May McAvoy
Known for: 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.
Filmography
Film
Ben-Hur
Woman in crowd (uncredited)
1959
Film
The Jazz Singer
Mary Dale
1927
Film
Mystery Street
Nurse (uncredited)
1950
Film
Executive Suite
Grimm's Secretary (uncredited)
1954
Film
The Bad and the Beautiful
Pebbel's Secretary (uncredited)
1952
Film
Dulcy
Miss Murphy - Van Dyke's Secretary (uncredited)
1940
Film
The Terror
Olga Redmayne
1928
Film
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
Esther
1925
Film
Rio Rita
Hotel Guest (uncredited)
1942
Film
Tarnish
Letitia Tevis
1924
Film
Slightly Used
Cynthia Martin
1927
Film
Clarence
Cora Wheeler
1922
Film
The Savage
Ysabel Atwater
1926
Film
Irish Hearts
Sheila
1927
Film
Love Crazy
Sanity Hearing Secretary (uncredited)
1941
Film
Phantom Raiders
Middle Telephone Operator
1940
Film
The Enchanted Cottage
Laura Pennington
1924
Film
Only 38
Lucy Stanley
1923
Film
The Romance of Rosy Ridge
Wife (uncredited)
1947
Film
Third Finger, Left Hand
Telephone Operator (uncredited)
1940
Film
Three Women
Jeannie Wilton
1924
Film
Lady Windermere's Fan
Lady Windermere
1925
Film
Hollywood
May McAvoy
1923
Film
Luxury Liner
Woman (uncredited)
1948
Film
Hollywood: Style Center of the World
Saleslady
1940
Film
Grumpy
Virginia Bullivant
1923
Film
Her Reputation
Jacqueline Lanier
1923
Film
Morals
Carlotta Carlotta
1921
Film
Two Girls and a Sailor
Dowager (uncredited)
1944
Film
The Lion and the Mouse
Shirley Ross
1928
Film
The Little Snob
May Banks
1928
Film
West of the Water Tower
Bee Chew
1924
Film
The Bedroom Window
Ruth Martin
1924
Film
Main Street on the March!
Window Shopper (uncredited)
1941
Film
Born to Sing
(uncredited)
1942
Film
Whispers
Gossip (uncredited)
1941
Film
Ringside Maisie
1st Nurse (uncredited)
1941
Film
Kick In
Myrtle
1922
Film
No Defense
Ruth Harper
1929
Film
My Husband's Other Wife
Nettie Bryson
1920
Film
1-2-3-Go!
Nurse
1941
Film
The Yellow Cab Man
(uncredited)
1950
Film
Two Girls on Broadway
Chatworth's Secretary (uncredited)
1940
Film
I'll Say So
1918
Film
Matinee Ladies
Sallie Smith
1927
Film
Mr. Blabbermouth!
1942
Film
A Trip to Paramountown
Self
1922
Film
Through a Glass Window
Jenny Martin
1922
Film
A Reno Divorce
Carla
1927
Film
The Mad Whirl
Cathleen Gillis
1925
Film
Caught in the Fog
The Girl
1928
Film
Sucker List
Secretary (uncredited)
1941
Film
The Fire Brigade
Helen Corwin
1926
Film
My Old Dutch
Sal Gratton
1926
Film
The Truth About Husbands
Leslie Brownell
1920
Film
Movie Pests
Woman Whose Vision Gets Blocked (uncredited)
1944
The Passionate Quest
1926
Film
A Homespun Vamp
Meg Mackenzie
1922
Film
Sentimental Tommy
Grizel
1921
Film
If I Were Single
May Howard
1927
Gareth Hughes
Self (archive footage)
2000
Tessie
Tessie
1925
Film
The Devil's Garden
Norah
1920
Film
The Sporting Duchess
Mary Aylmer
1920
Film
Stolen Kisses
May Lambert
1929
Film
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
Australy Wiggs
1919
Film
A Virginia Courtship
Prudence Fairfax
1921
Film
A Perfect Lady
Claire Higgins
1918
Film
A Private Scandal
Jeanne Millett
1921
Film
The Woman Under Oath
Edith Norton
1919
Film
The Way of a Woman
Grace Lee
1919
Film
To Hell with the Kaiser!
Wounded Girl
1918
Film
The Forbidden Valley
Morning Glory
1920
Film
The Road to Glory
Judith Allen
1926
Film
The Top of New York
Hilda O'Shaunnessey
1922
Film
The House of the Tolling Bell
Lucy Atheron
1920