May McAvoy

Silent-screen star 'May McAvoy' (qv) was born in an upscale area of New York City. Her well-to-do family owned and operated a large livery stable situated where the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel now stands. She initially wanted to be a teacher but became intrigued with show business after watching a friend rehearse a show at a nearby vaudeville theater. A model whose first job was a commercial for Domino Sugar, she moved into extra work in films and received her first major break with _The Devil's Garden (1920)_ (qv) co-starring 'Lionel Barrymore' (qv). Stardom was hers, however, as the lead in _Sentimental Tommy (1921)_ (qv), which led to a Paramount contract.McAvoy later stated that she was not content to play whatever part the studio might choose for her and she demanded quality. She claimed that 'Cecil B. DeMille' (qv) wanted her as the leading lady for __Adam's Rib (1923)_ (qv)_ but she balked at bobbing her hair and wearing the required pelt for the caveman sequence. She believed that he was able to have her unofficially suspended because of her refusal. Whatever her reasons for leaving Paramount, May bought out her contract and freelanced for the next six years. McAvoy wound up flourishing in such movies as _The Enchanted Cottage (1924)_ (qv), _Tessie (1925)_ (qv) and _Lady Windermere's Fan (1925)_ (qv), while replacing 'Gertrude Olmstead' (qv) as Esther in her best known silent film, _Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925)_ (qv). Mostly forgotten today except by more devoted film enthusiasts, May nevertheless holds a steadfast position in film history thanks to her co-starring role in Hollywood's first talkie, _The Jazz Singer (1927)_ (qv) opposite 'Al Jolson' (qv), which is actually a silent film with several sound musical and speaking sequences; she herself had no talking scenes. Coincidentally, May also starred in England's first all-talking picture _The Terror (1928)_ (qv). She retired after her marriage in 1929 and bore one son, Patrick. She returned to films for a decade and a half in the 1940s for MGM but never received any screen credit for these parts (her final role was as an extra in _Ben-Hur (1959)_ (qv). She was widowed in 1973 and died a decade later of a heart attack.::Gary Brumburgh / [email protected]