May Irene McAvoy (September 8, 1899 – April 26, 1984) 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 ''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 isolate ...

''.

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 Sussex is a borough in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 2,024, an increase of 94 from the 2010 census count of 2,130, After appearing in more than three dozen films, she co-starred with

Ramón Novarro José Ramón Gil Samaniego (February 6, 1899 – October 30, 1968), known professionally as Ramon Novarro, was a Mexican-American actor. He began his career in silent films in 1917 and eventually became a leading man and one of the top box ...

and Francis X. Bushman in director

Fred Niblo Fred Niblo (born Frederick Liedtke; January 6, 1874 – November 11, 1948) was an American pioneer film actor, director and producer. Biography He was born Frederick Liedtke (several sources give "Frederico Nobile", apparently erroneously) in Yo ...

's 1925 production of '' Ben-Hur'' released by MGM. She also portrayed Lady Windermere in

Ernst Lubitsch Ernst Lubitsch (; January 29, 1892November 30, 1947) was a German-born American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His urbane comedies of manners gave him the reputation of being Hollywood's most elegant and sophisticated director; as ...

's ''

Lady Windermere's Fan ''Lady Windermere's Fan, A Play About a Good Woman'' is a four-act comedy by Oscar Wilde, first performed on Saturday, 20 February 1892, at the St James's Theatre in London. The story concerns Lady Windermere, who suspects that her husband is ...

'' (1925). In addition to acting in ''The Jazz Singer'', McAvoy coached Al Jolson as he made his film debut. 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 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

, ''

The Terror The Reign of Terror (french: link=no, la Terreur) was a period of the French Revolution when, following the creation of the First Republic, a series of massacres and numerous public executions took place in response to revolutionary fervour, ...

'', which was directed 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) ...

and co-starred

Conrad Nagel John Conrad Nagel (March 16, 1897 – February 24, 1970) was an American film, stage, television and radio actor. He was considered a famous matinée idol and leading man of the 1920s and 1930s. He was given an Academy Honorary Award in 1940 and ...

. For years, a rumor circulated that McAvoy retired from the screen at the transition to sound films because of a lisp or speech impediment. In truth, she married the treasurer of

United Artists United Artists Corporation (UA), currently doing business as United Artists Digital Studios, is an American digital production company. Founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks, the stu ...

, who asked her not to work. 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. McAvoy was the Rose Queen in the

Rose Parade The Rose Parade, also known as the Tournament of Roses Parade (or simply the Tournament of Roses), is an annual parade held mostly along Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, California, United States, on New Year's Day (or on Monday, January 2 if N ...

in 1923.

Personal life

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

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

Death

On April 26, 1984, McAvoy died at the age of 84 from the after effects of a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which ma ...

suffered the previous year. She is interred in the

Holy Cross Cemetery Holy Cross Cemetery may refer to: United States California * Holy Cross Cemetery (Colma, California) *Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, California * Holy Cross Cemetery (Menlo Park, California) * Holy Cross Cemetery (Pomona, California) *Holy ...

Culver City, California Culver City is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 40,779. Founded in 1917 as a "whites only" sundown town, it is now an ethnically diverse city with what was called the "third-most ...

. For her contribution to the motion picture industry, May McAvoy has a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Calif ...

at 1731 Vine Street.

Filmography

;Silent

* ''Hate'' (1917) as May Garvan * '' To Hell with the Kaiser!'' (1918) (*lost) as Wounded Girl * ''A Perfect Lady'' (1918) as Claire Higgins * ''I'll Say So'' (1918) as Minor Role (uncredited) * ''

Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch ''Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch'' is a 1901 novel by American author Alice Hegan Rice, about a southern family humorously coping with poverty. It was highly popular on its release,Lowell Hayes Harrison, ''A New History of Kentucky'' (1997), p. ...

'' (1919) (*extant) as Australy Wiggs * ''

The Woman Under Oath ''The Woman Under Oath'' is a 1919 American silent mystery film directed by John M. Stahl and starring stage star Florence Reed. As with the previous Stahl and Reed film, ''Her Code of Honor'', it was produced by Tribune Productions and released ...

'' (1919) (*extant) as Edith Norton * ''Love Wins'' (1919) * ''

The Way of a Woman ''The Way of a Woman'' is a 1919 silent film drama directed by Robert Z. Leonard and starring Norma Talmadge. Talmadge produced and the film was distributed by Select Pictures. Cast *Norma Talmadge - Nancy Lee *Conway Tearle - Anthony Weir *Gert ...

'' (1919) (*extant) as Grace Lee * '' My Husband's Other Wife'' (1920) as Nettie Bryson * '' The Sporting Duchess'' (1920) (*lost) as Mary Aylmer * '' Man and His Woman'' (1920) as Eve Cartier * '' The House of the Tolling Bell'' (1920) as Lucy Atheron * '' The Forbidden Valley'' (1920) as Morning Glory * ''

The Devil's Garden ''The Devil's Garden'' is a lost 1920 American silent drama film produced by Whitman Bennett, directed by Kenneth Webb, and released through First National Exhibitor's Circuit, which was later known as First National Pictures. The film starre ...

'' (1920) (*lost) as Norah * ''

The Truth About Husbands ''The Truth About Husbands'' is a 1920 American silent drama film directed by Kenneth Webb and starring Anna Lehr, Holmes Herbert, and Elizabeth Garrison. It was released in December 1920. Cast list * Anna Lehr as Janet Preece * Holmes Herbert ...

'' (1920) (*extant; Library of Congress) * '' Sentimental Tommy'' (1921, Paramount) (*lost) as Grizel * '' A Private Scandal'' (1921) as Jeanne Millett * '' Everything for Sale'' (1921) as Helen Wainwright * '' Morals'' (1921) (*extant) as Carlotta * ''

A Virginia Courtship ''A Virginia Courtship'' is a 1921 American silent drama film directed by Frank O'Connor and written by Edfrid A. Bingham based upon the play of the same name by Eugene Wiley Presbrey. The film stars May McAvoy, Alec B. Francis, Jane Keckley, ...

'' (1921) (*lost) as Prudence Fairfax * ''

A Homespun Vamp ''A Homespun Vamp'' is a 1922 American silent drama film directed by Frank O'Connor and written by Harvey F. Thew and Hector Turnbull. The film stars May McAvoy, Darrell Foss, Lincoln Stedman, Josephine Crowell, Charles Stanton Ogle, Guy Olive ...

'' (1922) (*lost) as Meg Mackenzie * ''

Through a Glass Window ''Through a Glass Window'' is a 1922 American drama silent film directed by Maurice Campbell, written by Olga Printzlau, and starring May McAvoy, Fanny Midgley, Burwell Hamrick, Raymond McKee, F. A. Turner, and Carrie Clark Ward. It was re ...

'' (1922) as Jenny Martin * ''

The Top of New York ''The Top of New York'' is a lost 1922 American silent drama film directed by William Desmond Taylor and written by George James Hopkins, Julia Crawford Ivers and Sonya Levien. The film stars May McAvoy, Walter McGrail, Pat Moore, Edward Ceci ...

'' (1922) (*lost) as Hilda O'Shaunnessey * ''

A Trip to Paramountown ''A Trip to Paramountown'' is a 1922 American short silent documentary film produced by Famous Players-Lasky and released through Paramount Pictures, to celebrate 10 years of Paramount's founding. The film runs about 20 minutes and features ma ...

'' (1922, Short) (*extant) as Herself * ''

Clarence Clarence may refer to: Places Australia * Clarence County, New South Wales, a Cadastral division * Clarence, New South Wales, a place near Lithgow * Clarence River (New South Wales) * Clarence Strait (Northern Territory) * City of Clarence, a l ...

'' (1922, Paramount) (*lost) as Cora Wheeler * '' Kick In'' (1922, Paramount) (*extant) as Myrtle * '' Grumpy'' (1923, Paramount) (*extant) as Virginia Bullivant * '' Only 38'' (1923 Paramount) (*lost) as Lucy Stanley * '' Her Reputation'' (1923, Ince / Associated First National) (*lost) as Jacqueline Lanier * ''

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywoo ...

'' (1923, Paramount) as Herself (*lost) * ''

West of the Water Tower ''West of the Water Tower'' is a 1923 American silent comedy drama film produced by Famous Players-Lasky and distributed by Paramount Pictures. It was directed by Rollin S. Sturgeon and is based on the novel of the same name by Homer Croy. Gl ...

'' (1923, Paramount) (*lost) as Bee Chew * '' The Enchanted Cottage'' (1924, Asso.FirstNational) (*extant; Library of Congress) as Laura Pennington * '' The Bedroom Window'' (1924, Paramount) (*extant; Library of Congress) as Ruth Martin * '' Tarnish'' (1924, Goldwyn) (*lost) as Letitia Tevis * '' Three Women'' (1924, Warner Brothers) (*extant) as Jeannie Wilton * ''

Married Flirts ''Married Flirts'' is a 1924 American silent drama film directed by Robert Vignola and starring Pauline Frederick, Mae Busch, and Conrad Nagel. The screenplay, written by Julia Ivers, is based on Louis Joseph Vance's 1923 best seller ''Mrs. Par ...

'' (1924, Goldwyn) (*lost) as Herself, Guest at party * ''

The Mad Whirl ''The Mad Whirl'' is a 1925 American jazz age black-and-white silent drama film about the "loosening of youth morals" that took place during the 1920s. Written by Edward T. Lowe Jr. and Lewis Milestone, and directed by William A. Seiter for U ...

'' (1925, Universal) (*extant; Library of Congress) as Cathleen Gillis * '' Tessie'' (1925, ArrowFilm) (*lost) as Tessie * '' Ben-Hur'' (1925, MGM) (*extant) as Esther * ''

'' (1925, Warner Brothers) (*extant) as Lady Windermere * ''Calf-Love'' (1926, Short) * '' The Road to Glory'' (1926, Fox) (*lost) as Judith Allen * '' My Old Dutch'' (1926, Universal) (*extant) as Sal Gratton * ''

The Passionate Quest ''The Passionate Quest'' is a 1926 American drama film directed by J. Stuart Blackton and written by Marian Constance Blackton. It is based on the 1924 novel '' The Passionate Quest'' by E. Phillips Oppenheim. The film stars May McAvoy, Willard ...

'' (1926, Warner Brothers) (*lost; fragment Library of Congress) as Rosina Vonet * '' The Savage'' (1926, First National) (*lost) as Ysabel Atwater * '' The Fire Brigade'' (1926, MGM) (*extant) as Helen Corwin * ''

Matinee Ladies ''Matinee Ladies'' was a 1927 American silent comedy film produced and distributed by Warner Bros. Directed by Byron Haskin, the film starred May McAvoy and was Haskin's first directorial effort after having been a cinematographer. ''Matinee L ...

'' (1927, Warner Brothers) (*lost) as Sallie Smith * '' Irish Hearts'' (1927, Warner Brothers) (*lost) as Sheila McAvoyJolsonJazzSinger

;Sound * ''Slightly Used'' (1927 Vitaphone / Warner Brothers) (*lost; first of McAvoy's films with Vitaphone track of effects and music) as Cynthia Martin * ''

'' (1927 Vitaphone / Warner Brothers) (*extant) as Mary Dale * '' A Reno Divorce'' (1927 Vitaphone / Warner Brothers) (*lost) as Carla * ''

If I Were Single ''If I Were Single'' is a 1927 American silent comedy film directed by Roy Del Ruth and starring May McAvoy, Conrad Nagel, and Myrna Loy. Cast * May McAvoy as May Howard * Conrad Nagel as Ted Howard * Myrna Loy as Joan Whitley * George ...

'' (1927 Vitaphone / Warner Brothers) as May Howard * ''

The Little Snob The Little Snob is a 1928 silent comedy film from Warner Bros. It was released with a synchronized musical score and sound effects using the Vitaphone sound-on-disc process, however there is no spoken dialogue. Cast *May McAvoy as May Banks *Ro ...

'' (1928 Vitaphone / Warner Brothers) as May Banks * ''Sunny California'' (1928, Short) * ''

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 wi ...

'' (1928 Vitaphone / WarnerBrothers) (*extant) as Shirley Ross * '' Caught in the Fog'' (1928 Vitaphone / Warner Brothers) (*extant; 35mm British Film Institute) The Girl * ''

'' (1928 Vitaphone / Warner Brothers) (*extant) as Olga Redmayne * '' Stolen Kisses'' (1929 Vitaphone / Warner Brothers) (*lost) as May Lambert * '' No Defense'' (1929 Vitaphone / Warner Brothers) (*lost) as Ruth Harper * ''

Two Girls on Broadway ''Two Girls on Broadway'' is a 1940 musical film directed by S. Sylvan Simon and starring Lana Turner and Joan Blondell. The film is a remake of ''The Broadway Melody'' (1929). Plot Molly Mahoney (Joan Blondell) forms a vaudeville act with her fi ...

'' (1940) as Chatworth's Secretary (uncredited) * '' The New Pupil'' (1940, Short) as Sally's mother * ''The Phantom Raiders'' (1940) as Middle Telephone Operator (uncredited) * ''Dulcy'' (1940) as Miss Murphy - Van Dyke's Secretary (uncredited) * '' Third Finger, Left Hand'' (1940) as Telephone Operator (uncredited) * ''Whispers'' (1941, Short) as Gossip (uncredited) * ''1-2-3 Go!'' (1941, Short) as Miss Jones, nurse * '' Love Crazy'' (1941) as Sanity Hearing Secretary (uncredited) * '' The Getaway'' (1941) as Duff's Secretary (uncredited) * '' Ringside Maisie'' (1941) as 1st Nurse (uncredited) * ''

Main Street on the March! ''Main Street on the March!'' is a 1941 American short historical film directed by Edward Cahn. It won an Academy Award at the 14th Academy Awards for Best Short Subject (Two-Reel). The 20-minute film gives a brief history of events in Europ ...

'' (1941, Short) as Window Shopper (uncredited) * ''Born to Sing'' (1942) (uncredited) * ''Mr. Blabbermouth!'' (1942, Short) as Wife (uncredited) * '' Assignment in Brittany'' (1943) as Nurse (uncredited) * ''My Tomato'' (1943, Short) as Gidge's Customer (uncredited) * '' Two Girls and a Sailor'' (1944) as Dowager (uncredited) * ''Movie Pests'' (1944, *short) as Woman Whose Vision Gets Blocked (uncredited) * ''

Barbary Coast Gent ''Barbary Coast Gent'' is a 1944 American Western comedy film set in 1880s San Francisco's Barbary Coast and Nevada starring Wallace Beery. The movie was directed by Roy Del Ruth and features Binnie Barnes, Beery's brother Noah Beery, Sr., Joh ...

'' (1944) (scenes deleted) * ''Week-End at the Waldorf'' (1945) (uncredited) * ''

Till the Clouds Roll By ''Till The Clouds Roll By'' is a 1946 American Technicolor musical film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. A fictionalized biopic of composer Jerome Kern, portrayed by Robert Walker, Kern was originally involved with the production, but died before ...

'' (1946) as Well-Wisher after Roberta (uncredited) * ''

The Romance of Rosy Ridge ''The Romance of Rosy Ridge'' is a 1947 American Western film directed by Roy Rowland, about a rural community bitterly divided during the aftermath of the American Civil War. It stars Van Johnson, Thomas Mitchell, and Janet Leigh in her film de ...

'' (1947) as Wife (uncredited) * ''The Unfinished Dance'' (1947) as Ronsell's Secretary (uncredited) * '' A Date with Judy'' (1948) as Dance Attendee (uncredited) * '' Luxury Liner'' (1948) as Woman (uncredited) * ''

The Yellow Cab Man ''The Yellow Cab Man'' is a 1950 comedy film directed by Jack Donohue and starring Red Skelton, Gloria DeHaven and Edward Arnold. The inventor of unbreakable glass ("Elastiglass") tries to sell it to a taxicab company, hoping that they will mak ...

'' (1950) as (uncredited) * '' Mystery Street'' (1950) as Nurse (uncredited) * '' Watch the Birdie'' (1950) (uncredited) * ''

The Bad and the Beautiful ''The Bad and the Beautiful'' is a 1952 American melodrama that tells the story of a film producer who alienates everyone around him. The film was directed by Vincente Minnelli, written by George Bradshaw and Charles Schnee, and starring Lana T ...

'' (1952) as Pebbel's Secretary (uncredited) * '' Executive Suite'' (1954) as Grimm's Secretary (uncredited) * '' The Tender Trap'' (1955) as Visitor to Home Show (uncredited) * '' Ransom!'' (1956) as Miss May (uncredited) * ''

The Wings of Eagles ''The Wings of Eagles'' is a 1957 American Metrocolor film starring John Wayne, Dan Dailey and Maureen O'Hara, based on the life of Frank "Spig" Wead and the history of U.S. Naval aviation from its inception through World War II. The film is ...

'' (1957) as Nurse (uncredited) * '' Designing Woman'' (1957) as Boston Wardrobe Woman (uncredited) * '' Gun Glory'' (1957) as Woman (uncredited) * '' Jailhouse Rock'' (1957) (uncredited) * '' Ben-Hur'' (1959) as Woman in Crowd (uncredited) (final film role)

References

External links

* * *
Photography and bibliographyMay McAvoy
portrait gallery NY Public Library (Billy Rose collection) {{DEFAULTSORT:McAvoy, May 1899 births 1984 deaths Actresses from New York City American film actresses American silent film actresses Burials at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City 20th-century American actresses American Roman Catholics New York (state) Republicans California Republicans