May McAvoy
Acting
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
Acting77
Gareth Hughes
2000
Self (archive footage)
movieBen-Hur
1959
Woman in crowd (uncredited)
movieThe Wings of Eagles
1957
Nurse (uncredited)
movieExecutive Suite
1954
Grimm's Secretary (uncredited)
movieThe Bad and the Beautiful
1952
Pebbel's Secretary (uncredited)
movieMystery Street
1950
Nurse (uncredited)
movieThe Yellow Cab Man
1950
(uncredited)
movieLuxury Liner
1948
Woman (uncredited)
movieThe Romance of Rosy Ridge
1947
Wife (uncredited)
movieMovie Pests
1944
Woman Whose Vision Gets Blocked (uncredited)
movieTwo Girls and a Sailor
1944
Dowager (uncredited)
movieRio Rita
1942
Hotel Guest (uncredited)
movieBorn to Sing
1942
(uncredited)
movieMain Street on the March!
1941
Window Shopper (uncredited)
movieRingside Maisie
1941
1st Nurse (uncredited)
movieSucker List
1941
Secretary (uncredited)
movieLove Crazy
1941
Sanity Hearing Secretary (uncredited)
movie1-2-3-Go!
1941
Nurse
movieWhispers
1941
Gossip (uncredited)
movieThird Finger, Left Hand
1940
Telephone Operator (uncredited)
movieDulcy
1940
Miss Murphy - Van Dyke's Secretary (uncredited)
moviePhantom Raiders
1940
Middle Telephone Operator
movieTwo Girls on Broadway
1940
Chatworth's Secretary (uncredited)
movieNo Defense
1929
Ruth Harper
movieStolen Kisses
1929
May Lambert
movieThe Terror
1928
Olga Redmayne
movieCaught in the Fog
1928
The Girl
movieThe Lion and the Mouse
1928
Shirley Ross
movieThe Little Snob
1928
May Banks
movieIf I Were Single
1927
May Howard
movieThe Jazz Singer
1927
Mary Dale
movieSlightly Used
1927
Cynthia Martin
movieIrish Hearts
1927
Sheila
movieMatinee Ladies
1927
Sallie Smith
movieThe Fire Brigade
1926
Helen Corwin
movieThe Savage
1926
Ysabel Atwater
movieMy Old Dutch
1926
Sal Gratton
movieThe Road to Glory
1926
Judith Allen
movieLady Windermere's Fan
1925
Lady Windermere
Tessie
1925
Tessie
movieThe Mad Whirl
1925
Cathleen Gillis
movieThree Women
1924
Jeannie Wilton
movieTarnish
1924
Letitia Tevis
movieThe Bedroom Window
1924
Ruth Martin
movieThe Enchanted Cottage
1924
Laura Pennington
movieWest of the Water Tower
1924
Bee Chew
movieHer Reputation
1923
Jacqueline Lanier
movieHollywood
1923
May McAvoy
movieOnly 38
1923
Lucy Stanley
movieGrumpy
1923
Virginia Bullivant
movieKick In
1922
Myrtle
movieClarence
1922
Cora Wheeler
movieThe Top of New York
1922
Hilda O'Shaunnessey
movieThrough a Glass Window
1922
Jenny Martin
movieA Homespun Vamp
1922
Meg Mackenzie
movieA Virginia Courtship
1921
Prudence Fairfax
movieMorals
1921
Carlotta Carlotta
movieA Private Scandal
1921
Jeanne Millett
movieThe Truth About Husbands
1920
Leslie Brownell
movieThe Forbidden Valley
1920
Morning Glory
movieThe House of the Tolling Bell
1920
Lucy Atheron
movieThe Sporting Duchess
1920
Mary Aylmer
movieMy Husband's Other Wife
1920
Nettie Bryson
movieThe Way of a Woman
1919
Grace Lee
movieThe Woman Under Oath
1919
Edith Norton
movieMrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
1919
Australy Wiggs
movieA Perfect Lady
1918
Claire Higgins
movieTo Hell with the Kaiser!
1918
Wounded Girl