Eileen Percy (August 1902 – 29 July 1973) was an Irish-born American actress of the

silent era 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, wh ...

. She appeared in more than 60 films between 1917 and 1933.

Biography

Born in

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdo ...

in August 1902, Percy lived in Brooklyn, New York, briefly in 1903 before returning to Belfast. She came back to Brooklyn at age nine, entering a convent there. After graduating from the convent, she became a model for artists, including

Charles Dana Gibson Charles Dana Gibson (September 14, 1867 – December 23, 1944) was an American illustrator. He was best known for his creation of the Gibson Girl, an iconic representation of the beautiful and independent Euro-American woman at the turn of the ...

. Some of the pictures for which she posed were used for magazine covers. After her film career ended, Percy became a staff correspondent for the ''

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', also known simply as the PG, is the largest newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Descended from the ''Pittsburgh Gazette'', established in 1786 as the first newspaper published west of the All ...

''. In 1919, Percy married Ulrich Busch. They divorced in 1930. Her second husband from 1936 was songwriter

Harry Ruby Harry Rubenstein (January 27, 1895 – February 23, 1974), known professionally as Harry Ruby, was an American actor, pianist, composer, songwriter and screenwriter, who was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.Los Angeles, California 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 1973. Her remains are buried at

Chapel of the Pines Crematory Chapel of the Pines Crematory is a crematory and columbarium located at 1605 South Catalina Street, Los Angeles, in the U.S. state of California, in the historic West Adams District a short distance southwest of Downtown. It is beside Angelus- ...

. She was portrayed by

Arlene Dahl Arlene Carol Dahl (August 11, 1925 – November 29, 2021) was an American actress active in films from the late 1940s. She was one of the last surviving stars from the Classical Hollywood cinema era. She was also an author and entrepreneur. Sh ...

in '' Three Little Words'' (1950).

Partial filmography

* '' Down to Earth'' (1917) * ''

The Man from Painted Post ''The Man from Painted Post'' is a 1917 American Western drama film produced by and starring Douglas Fairbanks. The scenario by Fairbanks is based on a short story ''Silver Slippers'' by Jackson Gregory. Joseph Henabery is the official director ...

'' (1917) * '' Wild and Woolly'' (1917) * '' Reaching for the Moon'' (1917) * ''

Hitting the High Spots ''Hitting the High Spots'' is a 1918 American silent comedy-drama film, directed by Charles Swickard. It stars Bert Lytell, Eileen Percy, and Winter Hall, and was released on December 9, 1918. Cast list *Bert Lytell as Bob Durland *Eileen Percy ...

'' (1918) * ''

The Gray Horizon ''The Gray Horizon'' is a 1919 American silent drama film directed by William Worthington. Sessue Hayakawa's Haworth Pictures Corporation produced the film and he himself played the lead role. Bertram Grassby, Tsuru Aoki, Eileen Percy, Mary Ja ...

'' (1919) * ''

Told in the Hills ''Told in the Hills'' is a 1919 American silent Western film produced by Famous Players–Lasky and distributed by Paramount Artcraft. George Melford directed the film and Robert Warwick stars. Cast * Robert Warwick as Jack Stuart * Ann Li ...

'' (1919) * ''

In Mizzoura ''In Mizzoura'' is a lost 1919 American silent Western film starring Robert Warwick and directed by Hugh Ford. This film is based on the 1890s stage play ''In Mizzoura'' by Augustus Thomas. The play was previously filmed in 1914. Cast * Robe ...

'' (1919) * ''

Some Liar ''Some Liar'' is a 1919 American silent Western comedy film directed by Henry King and starring William Russell, Eileen Percy, and Heywood Mack.''Guide to the Silent Years of American Cinema'', p. 166. Cast * William Russell as Robert Winc ...

'' (1919) * ''

The Beloved Cheater ''The Beloved Cheater'' (originally titled ''The Pleasant Devil'') is a 1919 American silent comedy film, directed by Christy Cabanne. It stars Lew Cody, Doris Pawn, and Eileen Percy, and was released on December 6, 1919. Plot Kingdon Challoner ...

'' (1919) * '' Brass Buttons'' (1919) * ''

Desert Gold Desert Gold may refer to: * ''Geraea canescens'', a wildflower also known as Desert Sunflower * Desert Gold (horse), a New Zealand Thoroughbred racehorse **Desert Gold (1919 film), ''Desert Gold'' (1919 film), an Australian film about the racehorse ...

'' (1919) * '' Where the West Begins'' (1919) * ''

One-Thing-at-a-Time O'Day ''One-Thing-at-a-Time O'Day'' is a lost film, lost 1919 American silent comedy film, directed by John Ince (actor), John Ince. It stars Bert Lytell, Joseph Kilgour, and Eileen Percy, and was released on June 23, 1919. Cast * Bert Lytell as Strad ...

'' (1919) * '' The Third Eye'' (1920) * ''

The Land of Jazz ''The Land of Jazz'' is a 1920 American silent comedy film produced and distributed by Fox Film Corporation. Directed by Jules Furthman and written by Barbara La Marr, it starred Eileen Percy and Ruth Stonehouse. Cast *Eileen Percy as Nina Dumba ...

'' (1920) * ''

Hickville to Broadway ''Hickville to Broadway'' is a 1921 American silent comedy film directed by Carl Harbaugh and starring Eileen Percy, William Scott and Rosemary Theby.Munden p.347 Cast * Eileen Percy as Anna Mae Neil * William Scott as Virgil Cole * Rosemary ...

'' (1921) * ''

Big Town Ideas ''Big Town Ideas'' is a 1921 American silent comedy film directed by Carl Harbaugh and starring Eileen Percy, Laura La Plante and James Parrott.Munden p.60 It was produced and distributed by Fox Film. Cast * Eileen Percy as Fan Tilden * Kennet ...

'' (1921) * ''

Why Trust Your Husband? ''Why Trust Your Husband?'' is a 1921 American silent comedy film directed by George Marshall and starring Eileen Percy, Harry Myers and Harry Dunkinson.Solomon p.268 Cast * Eileen Percy as Eunice Day * Harry Myers as Elmer Day * Ray Ripley as ...

'' (1921) * '' The Flirt'' (1922) * '' The Fast Mail'' (1922) * ''

Elope If You Must ''Elope If You Must'' is a 1922 American comedy film directed by C.R. Wallace and written by Joseph F. Poland. The film stars Eileen Percy, A. Edward Sutherland, Joseph Bennett, Mildred Davenport, Mary Huntress and Harvey Clark. The film was ...

'' (1922) * '' The Flirt'' (1922) * ''

The Prisoner ''The Prisoner'' is a 1967 British television series about an unnamed British intelligence agent who is abducted and imprisoned in a mysterious coastal village, where his captors designate him as Number Six and try to find out why he abruptl ...

'' (1923) * '' East Side - West Side'' (1923) * ''

The Fourth Musketeer ''The Fourth Musketeer'' is a 1923 American silent drama film directed by William K. Howard and starring Johnnie Walker, Eileen Percy and Eddie Gribbon.Munden p.272 Synopsis A boxer quits the ring to set up as a garage mechanic. Life is compli ...

'' (1923) * '' Yesterday's Wife'' (1923) * '' Let's Go'' (1923) * ''

Tongues of Flame ''Tongues of Flame'' is a 1924 American silent melodrama film produced by Famous Players–Lasky and distributed through Paramount Pictures. It is based on a novel by Peter Clark MacFarlane and was directed by Joseph Henabery. The film starre ...

'' (1924) * '' Missing Daughters'' (1924) * ''

Souls for Sables ''Souls for Sables'' is a 1925 American silent drama film directed by James C. McKay and starring Claire Windsor. It was produced and released by Tiffany Pictures. Plot As described in a film magazine reviews, Fred Garlan is devoted to his wif ...

'' (1925) * ''

Under the Rouge ''Under the Rouge'' is a 1925 American silent drama film directed by Lewis H. Moomaw and starring Eileen Percy, Tom Moore and Eddie Phillips. After being arrested for safe-breaking, a man goes home to try and patch things up with his former g ...

'' (1925) * '' The Shadow on the Wall'' (1925) *''

Fine Clothes ''Fine Clothes'' is a 1925 American silent comedy film directed by John M. Stahl and starring Lewis Stone, Percy Marmont, and Alma Rubens. It is based on a play adapted from Ferenc Molnár's original. The film's sets were designed by the art d ...

'' (1925) * ''

The Unchastened Woman ''The Unchastened Woman'' is a 1925 American silent drama film starring vamp Theda Bara, directed by James Young, the former husband of Clara Kimball Young, and released by start-up studio Chadwick Pictures. The film is based on a 1915 Broadway ...

'' (1925) * '' Cobra'' (1925) * ''

The Phantom Bullet ''The Phantom Bullet'' is a 1926 American silent Western film directed by Clifford Smith and starring Hoot Gibson. It was produced by Carl Laemmle and distributed by Universal Pictures. Cast * Hoot Gibson as Chick Farlane * Eileen Percy as Ja ...

'' (1926) * ''

That Model from Paris ''That Model from Paris'' is a 1926 American silent comedy film directed by Louis J. Gasnier and starring Marceline Day, Bert Lytell, and Eileen Percy Eileen Percy (August 1902 – 29 July 1973) was an Irish-born American actress of the ...

'' (1926) * ''

Lovey Mary ''Lovey Mary'' is a 1926 American comedy-drama film directed by King Baggot, with Bessie Love in the title role. It is based on the Lovey Mary (book), 1903 novel of the same name by Alice Hegan Rice, a sequel to Rice's ''Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabba ...

'' (1926) *''

Burnt Fingers ''Burnt Fingers'' is a 1927 American mystery film directed by Maurice S. Campbell and starring Eileen Percy, Ivan Doline and Edna Murphy.Wlaschin p.41 A young woman working as a dancer at a nightclub goes to confront a man who is blackmailing ...

'' (1927) * '' Backstage'' (1927) * ''

Twelve Miles Out ''Twelve Miles Out'' is a 1927 American silent drama film directed by Jack Conway and starring John Gilbert and Joan Crawford. It is based on the 1925 Broadway play ''Twelve Miles Out'' by William Anthony McGuire. Synopsis Jerry Fay (Gilber ...

'' (1927) * ''

Spring Fever Spring fever is any of a number of mood, physical, or behavioral changes which may be experienced coinciding with the onset of spring, particularly restlessness, laziness, and amorousness. Overview The term ''spring fever'' may refer to an increa ...

'' (1927) * ''

Wicked Wicked may refer to: Books * Wicked, a minor character in the ''X-Men'' universe * '' Wicked'', a 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire that inspired the musical of the same name * ''Wicked'', the fifth novel in Sara Shepard's ''Pretty Little Liars'' s ...

'' (1931) * ''First Aid'' (1942)

References

External links

* *
Eileen Percy
at Virtual History {{DEFAULTSORT:Percy, Eileen 1902 births 1973 deaths Silent film actresses from Northern Ireland Irish silent film actresses Deaths from cancer in California Burials at Chapel of the Pines Crematory 20th-century British actresses 20th-century Irish actresses British expatriate actresses in the United States Actresses from Belfast