by First National Pictures. The film is a remake of a 1920 Goldwyn Pictures film with the same title starring Jack Pickford, also lost.
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Children of the Ritz
Title: Children of the Ritz
Character: Margie Haine
Released: February 17, 1928
Type: Movie
A spoiled rich girl falls for a poor chauffeur. Their situations are changed when her family loses all their money and he wins $50,000 at a racetrack. They get married, but it's not long before she starts spending their money the way she used to spend hers. Complications ensue.
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Swiss Movements
Title: Swiss Movements
Character: Gertie
Released: December 31, 1927
Type: Movie
To win his girl Gertie back, Freddie decides to climb a high mountain and challenge a world champion.
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The Arizona Wildcat
Title: The Arizona Wildcat
Character: Marie
Released: November 20, 1927
Type: Movie
Tom Mix plays a California breeder of polo ponies in love with a society gal. The cowboy saves the day when a member of her brother's polo team is injured during an important match. Mix immediately replaces him and amazes the audience with his spectacular riding stunts.