May McAvoy
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- September 6, 1899
- Died
- April 26, 1984 (aged 84)
- Birthplace
- New York City, New York, USA
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.
Known For
Photos
Filmography
Gareth Hughes
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Ben-Hur
Movie · as Woman in crowd (uncredited)
The Wings of Eagles
Movie · as Nurse (uncredited)
Executive Suite
Movie · as Grimm's Secretary (uncredited)
The Bad and the Beautiful
Movie · as Pebbel's Secretary (uncredited)
The Yellow Cab Man
Movie · as (uncredited)
Mystery Street
Movie · as Nurse (uncredited)
Luxury Liner
Movie · as Woman (uncredited)
The Romance of Rosy Ridge
Movie · as Wife (uncredited)
Two Girls and a Sailor
Movie · as Dowager (uncredited)
Movie Pests
Movie · as Woman Whose Vision Gets Blocked (uncredited)
Born to Sing
Movie · as (uncredited)
Mr. Blabbermouth!
Movie
Rio Rita
Movie · as Hotel Guest (uncredited)
Love Crazy
Movie · as Sanity Hearing Secretary (uncredited)
Ringside Maisie
Movie · as 1st Nurse (uncredited)
Whispers
Movie · as Gossip (uncredited)
Main Street on the March!
Movie · as Window Shopper (uncredited)
Sucker List
Movie · as Secretary (uncredited)
1-2-3-Go!
Movie · as Nurse
Third Finger, Left Hand
Movie · as Telephone Operator (uncredited)
Hollywood: Style Center of the World
Movie · as Saleslady
Two Girls on Broadway
Movie · as Chatworth's Secretary (uncredited)
Phantom Raiders
Movie · as Middle Telephone Operator
Dulcy
Movie · as Miss Murphy - Van Dyke's Secretary (uncredited)
Stolen Kisses
Movie · as May Lambert
No Defense
Movie · as Ruth Harper
The Little Snob
Movie · as May Banks
The Lion and the Mouse
Movie · as Shirley Ross
Caught in the Fog
Movie · as The Girl
The Terror
Movie · as Olga Redmayne
The Jazz Singer
Movie · as Mary Dale
Irish Hearts
Movie · as Sheila
A Reno Divorce
Movie · as Carla
Slightly Used
Movie · as Cynthia Martin
If I Were Single
Movie · as May Howard
Matinee Ladies
Movie · as Sallie Smith
The Fire Brigade
Movie · as Helen Corwin
My Old Dutch
Movie · as Sal Gratton
The Savage
Movie · as Ysabel Atwater
The Road to Glory
Movie · as Judith Allen
The Passionate Quest
Movie
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
Movie · as Esther
Lady Windermere's Fan
Movie · as Lady Windermere
The Mad Whirl
Movie · as Cathleen Gillis
Tessie
Movie · as Tessie
The Bedroom Window
Movie · as Ruth Martin
Three Women
Movie · as Jeannie Wilton
The Enchanted Cottage
Movie · as Laura Pennington
Tarnish
Movie · as Letitia Tevis
West of the Water Tower
Movie · as Bee Chew
Hollywood
Movie · as May McAvoy
Only 38
Movie · as Lucy Stanley
Her Reputation
Movie · as Jacqueline Lanier
Grumpy
Movie · as Virginia Bullivant
A Homespun Vamp
Movie · as Meg Mackenzie
Clarence
Movie · as Cora Wheeler
A Trip to Paramountown
Movie · as Self
Kick In
Movie · as Myrtle
The Top of New York
Movie · as Hilda O'Shaunnessey
Through a Glass Window
Movie · as Jenny Martin
Morals
Movie · as Carlotta Carlotta
A Private Scandal
Movie · as Jeanne Millett
Sentimental Tommy
Movie · as Grizel
A Virginia Courtship
Movie · as Prudence Fairfax
The Devil's Garden
Movie · as Norah
The Truth About Husbands
Movie · as Leslie Brownell
The Forbidden Valley
Movie · as Morning Glory
The House of the Tolling Bell
Movie · as Lucy Atheron
The Sporting Duchess
Movie · as Mary Aylmer
My Husband's Other Wife
Movie · as Nettie Bryson
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
Movie · as Australy Wiggs
The Way of a Woman
Movie · as Grace Lee
The Woman Under Oath
Movie · as Edith Norton
I'll Say So
Movie
A Perfect Lady
Movie · as Claire Higgins
To Hell with the Kaiser!
Movie · as Wounded Girl