Myrta Bonillas (November 3, 1890 – November 13, 1959) was an American actress of the

silent film era A silent film is a film with no synchronized Sound recording and reproduction, 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) ...

known for her roles in films such as ''

Shackles of Gold ''Shackles of Gold'' is a 1922 American silent drama film directed by Herbert Brenon and starring William Farnum, Alfred Loring, and Marie Shotwell. It is an adaptation of the 1908 play ''Samson (play), Samson'' by Henri Bernstein with the setti ...

'' (1922), '' The Custard Cup'' (1923), '' The Claw'' (1927) and '' Lummox'' (1930).

Career

Bonillas reportedly worked as an extra for Fox Film Corporation for only one day in 1922 before her beauty inspired director Herbert Brenon to offer her the role of Countess Koefield in his film '' A Stage Romance'', which starred William Farnum. Some sources also report that she was discovered by actor

Christy Cabanne William Christy Cabanne (April 16, 1888 – October 15, 1950) was an American film director, screenwriter, and silent film actor. Biography Born in 1888, Cabanne (pronounced CAB-a-nay) started his career on stage as an actor and director. He a ...

. The same year, Bonillas in another film by Brenon, ''Shackles of Gold'' (1922), this time as Farnum's love interest. Bonillas collaborated with Brenon on several other films during her career, including ''The Custard Cup'' (1923) and ''Lummox'' (1930). Bonillas married in 1924, and stopped acting until 1927. After 1930, she appeared primarily in uncredited roles, with the exception of 1939's '' Así es la vida (Such is Life),'' an

Argentinian Argentines (mistakenly translated Argentineans in the past; in Spanish (masculine) or ( feminine)) are people identified with the country of Argentina. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Argentines, ...

film directed by

Francisco Múgica Francisco Múgica (10 April 1907 – 1985) was an Argentine film director, film editor and cinematographer. He was born and died in Buenos Aires. Múgica initially began his career in film as a cinematographer in the mid-1930s but by 193 ...

Private life

Bonillas married army captain John S. Peters on December 13, 1924. In the fall of 1928, Bonillas filed for divorce from Peters, citing mental anguish caused by Peters' physical abuse of a friend of hers.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bonillas, Myrta 1890 births 1959 deaths American silent film actresses 20th-century American actresses