Audrey Minerva Ferris (born Audrey Minerva Kellar; August 30, 1909 – May 3, 1990) was an American

film actress An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), lite ...

of the

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, when ...

era of the late 1920s and into the early 1930s, a singer, and a dancer.

Biography

Born Audrey Minerva Kellar in Detroit, Michigan, Ferris was the only child to Frank M. Kellar, a railway clerk, and Florence Maggie Kellar (née Watson), who were both Canadian immigrants. Ferris was of English, Irish, and German descent. Her parents divorced in 1913. In May 1935, Ferris was a witness in a trial in Los Angeles as her mother sued for more than $3,000 in past-due support payments. Ferris, then 25 years old, testified that she did not remember her father. Her mother remarried in November 1917 to a salesman named David Hamlin Ferris, who adopted Audrey.https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6061/images/4293716-00252?usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&pId=733584 Ferris and her family moved to

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

in the 1910s, and she attended

Los Angeles High School Los Angeles High School is the oldest Public education#United States, public high school in the Southern California, Southern California Region and in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Its colors are royal blue and white and the teams are ...

, where she participated in orchestra class as a violinist and was

concertmistress The concertmaster (from the German ''Konzertmeister''), first chair (U.S.) or leader (U.K.) is the principal first violin player in an orchestra (or clarinet in a concert band). After the conductor, the concertmaster is the second-most signif ...

. While living in Los Angeles, she began working to pursue a career as an actress. In 1927 she received her first supporting role in ''Woman's Law'', which starred

Lillian Rich Lillian Rose Rich Woodland, more commonly known as Lillian Rich (1 January 1900 – 5 January 1954) was an English-born actress of the silent era. She appeared in more than 60 films between 1919 and 1940. Biography Rich was born in Herne ...

. Her work in sound films included portraying a chorus girl in ''The Jazz Singer'' (1927), and acting in ''Rinty of the Desert'' (1928). She was one of 13 young women named 1927

WAMPAS Baby Stars The WAMPAS Baby Stars was a promotional campaign sponsored by the United States Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers, which honored 13 (15 in 1932) young actresses each year whom they believed to be on the threshold of movie stardom. ...

. In 1929 she appeared in only three films, but unlike many silent film stars she did make a successful transition to

talkies A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades passed before ...

in 1930. However, she never received many lead roles, and starred in only one film that year, and another two in 1932. After having a starring role in the 1933 film ''Justice Takes a Holiday'' opposite

H.B. Warner Henry Byron Warner (born Henry Byron Lickfold, 26 October 1876 – 21 December 1958) was an English film and theatre actor. He was popular during the silent era and played Jesus Christ in '' The King of Kings''. In later years, he successfu ...

and

Huntley Gordon Huntley Ashworth Gordon (October 8, 1879 – December 7, 1956) was a Canadian actor who began his career in the Silent Film era. Profile Gordon was born in Montreal, Quebec, educated in both Canada and England. He had various jobs including w ...

, she had only one more film acting role. Her last role was in the 1935 film ''The Marriage Bargain'', alongside

Lon Chaney, Jr. Creighton Tull Chaney (February10, 1906 – July12, 1973), known by his stage name Lon Chaney Jr., was an American actor known for playing Larry Talbot in the film '' The Wolf Man'' (1941) and its various crossovers, Count Alucard (Dra ...

and

Lila Lee Lila Lee (born Augusta Wilhelmena Fredericka Appel; July 25, 1905 – November 13, 1973) was a prominent screen actress, primarily a leading lady, of the silent film and early sound film eras. Early life The daughter of Augusta Fredericka Appe ...

. She retired shortly thereafter. Ferris was married to Archer Huntington. Ferris died on May 3, 1990, in Los Angeles.

Selected filmography

* 1927: ''

Woman's Law ''Woman's Law'' is a 1927 American silent film, silent drama film directed by Dallas M. Fitzgerald and starring Pat O'Malley (actor), Pat O'Malley, Lillian Rich and Audrey Ferris.Munden p.922 Cast * Pat O'Malley (actor), Pat O'Malley as Trooper ...

'', in Rose La Pierre, produced by

Dallas M. Fitzgerald Dallas M. Fitzgerald (August 13, 1876 – May 9, 1940) was an American motion picture director and producer, primarily in the silent era. He is also known as the writer of the Frank Buck film serial ''Jungle Menace''. Early life Fitzgeral ...

* 1927: ''

The Silver Slave ''The Silver Slave'' is a lost film, lost 1927 silent film, silent film drama directed by Howard Bretherton and starring Irene Rich. It was produced and distributed by the Warner Brothers and a Vitaphone track of sound and effects was added, how ...

'', in Janet Randall, produced by

Howard Bretherton Howard Bretherton (13 February 1890, in Tacoma, Washington – 12 April 1969, in San Diego, California) was an American film director, film editor, and the father of film editor David Bretherton. Career He began his career as a propman and then ...

* 1927: '' Ginsberg the Great'', in Mary, produced by

Byron Haskin Byron Conrad Haskin (April 22, 1899 – April 16, 1984) was an American film and television director, special effects creator and cinematographer. He is best known for directing ''The War of the Worlds'' (1953), one of many films where he t ...

* 1927: ''

The Jazz Singer ''The Jazz Singer'' is a 1927 American musical drama film directed by Alan Crosland. It is the first feature-length motion picture with both synchronized recorded music score as well as lip-synchronous singing and speech (in several isolated ...

'', in a singer, produced by

Alan Crosland Alan Crosland (August 10, 1894 – July 16, 1936) was an American stage actor and film director. He is noted for having directed the first feature film using spoken dialogue, ''The Jazz Singer'' (1927). Early life and career Born in New York Ci ...

* 1927: ''

Sailor Izzy Murphy ''Sailor Izzy Murphy'' is a 1927 comedy-drama film released from Warner Bros. Pictures starring George Jessel, Audrey Ferris, Warner Oland and John Milijan. The film was a follow up to a previous film starring Jessel titled '' Private Izzy Mu ...

'', in Marie, produced by

Henry Lehrman Henry Lehrman (March 30, 1881 – November 7, 1946) was an American actor, screenwriter, director and producer. Lehrman was a very prominent figure of Hollywood's silent film era, working with such cinematic pioneers as D. W. Griffith and Mack S ...

* 1927: ''

Slightly Used ''Slightly Used'' is a 1927 American comedy film directed by Archie Mayo and written by C. Graham Baker and Jack Jarmuth. The film stars May McAvoy, Conrad Nagel, Robert Agnew, Audrey Ferris, Anders Randolf and Eugenie Besserer. The film was r ...

'', in Helen Martin, produced by

Archie Mayo Archibald L. Mayo (January 29, 1891 – December 4, 1968) was a film director, screenwriter and actor. Early years The son of a tailor, Mayo was born in New York City. After attending the city's public schools, he studied at Columbia Unive ...

* 1928: '' Women They Talk About'', in Audrey Hughes, produced by

Lloyd Bacon Lloyd Francis Bacon (December 4, 1889 – November 15, 1955) was an American screen, stage and vaudeville actor and film director. As a director he made films in virtually all genres, including westerns, musicals, comedies, gangster films, an ...

* 1928: ''

Powder My Back ''Powder My Back'' is a 1928 silent film comedy directed by Roy Del Ruth and starring Irene Rich. It was produced and distributed by Warner Bros. who released it with a Vitaphone music and sound effects track. Plot The actress of the comedy ...

'', in Ruth Stevens, produced by

Roy Del Ruth Roy Del Ruth (October 18, 1893, Delaware – April 27, 1961) was an American filmmaker. Early career Beginning his Hollywood career as a writer for Mack Sennett in 1915, Del Ruth later directed his first short film ''Hungry Lions'' (1919) ...

* 1928: ''

Rinty of the Desert ''Rinty of the Desert'' is a 1928 American silent drama film directed by D. Ross Lederman. The film was released with a Vitaphone soundtrack with a synchronised musical score and sound effects. This film is presumed to be lost. According to Wa ...

'', in May, produced by D. Ross Lederman * 1928: '' The Little Wildcat'', in June, produced by

Ray Enright Ray Enright (March 25, 1896 – April 3, 1965) was an American film director. He directed 73 films between 1927–53, many of them for Warner Bros. He oversaw comedy films like Joe E. Brown vehicles, five of the six informal pairings of Joa ...

* 1928: ''

The Lion and the Mouse The Lion and the Mouse is one of Aesop's Fables, numbered 150 in the Perry Index. There are also Eastern variants of the story, all of which demonstrate mutual dependence regardless of size or status. In the Renaissance the fable was provided w ...

'', (uncredited), produced by

* 1928: ''

Beware of Bachelors ''Beware of Bachelors'' is a 1928 American part-talkie pre-code comedy drama film produced and released by Warner Bros., and directed by Roy Del Ruth. The movie stars Audrey Ferris, William Collier Jr., Margaret Livingston, Clyde Cook, and ...

'', in May, a woman, produced by

* 1928: ''

Beware of Married Men ''Beware of Married Men'' is a 1928 American comedy film directed by Archie Mayo and starring Irene Rich, Clyde Cook (actor), Clyde Cook and Audrey Ferris. It was produced and distributed by Warner Brothers with a Vitaphone track. The film is p ...

'', in Helene Martin, produced by

* 1928: '' The Little Wildcat'', in Audrey, produced by

* 1929: ''

Fancy Baggage ''Fancy Baggage'' is a 1929 American drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with ...

'', in Naomi Iverson, produced by

Joseph Santley Joseph Mansfield Santley (born Joseph Ishmael Mansfield, January 10, 1890 – August 8, 1971) was an American actor, singer, dancer, writer, director, and producer of musical theatre, musical theatre, theatrical plays motion pictures and tele ...

* 1929: '' The Glad Rag Dog'', in Bertha Fairchild, produced by

* 1929: ''

Honky Tonk A honky-tonk (also called honkatonk, honkey-tonk, or tonk) is both a bar that provides country music for the entertainment of its patrons and the style of music played in such establishments. It can also refer to the type of piano ( tack piano) ...

'', in Jean Gilmore, produced by

* 1930: '' Undertow'', in Kitty, produced by

Snub Pollard Harold Fraser (9 November 1889 – 19 January 1962), known professionally as Snub Pollard, was an Australian-born vaudevillian, who became a silent film comedian in Hollywood, popular in the 1920s. Career Born in Melbourne, Australia, on 9 No ...

* 1932: ''

Taxi A taxi, also known as a taxicab or simply a cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice ...

'', (uncredited), produced by

* 1932: '' That Rascal'', Not known, produced by

Al Christie Charles Herbert Christie (April 13, 1882 – October 1, 1955) and Alfred Ernest Christie (November 23, 1886 – April 14, 1951) were Canadian motion picture entrepreneurs. Early life Charles Herbert Christie was born between April 13, 1 ...

* 1932: ''

Honeymoon Beach A honeymoon is a vacation taken by newlyweds immediately after their wedding, to celebrate their marriage. Today, honeymoons are often celebrated in destinations considered exotic or romantic. In a similar context, it may also refer to the phase ...

'', in Connie Watts, produced by Harry Edwards * 1933: '' Justice Takes a Holiday'', in Margaret Walker, produced by

Spencer Gordon Bennet Spencer Gordon Bennet (January 5, 1893 – October 8, 1987) was an American film producer and director. Known as the "King of Serial Directors", he directed more film serials than any other director. Biography Born in Brooklyn, New York, Benne ...

* 1935: '' The Marriage Bargain'', in Mabel Stanhope, produced by

Albert Ray Albert Ray (August 28, 1897 – February 5, 1944) was an American film director, actor, and screenwriter. He directed more than 70 films between 1920 and 1939. He also appeared in 18 films between 1915 and 1922. He was born in New Roche ...

References

External links

*
Stills with Audrey Ferris
at silenthollywood.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Ferris, Audrey 1909 births 1990 deaths 20th-century American actresses American silent film actresses American film actresses Actresses from Detroit WAMPAS Baby Stars