May McAvoy
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.
The Jazz Singer
(Mary Dale)
Love Crazy
(Sanity Hearing Secretary (uncredited))
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
(Esther)
Third Finger, Left Hand
(Telephone Operator (uncredited))
Two Girls and a Sailor
(Dowager (uncredited))
A Homespun Vamp
(Meg Mackenzie)
Clarence
(Cora Wheeler)
Hollywood
(May McAvoy)
Lady Windermere's Fan
(Lady Windermere)
The Bedroom Window
(Ruth Martin)
The Fire Brigade
(Helen Corwin)
Irish Hearts
(Sheila)
Three Women
(Jeannie Wilton)
The Yellow Cab Man
((uncredited))
The Mad Whirl
(Cathleen Gillis)
A Trip to Paramountown
(Self)
I'll Say So
Morals
(Carlotta Carlotta)
Only 38
(Lucy Stanley)
Gareth Hughes
(Self (archive footage))
A Perfect Lady
(Claire Higgins)
The Bad and the Beautiful
(Pebbel's Secretary (uncredited))
A Private Scandal
(Jeanne Millett)
The Devil's Garden
(Norah)
Hollywood: Style Center of the World
(Saleslady)
Her Reputation
(Jacqueline Lanier)
Two Girls on Broadway
(Chatworth's Secretary (uncredited))
Ben-Hur
(Woman in crowd (uncredited))
My Old Dutch
(Sal Gratton)
The Truth About Husbands
(Leslie Brownell)
The Savage
(Ysabel Atwater)
A Reno Divorce
(Carla)
The Little Snob
(May Banks)
Phantom Raiders
(Middle Telephone Operator)
Movie Pests
(Woman Whose Vision Gets Blocked (uncredited))
The Road to Glory
(Judith Allen)
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
(Australy Wiggs)
Ringside Maisie
(1st Nurse (uncredited))
The Way of a Woman
(Grace Lee)
The Enchanted Cottage
(Laura Pennington)
Dulcy
(Miss Murphy - Van Dyke's Secretary (uncredited))
Born to Sing
((uncredited))
Luxury Liner
(Woman (uncredited))
The Lion and the Mouse
(Shirley Ross)
Caught in the Fog
(The Girl)
The Terror
(Olga Redmayne)
Stolen Kisses
(May Lambert)
No Defense
(Ruth Harper)
Sentimental Tommy
(Grizel)
The Woman Under Oath
(Edith Norton)
Mystery Street
(Nurse (uncredited))
Slightly Used
(Cynthia Martin)
Whispers
(Gossip (uncredited))
Main Street on the March!
(Window Shopper (uncredited))
Mr. Blabbermouth!
Tarnish
(Letitia Tevis)
The Passionate Quest
If I Were Single
(May Howard)
Kick In
(Myrtle)
Sucker List
(Secretary (uncredited))
Rio Rita
(Hotel Guest (uncredited))
The Top of New York
(Hilda O'Shaunnessey)
1-2-3-Go!
(Nurse)