May McAvoy

May Irene McAvoy (September 8, 1899 – April 26, 1984)[1] 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, and Mary Dale in The Jazz Singer.

May McAvoy
McAvoy in 1924
Born
May Irene McAvoy

(1899-09-08)September 8, 1899
New York City, U.S.
DiedApril 26, 1984(1984-04-26) (aged 84)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting placeHoly Cross Cemetery, Culver City, California, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1917–1959
Spouses
Maurice Cleary
​
​
(m. 1929; div. 1940)​
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1971)​
    Children1

    Life and career

    May Irene McAvoy was born on September 8, 1899, in New York City to Julia Agnes McAvoy (née Reilly) and James Patrick McAvoy, who were both first generation Irish-Americans. The 1910 census lists her as living with her maternal grandparents in Sussex, New Jersey.

    McAvoy debuted as an extra in the film Hate in 1917.[2] 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. She also portrayed Lady Windermere in Ernst Lubitsch's Lady Windermere's Fan (1925).

    In addition to acting in The Jazz Singer, McAvoy coached Al Jolson as he made his film debut.[3] Although her voice was not heard in The Jazz Singer, she spoke in several other films, including the second sound film 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.[4] In truth, she married the treasurer of United Artists, who asked her not to work.[4]

    Later, she returned to films and played small, uncredited roles during the 1940s and 1950s, making her final film appearance in a small part of the 1959 version of Ben-Hur. Most of her later uncredited work was performed for MGM.[5]

    McAvoy was the Rose Queen in the Rose Parade in 1923.[6]

    Personal life

    McAvoy married banker Maurice Cleary on June 26, 1929,[7] with whom she had a son named Patrick,[1] and divorced him in 1940.[8] They remarried on December 10, 1971. She was a registered Republican.[9] McAvoy was a lifelong Roman Catholic.[10]

    Death

    On April 26, 1984, McAvoy died at the age of 84 from the after effects of a heart attack suffered the previous year.[2] She is interred in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.[1]

    For her contribution to the motion picture industry, May McAvoy has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1731 Vine Street.[11]

    Filmography
    1917-1929
    McAvoy in 1922
    Year Title Role Studio(s) / Distributor(s) Notes
    1917HateMay Garvan
    1918To Hell with the Kaiser!Wounded GirlMetro PicturesLost film
    A Perfect LadyClaire Higgins
    I'll Say SoMinor Roleuncredited
    1919Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage PatchAustraly WiggsFamous Players LaskyPreserved at the Library of Congress
    The Woman Under OathEdith NortonUnited Picture Theatres of AmericaA copy is held at the BFI National Archive
    Love Wins
    The Way of a WomanGrace LeeSelect PicturesA copy is held at the BFI National Archive
    1920My Husband's Other WifeNettie BrysonPathé ExchangeLost film
    The Sporting DuchessMary AylmerVitagraph StudiosLost film
    Man and His WomanEve CartierPathé ExchangeLost film
    The House of the Tolling BellLucy AtheronPathé ExchangeLost film
    The Forbidden ValleyMorning GloryPathé ExchangeLost film
    The Devil's GardenNorahFirst NationalLost film
    The Truth About HusbandsLeslie BrownellFirst NationalLost film
    1921Sentimental TommyGrizelParamount PicturesLost film
    A Private ScandalJeanne MillettRealart Pictures CorporationLost film
    Everything for SaleHelen WainwrightParamount PicturesLost film
    MoralsCarlottaParamount PicturesA copy is preserved at the Library of Congress
    A Virginia CourtshipPrudence FairfaxParamount PicturesLost film
    1922A Homespun VampMeg MackenzieParamount PicturesLost film
    Through a Glass WindowJenny MartinParamount PicturesLost film
    The Top of New YorkHilda O'ShaunnesseyParamount PicturesLost film
    A Trip to ParamountownHerselfParamount PicturesShort subject
    ClarenceCora WheelerParamount PicturesLost film
    Kick InMyrtleParamount PicturesA copy is held at the Library of Congress
    1923GrumpyVirginia BullivantParamount PicturesA copy is held at the Gosfilmofond archive
    Only 38Lucy StanleyParamount PicturesLost film
    Her ReputationJacqueline LanierFirst NationalLost film
    HollywoodHerselfParamount PicturesLost film
    West of the Water TowerBee ChewParamount PicturesLost film
    1924The Enchanted CottageLaura PenningtonFirst NationalPreserved at the Library of Congress
    The Bedroom WindowRuth MartinParamount PicturesCopies are held at the Library of Congress and the UCLA Film and Television Archive
    TarnishLetitia TevisFirst NationalLost film
    Three WomenJeannie WiltonWarner Bros.
    Married FlirtsHerself, Guest at partyMetro-Goldwyn-MayerLost film
    1925The Mad WhirlCathleen GillisUniversal Pictures
    TessieTessieArrow Film CorporationLost film
    Ben-HurEstherMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
    Lady Windermere's FanLady WindermereWarner Bros.
    1926Calf-LoveShort subject
    The Road to GloryJudith AllenFox Film CorporationLost film
    My Old DutchSal GrattonUniversal PicturesA copy is held at Indiana University
    The Passionate QuestRosina VonetWarner Bros.Lost film
    The SavageYsabel AtwaterFirst NationalLost film
    The Fire BrigadeHelen CorwinMetro-Goldwyn-MayerA copy is held at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists archives
    Originally contained two-color Technicolor sequences
    1927Matinee LadiesSallie SmithWarner Bros.Lost film
    Irish HeartsSheilaWarner Bros.Lost film
    Slightly UsedCynthia MartinWarner Bros.Lost film
    The Jazz SingerMary DaleWarner Bros.
    A Reno DivorceCarlaWarner Bros.Lost film
    Vitaphone discs survive
    If I Were SingleMay HowardWarner Bros.A copy is held at the BFI National Archive
    1928The Little SnobMay BanksWarner Bros.An incomplete copy is held at the UCLA Film and Television Archive
    Sunny CaliforniaShort subject
    The Lion and the MouseShirley RossWarner Bros.Copies are held at the Library of Congress and at the University of Wisconsin-Madison The Vitaphone soundtracks partially survive at the UCLA Film and Television Archive
    Caught in the FogThe GirlWarner Bros.An incomplete copy is held at the BFI National Archive
    The TerrorOlga RedmayneWarner Bros.A silent and talking version were both released and both are now lost.
    Vitaphone soundtracks survive
    1929Stolen KissesMay LambertWarner Bros.Lost film
    No DefenseRuth HarperWarner Bros.Lost film
    With Al Jolson in The Jazz Singer (1927)
    1940-1959
    Year Title Role Notes
    1940Hollywood: Style Center of the WorldSalesladyShort subject
    Two Girls on BroadwayChatworth's SecretaryUncredited
    The New PupilSally's motherShort subject
    The Phantom RaidersMiddle Telephone OperatorUncredited
    DulcyMiss Murphy - Van Dyke's SecretaryUncredited
    Third Finger, Left HandTelephone OperatorUncredited
    1941WhispersGossipShort subject
    Uncredited
    1-2-3 Go!Miss Jones, nurseShort subject
    Love CrazySanity Hearing SecretaryUncredited
    The GetawayDuff's SecretaryUncredited
    Ringside Maisie1st NurseUncredited
    Main Street on the March!Window ShopperShort subject
    Uncredited
    1942Born to SingBit roleUncredited
    Mr. Blabbermouth!WifeShort subject
    Uncredited
    1943Assignment in BrittanyNurseUncredited
    My TomatoGidge's CustomerShort subject
    Uncredited
    1944Two Girls and a SailorDowagerUncredited
    Movie PestsWoman Whose Vision Gets BlockedShort subject
    Uncredited
    Barbary Coast GentBit roleScenes deleted
    1945Week-End at the WaldorfBit roleUncredited
    1946Till the Clouds Roll ByWell-Wisher after RobertaUncredited
    1947The Romance of Rosy RidgeWifeUncredited
    The Unfinished DanceRonsell's SecretaryUncredited
    1948A Date with JudyDance AttendeeUncredited
    Luxury LinerWomanUncredited
    1950The Yellow Cab ManBit roleUncredited
    Mystery StreetNurseUncredited
    Watch the BirdieBit roleUncredited
    1952The Bad and the BeautifulPebbel's SecretaryUncredited
    1954Executive SuiteGrimm's SecretaryUncredited
    1955The Tender TrapVisitor to Home ShowUncredited
    1956Ransom!Miss MayUncredited
    1957The Wings of EaglesNurseUncredited
    Designing WomanBoston Wardrobe WomanUncredited
    Gun GloryWomanUncredited
    Jailhouse RockBit roleUncredited
    1959Ben-HurWoman in CrowdUncredited

    References
    1. "Original Jazz Singer' Star May Mcavoy Dies At 82 ". Gainesville Sun. May 3, 1984. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
    2. "May Mcavoy Dies; Jolson's Leading Lady". Schenectady Gazette. May 4, 1984. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
    3. Berg, A. Scott (1998). Goldwyn: A Biography. Penguin. ISBN 978-1-101-49735-7. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
    4. Lamparski, Richard (1982). Whatever Became Of ...? Eighth Series. New York: Crown Publishers. pp. 190–1. ISBN 0-517-54855-0.
    5. Slide, Anthony. Hollywood Unknowns: A History of the Extras, Bit Players, and Stand-Ins. Jackson: University of Missouri Press. p 167.
    6. Kleiner, Dick (January 16, 1983). "Former queen was the only actress chosen". Manitowoc Herald-Times. Wisconsin, Manitowoc. Newspaper Enterprise. p. 36. Retrieved March 6, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
    7. "May Mcavoy Is Married". San Jose News. June 27, 1929. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
    8. "May McAvoy Wins Divorce and Discloses Her Poverty". Los Angeles Times. November 20, 1940. p. 9. Retrieved December 30, 2011. Once one of the highest salaried actresses in the motionpicture industry. May McAvoy disclosed yesterday in divorcing Maurice G. Cleary. former banker, that of late she was forced to seek financial aid from the Motion Picture Relief Fund.
    9. Motion Picture and Television Magazine, November 1952, page 34, Ideal Publishers
    10. Morning News, January 10, 1948, Who Was Who in America (Vol. 2)
    11. "Walk Of Fame Uses Plenty Of Celebrity Footprints". Record-Journal. August 13, 1989. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
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