May McAvoy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

May McAvoy (born September 8, 1899 in New York City; died April 26, 1984 in Los Angeles, California), was a pioneer American silent film actress best known for starring in Hollywood's first motion picture talkie.

McAvoy made her film debut in 1917. After appearing in more than three dozen films, she co-starred with Ramon 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. However, she is best remembered for her role with Al Jolson in the first sound film, The Jazz Singer. Although her voice was not heard in that film, she did speak in several other films, including the second "all-talkie" released by Warner Brothers, The Terror (1928), directed by Roy Del Ruth and co-starring Conrad Nagel.

It was generally felt that her voice as heard onscreen was not effective, and she soon retired. Later, she returned to films and played small roles in a number of films in the 1940s and 1950s. May McAvoy made her last film in 1957 and died in 1984. She is interred in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.

For her contribution to the motion picture industry, May McAvoy has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1731 Vine Street.

[edit] Selected filmography

• Hate (1917)
• Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch (1919)
• Love Wins (1920)
• Clarence (1922)
• West of the Water Tower (1923)
• Ben-Hur (1925)
• The Jazz Singer (1927)
• A Reno Divorce (1927)
• Caught in the Fog (1928)
• The Terror (1928)
• Stolen Kisses (1929)
• No Defense (1929)
• The New Pupil (1940)

[edit] External links

• May McAvoy at the Internet Movie Database
• Photography and bibliography