May McAvoy

May McAvoy

Born: September 6, 1899
Died: April 26, 1984
in 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 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.

Movies for May McAvoy...

Gareth Hughes
Title: Gareth Hughes
Character: Self (archive footage)
Released: January 1, 2000
Type: Movie
Documentary about the Welsh silent movie actor.
bee
Ben-Hur
Title: Ben-Hur
Character: Woman in crowd (uncredited)
Released: November 18, 1959
Type: Movie
In 25 AD, Judah Ben-Hur, a Jew in ancient Judea, opposes the occupying Roman empire. Falsely accused by a Roman childhood friend-turned-overlord of trying to kill the Roman governor, he is put into slavery and his mother and sister are taken away as prisoners.
bee
The Bad and the Beautiful
Title: The Bad and the Beautiful
Character: Pebbel's Secretary (uncredited)
Released: December 25, 1952
Type: Movie
Told in flashback form, the film traces the rise and fall of a tough, ambitious Hollywood producer, Jonathan Shields, as seen through the eyes of various acquaintances, including a writer, James Lee Bartlow; a star, Georgia Lorrison; and a director, Fred Amiel. He is a hard-driving, ambitious man who ruthlessly uses everyone on the way to becoming one of Hollywood's top movie makers.
bee
Mystery Street
Title: Mystery Street
Character: Nurse (uncredited)
Released: June 23, 1950
Type: Movie
When a young woman's skeletal remains turn up on a Massachusetts beach, Barnstable cop Peter Moralas teams with Boston police and uses forensics, with the help of a Harvard professor, to determine the woman's identity, how she died, and who killed her.
bee
The Yellow Cab Man
Title: The Yellow Cab Man
Character: (uncredited)
Released: March 25, 1950
Type: Movie
Pirdy is accident prone. He has been denied insurance from every company in town because he is always getting hit or hurt in some way. On the day that he meets the lovely Ellen of the Yellow Cab Co., he also meets the crooked lawyer named Creavy. Pirdy is an inventor and when Creavy learns about elastic-glass, his new invention, he makes plans to steal the process. With the help of another con man named Doksteader, and the boys, he will steal this million dollar invention no matter who gets hurt.
bee
Luxury Liner
Title: Luxury Liner
Character: Woman (uncredited)
Released: November 9, 1948
Type: Movie
Capt. Jeremy Bradford has a particularly exciting luxury liner cruise in store when he's charged with transporting a troupe of opera singers to Rio de Janeiro. Anxious to become a singer herself, Bradford's young daughter, Polly, decides to skip out on school and sneak onto the ship before it departs. Angry that his daughter disobeyed him, Bradford puts her to work on the ship for punishment, but Polly has her own ideas about how to spend the trip.
bee
Movie Pests
Title: Movie Pests
Character: Woman Whose Vision Gets Blocked (uncredited)
Released: July 8, 1944
Type: Movie
This Pete Smith Specialty short takes a humorous look at the inconsiderate pests whose annoying habits make enjoying a movie impossible.
bee
Two Girls and a Sailor
Title: Two Girls and a Sailor
Character: Dowager (uncredited)
Released: June 14, 1944
Type: Movie
A sailor helps two sisters start up a service canteen. The sailor soon becomes taken with gorgeous sister Jean, unaware that her sibling Patsy is also in love with him.
bee
Mr. Blabbermouth!
Title: Mr. Blabbermouth!
Released: August 8, 1942
Type: Movie
Following Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, America was rife with rumors about the size of Japan's armed forces and how well-equipped they were to wage war against the U.S. Using animation, the first part of this film dispels these rumors by showing that the U.S. had more raw materials and more fighting ships. The narrator also cautions moviegoers against spreading rumors (which are often initiated by enemy infiltrators to create fear and dissention) and believing everything they read in the newspapers. Just because "they say" something, that doesn't make it true.
bee
Rio Rita
Title: Rio Rita
Character: Hotel Guest (uncredited)
Released: March 11, 1942
Type: Movie
Doc and Wishey run into some Nazi-agents, who want to smuggle bombs into the USA from a Mexican border hotel.
bee
Born to Sing
Title: Born to Sing
Character: (uncredited)
Released: February 18, 1942
Type: Movie
A group of children put on a show in order to prove that a down and out musician was the real composer of a Broadway show's songs.
bee
Main Street on the March!
Title: Main Street on the March!
Character: Window Shopper (uncredited)
Released: December 9, 1941
Type: Movie
This Best Short Subject Academy Award winning film begins in the spring of 1940, just before the Nazi occupation of the Benelux countries, and ends immediately after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. It chronicles how the people of "Main Street America", the country's military forces, and its industrial base were completely transformed when the decision was made to gear up for war. Original footage is interspersed with contemporary newsreels and stock footage.
bee
Ringside Maisie
Title: Ringside Maisie
Character: 1st Nurse (uncredited)
Released: August 1, 1941
Type: Movie
Young undefeated boxer Terry Dolan, who's been lying to his invalid mother about his career, confides to Maisie that he hates and is terrified by boxing and wants out. Not wanting to let down his best friend and manager Skeets Maguire, who has hopes of him becoming the next champion, he is reluctant to bring up the subject with him. Maisie convinces Terry to tell Skeets, whose unexpected reaction induces him to step into the ring again.
bee
Sucker List
Title: Sucker List
Character: Secretary (uncredited)
Released: July 26, 1941
Type: Movie
In this MGM Crime Does Not Pay series short, a man and his racketeer buddies devise a scheme to bilk those already seemingly desperate for money of what little they have.
bee
Love Crazy
Title: Love Crazy
Character: Sanity Hearing Secretary (uncredited)
Released: May 23, 1941
Type: Movie
Circumstance, an old flame and a mother-in-law drive a happily married couple to the verge of divorce and insanity.
bee
Whispers
Title: Whispers
Character: Gossip (uncredited)
Released: February 8, 1941
Type: Movie
In this John Nesbitt's Passing Parade short we see how gossip can be used to spread propaganda or to ruin a person's reputation.
bee
Third Finger, Left Hand
Title: Third Finger, Left Hand
Character: Telephone Operator (uncredited)
Released: October 11, 1940
Type: Movie
Magazine editor Margot Merrick pretends to be married in order to avoid advances from male colleagues. Unfortunately, things don't go to plan when Jeff Thompson, a potential suitor, uncovers the deception and decides to show up at Margot's family home posing as her husband!
bee
Dulcy
Title: Dulcy
Character: Miss Murphy - Van Dyke's Secretary (uncredited)
Released: October 4, 1940
Type: Movie
A dizzy young woman aranges to turn her inventor-boyfriend's vacation into a chance meeting with a possible investor who happens to be her brother's future father-in-law. And Wacky stuff happens.
bee
Phantom Raiders
Title: Phantom Raiders
Character: Middle Telephone Operator
Released: June 7, 1940
Type: Movie
In this second Carter mystery, a mysterious rash of cargo ships sinking in Panama leads insurers Llewellyns of London to hire vacationer Nick Carter and his eccentric associate Bartholomew to investigate. Nick recognizes influential nightclub owner Al Taurez as a shady operator, but getting the goods on him depends on slick diversions involving the heavyweight champ of the Pacific Tuna Fleet, a Panamanian bombshell armed with American slang, a young couple in love and a whole raft of crooks and cutthroats.
bee
Hollywood: Style Center of the World
Title: Hollywood: Style Center of the World
Character: Saleslady
Released: May 29, 1940
Type: Movie
This short promotes the premise that movies often create a demand for the fashions seen in them. It starts with a vignette in rural America. A mother and daughter go to town to buy a new dress. In the dress shop window is a designer dress worn by Joan Crawford in a recent movie. We then go to Hollywood and visit Adrian, MGM's chief of costume design, and see how multiple copies of a single clothing pattern are produced. The film ends with short segments of several MGM features.
bee
Two Girls on Broadway
Title: Two Girls on Broadway
Character: Chatworth's Secretary (uncredited)
Released: April 19, 1940
Type: Movie
Eddie Kerns sells his song to a Broadway producer and also lands a job dancing in the musical. He sends for his dance partner-fiancée Molly Mahoney who brings her younger sister Pat. Upon seeing Molly and Pat dance, the producer picks Pat for the show and gives Molly a job selling cigarettes. A wealthy friend of the producer named "Chat" Chatsworth also has his eye on Pat. Pat is teamed with Eddie in the specialty number as Kerns and Mahoney. Pat and Eddie soon realize that they are in love and must tell Molly. Pat balks at hurting Molly and goes out with Chat who already has five ex-wives. Remake of The Broadway Melody (1929).
bee
No Defense
Title: No Defense
Character: Ruth Harper
Released: April 5, 1929
Type: Movie
No Defense is a 1929 romantic drama directed by Lloyd Bacon and starring Monte Blue. It was a silent film with part talking and sound-effects by the Vitaphone Company. It was distributed by Warner Brothers.
bee
Stolen Kisses
Title: Stolen Kisses
Character: May Lambert
Released: February 23, 1929
Type: Movie
A crotchety old coot wants his son and daughter-in-law to have kids so he can have grandchildren, but so far they haven't done so. In a somewhat ham-handed attempt to bring them closer together so they'll be in the mood to give them the grandchildren he wants, he winds up bringing them to the point where they're considering divorcing. He decides to change his tactics in order to achieve his goal.
bee
The Terror
Title: The Terror
Character: Olga Redmayne
Released: September 6, 1928
Type: Movie
Guests at an old English manor house are stalked by a mysterious killer known only as "The Terror".
bee
Caught in the Fog
Title: Caught in the Fog
Character: The Girl
Released: August 25, 1928
Type: Movie
Wealthy Bob visits his mother's Florida houseboat in order to remove her jewelry and stumbles upon a bobbed-hair bandit and her male accomplice, who mistake him for another burglar. A fight is broken up by the arrival of an elderly couple (still more burglars) who are posing as guests. Bob keeps his identity secret and passes himself off as the butler; the girl and her partner pretend to be the maid and the cook. A couple of idiotic detectives, arrive on the scene, closely followed by a heavy fog that traps them all on board.
bee
The Lion and the Mouse
Title: The Lion and the Mouse
Character: Shirley Ross
Released: May 21, 1928
Type: Movie
Judge Ross, on the Federal Bench, rules in favor of a large company in litigation before him, unaware that a smaller company in which he owns considerable stock has been subsumed by the larger firm, thus creating the appearance of a conflict of interests. When one of the Judge's enemies plots to ruin the Judge over this apparent improper behavior, Judge Ross's daughter Shirley sets out to prove her father's innocence.
bee
If I Were Single
Title: If I Were Single
Character: May Howard
Released: December 17, 1927
Type: Movie
Rich girl Joan Whitney does her flirtatious best to break up the marriage of May and Ted Howard and almost succeeds, but not before May Howard has a light flirtation with a light-in-the-slippers specimen named Claude.
bee
The Jazz Singer
Title: The Jazz Singer
Character: Mary Dale
Released: October 6, 1927
Type: Movie
A young Jewish man is torn between tradition and individuality when his old-fashioned family objects to his career as a jazz singer. This is the first full length feature film to use synchronized sound, and is the original film musical.
bee
Slightly Used
Title: Slightly Used
Character: Cynthia Martin
Released: September 3, 1927
Type: Movie
Slightly Used film
bee
Irish Hearts
Title: Irish Hearts
Character: Sheila
Released: May 21, 1927
Type: Movie
Sheila, a feisty Irish girl, loves Emmett, a somewhat shady Irish boy. When Emmett goes to America, Sheila and her father follow and join him. However, when he loses his job, Sheila is forced to get a job in a cheap restaurant. There she meets Rory, a poor American boy who works in a shipyard. Rory falls in love with her but she still loves Emmett. Then she finds out that Emmett has been taking up with a brassy "flapper" named Clarice.
bee
The Fire Brigade
Title: The Fire Brigade
Character: Helen Corwin
Released: December 20, 1926
Type: Movie
Terry O'Neill is the youngest of a family of Irish firefighters. He falls in love with Helen Corwin, but complications ensue when Terry learns that her father, a wealthy contractor, has cut costs by putting his buildings in danger of fire.
bee
The Savage
Title: The Savage
Character: Ysabel Atwater
Released: July 18, 1926
Type: Movie
Rivalry between two behavioral scientists gets out of hand...
bee
The Passionate Quest
Title: The Passionate Quest
Released: July 10, 1926
Type: Movie
The Passionate Quest is a 1926 American drama film directed by J. Stuart Blackton and written by Marian Constance Blackton. It is based on the 1924 novel The Passionate Quest by E. Phillips Oppenheim. The film stars May McAvoy, Willard Louis, Louise Fazenda, Gardner James, Jane Winton, and Holmes Herbert.
bee
My Old Dutch
Title: My Old Dutch
Character: Sal Gratton
Released: May 23, 1926
Type: Movie
The story that inspired Albert Chevalier to write his immortal Costermonger song, 'My Old Dutch', is the story this picture tells of London's quaint and sturdy tradesmen - her humble vegetable peddlers
bee
The Road to Glory
Title: The Road to Glory
Character: Judith Allen
Released: February 7, 1926
Type: Movie
May McAvoy is a woman who is blinded in an auto accident and relies on prayer to regain her sight.
bee
Lady Windermere's Fan
Title: Lady Windermere's Fan
Character: Lady Windermere
Released: December 26, 1925
Type: Movie
A society woman believes her husband is having an affair, a misconception which may have dire personal consequences for all involved.
bee
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
Title: Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
Character: Esther
Released: December 25, 1925
Type: Movie
Erstwhile childhood friends, Judah Ben-Hur and Messala meet again as adults, this time with Roman officer Messala as conqueror and Judah as a wealthy, though conquered, Israelite. A slip of a brick during a Roman parade causes Judah to be sent off as a galley slave, his property confiscated and his mother and sister imprisoned. Years later, as a result of his determination to stay alive and his willingness to aid his Roman master, Judah returns to his homeland an exalted and wealthy Roman athlete. Unable to find his mother and sister, and believing them dead, he can think of nothing else than revenge against Messala.
bee
The Mad Whirl
Title: The Mad Whirl
Character: Cathleen Gillis
Released: March 2, 1925
Type: Movie
A teenager with permissive parents gets too caught up in wild parties and the fast life.
bee
Three Women
Title: Three Women
Character: Jeannie Wilton
Released: August 18, 1924
Type: Movie
A frivolous middle aged socialite is suddenly put upon to have her daughter live with her. Her conniving paramour dumps her for the daughter, leaving the young boyfriend crushed.
bee
Tarnish
Title: Tarnish
Character: Letitia Tevis
Released: August 1, 1924
Type: Movie
bee
The Bedroom Window
Title: The Bedroom Window
Character: Ruth Martin
Released: June 8, 1924
Type: Movie
William C. DeMille, Cecil B. DeMille's talented director brother, teamed with his favorite collaborator, scenarist Clara Beranger, for the 7-reel silent The Bedroom Window. Essentially a by-the-book mystery tale, the film is lifted from the ordinary by the expertise of DeMille and the charm of leading lady May McAvoy. She plays the daughter of a murder victim, while Ricardo Cortez co-stars as the Accused. Cortez is saved from the chair by his aunt Ethel Wales, a mystery writer. The real culprit is...well, keep your eye on the least likely, most cooperative member of the cast.
bee
The Enchanted Cottage
Title: The Enchanted Cottage
Character: Laura Pennington
Released: March 23, 1924
Type: Movie
The Enchanted Cottage stars Richard Barthelmess as Oliver, a physically and emotionally wounded World War I veteran who comes home to a fiancée who promptly leaves him. Licking his wounds in solitude, he meets a young woman named Laura (May McAvoy). They fall in love and agree to marry, but unexpected and magical events occur inside The Enchanted Cottage where they have agreed to spend their wedding night.
bee
Her Reputation
Title: Her Reputation
Character: Jacqueline Lanier
Released: October 14, 1923
Type: Movie
bee
Hollywood
Title: Hollywood
Character: May McAvoy
Released: August 19, 1923
Type: Movie
Angela comes to Hollywood with only two things: Her dream to become a movie star, and Grandpa. She leaves an Aunt, a brother, Grandma, and her longtime boyfriend back in Centerville. Despite seeing major movie stars around every corner, and knocking on every casting office door in town, at the end of her first day she is still unemployed. To her horror, when she arrives back at their hotel, she finds that Grandpa has been cast in a movie by William DeMille and quickly becomes a star during the ensuing weeks. Her family, worried that Angela and Grandpa are getting into trouble, come to Hollywood to drag them back home. In short order Aunt, Grandma, brother, boyfriend and even the parrot become superstars, but Angela is still unemployed...
bee
Only 38
Title: Only 38
Character: Lucy Stanley
Released: June 17, 1923
Type: Movie
The death of her clergyman husband causes Mrs. Stanley, young mother of teenage twins, to change her style of life.
bee
Kick In
Title: Kick In
Character: Myrtle
Released: December 17, 1922
Type: Movie
After serving time in Sing Sing, Chic Hewes wants to go straight, but when he refuses to be a stool pigeon for the cops, they hound him mercilessly. Hewes witnesses a car accident in which Jerry Brandon, the son of the district attorney, runs over a child. He also meets Molly, the D.A.'s daughter. Because he feels the child's mother was treated unfairly, Hewes decides to pull one last heist to square things.
bee
Clarence
Title: Clarence
Character: Cora Wheeler
Released: October 15, 1922
Type: Movie
Clarence Smith is an ex-soldier who is hired for odd jobs by Mr. Wheeler primarily because he has overheard a family argument. And the Wheeler household is going through quite a bit of turmoil -- Mrs. Wheeler feels neglected by her husband and is jealous of Violet Pinney, the governess. Daughter Cora is planning to elope with her father's secretary, Hubert Stem. Son Bobby, meanwhile, has been making passes at the maid.
bee
A Trip to Paramountown
Title: A Trip to Paramountown
Character: Self
Released: July 10, 1922
Type: Movie
Documentary short film depicting the filmmaking activity at the Paramount Studios in Hollywood, featuring dozens of stars captured candidly and at work.
bee
The Top of New York
Title: The Top of New York
Character: Hilda O'Shaunnessey
Released: June 18, 1922
Type: Movie
Hilda lives in a tenement apartment with her aunt, Mrs. Brady, and her crippled younger brother Micky, and works in a department store where her boss lusts after her. But happiness comes into her life when she meets artist Emery Gray. Gray's wife deserted him long ago, leaving him with their daughter Susan (Mary Jane Irving) to raise. While Susan and Micky become playmates, Hilda restores Gray's faith in womanhood.
bee
A Homespun Vamp
Title: A Homespun Vamp
Character: Meg Mackenzie
Released: February 12, 1922
Type: Movie
The story of Meg Mackenzie, the orphaned niece of two stingy Scotsmen, Donald and Duncan Craig. She's kept busy taking care of their home in the country, while they plan to marry her off to Joe Dobbs (Lincoln Stedman), the son of the village blacksmith. A wrench is thrown in the Craigs' plan when author Stephen Ware comes to the little hamlet in search of a quiet place to work. Meg immediately develops a crush on him and Ware's stay proves to be anything but quiet when there's a robbery and he is assumed to be the guilty party. A mob attacks him, and Meg steps in and saves his life. Her uncles happen to be away, and she takes him in while he recovers from his injuries. When they return, Donald and Duncan are infuriated to find Ware in their home, and they insist that he marry Meg to save her reputation.
bee
Morals
Title: Morals
Character: Carlotta Carlotta
Released: October 31, 1921
Type: Movie
Reared in a Turkish harem and threatened with marriage to a man she does not love, Carlotta escapes to London with an English adventurer. When he is killed, she is left destitute and attaches herself to Sir Marcus Ordeyne and begs his protection. He takes her home out of pity, and her charm and innocence cause him to fall in love with her. When he plans to marry her, Judith Mainwaring, who looks upon Carlotta as a rival, tells her he merely pities her and is marrying her to avoid a scandal. Carlotta runs away with Pasquale, a friend of Sir Marcus, though she loves her guardian. Later, Mrs. Mainwaring meets Carlotta in Paris and tells the girl the truth--that Sir Marcus is searching for her. Realizing his love for her, Carlotta is reunited with her benefactor.
bee
A Private Scandal
Title: A Private Scandal
Character: Jeanne Millett
Released: June 11, 1921
Type: Movie
A French orphan girl is adopted into the home of wealthy Americans. There she becomes romantically involved with a farm worker and at the same time entangled in the deteriorating marriage of the American couple who rescued her.
bee
Sentimental Tommy
Title: Sentimental Tommy
Character: Grizel
Released: March 26, 1921
Type: Movie
Grizel is the daughter of the Painted Lady, who believes that her lover will one day return. Grizel is ostracized by the other children of the town. Tommy and his sister come to the town. Tommy is friendly, but Elspeth keeps her distance. When the Painted Lady dies, Dr. Gemmell makes Grizel his housekeeper. Time passes and after the doctor dies, Grizel, who is now twenty-one years old, loves Tommy, who is an author in London. Tommy visits the town but cannot decide whether he loves Grizel. Grizel knows that Tommy does not love her, and after he returns to London her unhappiness leads to insanity. Tommy returns and marries Grizel, although he believes that she will hate him when she gets better. After two years under Tommy's care, she regains her sanity. After Tommy lets her know that he cared for her out of his love for her; not for pity, Grizel is happy.
bee
The Devil's Garden
Title: The Devil's Garden
Character: Norah
Released: November 22, 1920
Type: Movie
William Dale, a servant for Lord Barradine, marries Mavis, a maid. Dale wants to move up in life, and with Lord Barradine's influence, becomes district postmaster. When he vents his anger at a soldier however, Dale is in danger of losing his job.
bee
The Way of a Woman
Title: The Way of a Woman
Character: Grace Lee
Released: July 27, 1919
Type: Movie
A 1919 film directed by Robert Z. Leonard.
bee
The Woman Under Oath
Title: The Woman Under Oath
Character: Edith Norton
Released: June 29, 1919
Type: Movie
After a forward introduces the question of whether women are temperamentally suited for jury duty, Jim O'Neil, a young shipping clerk, is found holding a revolver over his dead employer, Edward Knox. The celebrated novelist Grace Norton, selected to be on the jury at Jim's trial, becomes the first woman juror in New York.
bee
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
Title: Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
Character: Australy Wiggs
Released: February 16, 1919
Type: Movie
Mrs. Wiggs, a loving mother whose husband has abandoned her, supports her many children and lives in hope of her husband's return.
bee
I'll Say So
Title: I'll Say So
Released: December 22, 1918
Type: Movie
Hearing that the United States has just declared war on Germany, Bill Durham hurries to a recruiting station to enlist, but because he has flat feet, he is rejected. He falls in love with Barbara Knowles, whose guardian, August Myers, unknown to Barbara, is a German agent. When Bill learns that Myers plans to stir up trouble on the border of the United States and Mexico, he catches the train to New Mexico and routs out Myers' gang of bandits.
bee
A Perfect Lady
Title: A Perfect Lady
Character: Claire Higgins
Released: December 1, 1918
Type: Movie
Dancer Lucille Le Jambon (whose real name is Lucy Higgins) loses her job when the morals committee of Sycamore, Kansas, headed by the self-righteous Deacon John Griswold, forces the Merry Models Burlesque show to close. Having grown fond of Sycamore, Lucy opens a combined ice cream parlor and dance hall, where she teaches the young people all the latest dances. ...