
May McAvoy
Born September 6, 1899 · New York City, New York, USA
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.
More Movies

Two Girls and a Sailor

The Jazz Singer

Executive Suite

Hollywood: Style Center of the World

Lady Windermere's Fan

Mystery Street

Rio Rita

Third Finger, Left Hand

Ringside Maisie

The Romance of Rosy Ridge

Love Crazy

Two Girls on Broadway

The Yellow Cab Man

The Road to Glory

To Hell with the Kaiser!

Sentimental Tommy

1-2-3-Go!

Through a Glass Window

Born to Sing

A Trip to Paramountown

Hollywood

No Defense

The Devil's Garden

Grumpy

The Terror

Caught in the Fog

Main Street on the March!

If I Were Single

Phantom Raiders

Luxury Liner

The Top of New York

Dulcy

I'll Say So

The Sporting Duchess

Three Women

The Truth About Husbands

The Fire Brigade

The Lion and the Mouse

The House of the Tolling Bell

The Woman Under Oath

West of the Water Tower

The Mad Whirl

The Way of a Woman

Movie Pests

The Forbidden Valley

Morals

The Savage

My Husband's Other Wife

A Perfect Lady

Whispers

Mr. Blabbermouth!

Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch

A Homespun Vamp

Irish Hearts

Slightly Used

A Virginia Courtship

The Bedroom Window

Clarence

Tarnish

Matinee Ladies

A Reno Divorce

Sucker List

The Little Snob

Her Reputation

The Enchanted Cottage

Kick In

Stolen Kisses

My Old Dutch

A Private Scandal




