Olive Tell (September 27, 1894 – June 8, 1951) was a stage and screen actress from New York City.
Biography
Tell was educated in several cities in Europe. She and her younger actress sister
Alma
Alma or ALMA may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Alma'' (film), a 2009 Spanish short animated film
* ''Alma'' (Oswald de Andrade novel), 1922
* ''Alma'' (Le Clézio novel), 2017
* ''Alma'' (play), a 1996 drama by Joshua Sobol about Alma ...
graduated from the
American Academy of Dramatic Arts
The American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA) is a private performing arts conservatory with two locations, one in Manhattan and one in Los Angeles. The academy offers an associate degree in occupational studies and teaches drama and related art ...
in 1915.
The sisters began appearing in Broadway theaters around 1918. Olive made her New York debut in the drama ''Husband and Wife''. At first, she preferred acting in theater and detested her work on screen.
She first appeared in motion pictures during World War I. Her early screen roles were in silent films, including ''
The Silent Master'' (1917), ''The Unforeseen'' (1917), ''Her Sister'' (1917), and ''
National Red Cross Pageant
''The National Red Cross Pageant'' (1917) was an American war pageant that was performed in order to sell war bonds, support the National Red Cross, and promote a positive opinion about American involvement in World War I. It was also an all-star ...
'' (1917). Tell appeared with popular film actors of the era such as
Donald Gallaher
Donald Gallaher (June 25, 1895 – August 14, 1961) was an American actor who appeared in 25 films between 1903 and 1949. He also directed five films, including ''Temple Tower'' (1930). His name is sometimes misspelled "Gallagher".
Early years ...
,
Karl Dane
Karl Dane (born Rasmus Karl Therkelsen Gottlieb, 12 October 1886 – 14 April 1934) was a Danish-American comedian and actor known for his work in American films, mainly of the silent film era. He became a star after portraying “Slim” ...
,
Ann Little
Ann Little (born Mary Hankins Brooks; February 7, 1891 – May 21, 1984), also known as Anna Little, was an American film actress whose career was most prolific during the silent film era of the early 1910s through the early 1920s. Today, mos ...
,
Rod La Rocque
Roderick Ross La Rocque (November 29, 1898 – October 15, 1969) was an American actor.
Biography
La Rocque was born in Chicago, Illinois to Edmund La Rocque and Ann (née Rice) La Rocque. His father was of French-Canadian descent and his mo ...
,
Ethel Barrymore
Ethel Barrymore (born Ethel Mae Blythe; August 15, 1879 – June 18, 1959) was an American actress and a member of the Barrymore family of actors. Barrymore was a stage, screen and radio actress whose career spanned six decades, and was regarde ...
and a young
Tallulah Bankhead
Tallulah Brockman Bankhead (January 31, 1902 – December 12, 1968) was an American actress. Primarily an actress of the stage, Bankhead also appeared in several prominent films including an award-winning performance in Alfred Hitchcock's ''Lif ...
.
Her first husband was killed in World War I. Tell married George Willis Kreh in April 1923; he died four months later; she married
First National Pictures
First National Pictures was an American motion picture production and distribution company. It was founded in 1917 as First National Exhibitors' Circuit, Inc., an association of independent theatre owners in the United States, and became the count ...
movie producer Henry M. Hobart in 1926. Hobart and Tell moved to California in 1926 and stayed in Hollywood for 12 years.
Her final screen credits came in the late 1930s. She performed in ''In His Steps'' (1936), ''Polo Joe'' (1936) with
Joe E. Brown
Joseph Evans Brown (July 28, 1891 – July 6, 1973) was an American actor and comedian, remembered for his friendly screen persona, comic timing, and enormous elastic-mouth smile. He was one of the most popular American comedians in the 19 ...
, ''Easy to Take'' (1936), and ''Under Southern Stars'' (1937). Tell's final screen appearance was in the drama ''
Zaza
Zaza may refer to:
Ethnic group
* Zazas, a group of people in eastern Anatolia (southeastern Turkey)
* Zaza–Gorani languages, Indo-Iranian languages
** Zaza language, spoken by the Zazas
People Given name
* Zaza Sor. Aree (born 1993), Thai k ...
'' (1939), directed by
George Cukor
George Dewey Cukor (; July 7, 1899 – January 24, 1983) was an American film director and film producer. He mainly concentrated on comedies and literary adaptations. His career flourished at RKO when David O. Selznick, the studio's Head of ...
.
Olive Tell died in
Bellevue Hospital
Bellevue Hospital (officially NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue and formerly known as Bellevue Hospital Center) is a hospital in New York City and the oldest public hospital in the United States. One of the largest hospitals in the United States b ...
in 1951 after suffering a fractured skull at the Dryden Hotel, 150 East Thirty-Ninth Street, New York City, where she resided. She was 56 years old.
Partial filmography
* ''
The Silent Master'' (1917) - Miss Virginia Arlen
* ''
The Unforseen'' (1917) - Margaret Fielding
* ''Her Sister'' (1917) - Eleanor Alderson
* ''
National Red Cross Pageant
''The National Red Cross Pageant'' (1917) was an American war pageant that was performed in order to sell war bonds, support the National Red Cross, and promote a positive opinion about American involvement in World War I. It was also an all-star ...
'' (1917) - Louvain - Flemish episode
* ''The Girl and the Judge'' (1918) - Winifred Stanton
* ''
To Hell with the Kaiser!
''To Hell with the Kaiser!'' is a lost 1918 American silent Great War propaganda comedy film produced by Screen Classics Productions and distributed by Metro Pictures. It was directed by George Irving and starred Lawrence Grant as the Kaiser.
Mad ...
'' (1918) - Alice Monroe
* ''
Secret Strings'' (1918) - Janet Newell
* ''
The Trap'' (1919) - Jean Carson - the Schoolteacher Heroine
* ''Love Without Question'' (1920) based on the novel "The Abandoned Room" by Charles Wadsworth Camp
- Katherine
* ''
A Woman's Business
''A Woman's Business'' is a 1920 American silent drama film directed by B.A. Rolfe and starring Olive Tell, Edmund Lowe and Donald Hall.Goble p.1021
Cast
* Olive Tell as Barbara
* Edmund Lowe as Johnny Lister
* Donald Hall as Ellis
* Lucille Le ...
'' (1920) - Barbara
* ''Wings of Pride'' (1920) - Olive Muir
* ''
Clothes
Clothing (also known as clothes, apparel, and attire) are items worn on the human body, body. Typically, clothing is made of fabrics or textiles, but over time it has included garments made from animal skin and other thin sheets of materials ...
'' (1920) - Olivia Sherwood
* ''The Wrong Woman'' (1920) - Viola Sherwin
* ''
Worlds Apart'' (1921) - Elinor Ashe
* ''
Chickie
''Chickie'' is a 1925 American silent drama film produced and released by First National Pictures. Based on the novel of the same name by Elenore Meherin, the film was directed by John Francis Dillon and starred Dorothy Mackaill. ''Chickie'' is ...
'' (1925) - Ila Moore
* ''
Womanhandled
''Womanhandled'' is a 1925 American silent comedy film produced by Famous Players-Lasky and distributed through Paramount Pictures. It is based on a short story by Arthur Stringer and stars Richard Dix and Esther Ralston.
Plot
Bill Dana (Ric ...
'' (1925) - Lucy Chatham
* ''
Prince of Tempters
''Prince of Tempters'' is a 1926 American silent romance film directed by Lothar Mendes and starring Lois Moran, Ben Lyon and Lya De Putti. It is based on the 1924 novel '' The Ex-Duke'' by the British writer E. Phillips Oppenheim. The film wa ...
'' (1926) - Duchess of Chatsfield
* ''
Summer Bachelors
''Summer Bachelors'' is a 1926 American silent romantic comedy film produced and directed by Allan Dwan. The film is based on the 1926 novel ''Summer Widowers'', by Warner Fabian and stars Madge Bellamy, Matt Moore, Allan Forrest, and Hale ...
'' (1926) - Mrs. Preston Smith
* ''
Slaves of Beauty
''Slaves of Beauty'' is a 1927 American silent comedy drama film directed by John G. Blystone and starring Olive Tell, Holmes Herbert, Earle Foxe, Margaret Livingston, and future talent agent Sue Carol. The film was written by William M. Conse ...
'' (1927) - Anastasia Jones
* ''
Sailors' Wives
''Sailor's Wives'' is a lost 1928 silent film romantic-comedy directed by Joseph Henabery and starring Mary Astor. It was produced and distributed by First National Pictures.
Cast
*Mary Astor as Carol Trent
* Lloyd Hughes as Don Manning
* Earl ...
'' (1928) - Careth Lindsey
* ''
Soft Living
''Soft Living'' is a 1928 American silent comedy film directed by James Tinling and starring Madge Bellamy, Johnny Mack Brown and Mary Duncan.Solomon p.307
Cast
* Madge Bellamy as Nancy Woods
* Johnny Mack Brown as Stockney Webb
* Mary Duncan ...
'' (1928) - Mrs. Rodney S. Bowen
* ''
The Trial of Mary Dugan
''The Trial of Mary Dugan'' is a play written by Bayard Veiller.
The 1927 melodrama concerns a sensational courtroom trial of a showgirl accused of killing her millionaire lover. Her defense attorney is her brother, Jimmy Dugan. It was first pres ...
'' (1929) - Mrs. Gertrude Rice
* ''
Hearts in Exile'' (1929) - Annna Reskova
* ''
The Very Idea
''The Very Idea'' is an American comedy film directed by Frank Craven and Richard Rosson and written by William Le Baron, based on his play of the same title. Released in 1929, it was the fourth film released by RKO Pictures, starring Sally Bla ...
'' (1929) - Marion Green
* ''
Cock o' the Walk'' (1930) - Rosa Vallejo
* ''
Lawful Larceny'' (1930) - Vivan Hepburn
* ''
The Right of Way'' (1931) - Kathleen
* ''
Ten Cents a Dance'' (1931) - Mrs. Carlton
* ''
Woman Hungry
''Woman Hungry'' is a 1931 American pre-Code Western film with music photographed entirely in Technicolor. The film was based on the play '' The Great Divide'' (from 1906) which was written by William Vaughn Moody. The story was filmed as a sil ...
'' (1931) - Betty Temple
* ''
Ladies' Man
A ladies' man or lady's man is a man who enjoys spending time socially with women, who strives to please them and that women find attractive.
Ladies' man or lady's man may also refer to:
Literature
* ''Ladies' Man'' (novel), a 1978 novel by R ...
'' (1931) - Mrs. Fendley
* ''
Devotion
Devotion or Devotions may refer to:
Religion
* Faith, confidence or trust in a person, thing, or concept
* Anglican devotions, private prayers and practices used by Anglican Christians
* Buddhist devotion, commitment to religious observance
* Cat ...
'' (1931) - Mrs. Trent
* ''
Delicious'' (1931) - Mrs. Van Bergh
* ''False Faces'' (1932) - Mrs. Day (uncredited)
* ''
Strictly Personal
''Strictly Personal'' is the second album by Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band. It was originally released in October 1968 as the first album on the Blue Thumb Records label. It was released nearly a year after the band had taken to the stud ...
'' (1933) - Mrs. Castleton
* ''
The Witching Hour'' (1934) - Mrs. Helen Thorne
* ''
The Scarlet Empress
''The Scarlet Empress'' is a 1934 American historical drama film starring Marlene Dietrich and John Lodge about the life of Catherine the Great. It was directed and produced by Josef von Sternberg from a screenplay by Eleanor McGeary, loosely ba ...
'' (1934) - Princess Johanna Elizabeth
* ''
Private Scandal
''Private Scandal'' is a 1934 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Ralph Murphy and written by Vera Caspary, Garrett Fort and Bruce Manning. The film stars ZaSu Pitts, Phillips Holmes, Mary Brian, Ned Sparks, Lew Cody, June Brewster and Haro ...
'' (1934) - Deborah Lane
* ''
Baby Take a Bow
''Baby, Take a Bow'' is a 1934 American comedy-drama film directed by Harry Lachman and is one of the earliest Hays code Hollywood films (its MPAA certificate marks it as the third ever code-approved film). The screenplay by Philip Klein and Edwa ...
'' (1934) - Mrs. Carson
* ''
Four Hours to Kill!
''Four Hours to Kill!'' is a 1935 American drama film directed by Mitchell Leisen and starring Richard Barthelmess.
Plot
Taft, a policeman, has fugitive murderer Tony Mako in custody and in handcuffs, two thousand miles from the prison from whi ...
'' (1935) - Mrs. Madison
* ''
Shanghai
Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...
'' (1935) - Mrs. Hilton
* ''
Brilliant Marriage
''Brilliant Marriage'' is a 1936 American drama film directed by Phil Rosen and starring Joan Marsh, Ray Walker and Inez Courtney.Pitts p.114
Cast
* Joan Marsh as Madge Allison
* Ray Walker as Garry Dane
* Inez Courtney as Sally Patrick ...
'' (1936) - Mrs. Jane Taylor
* ''
Yours for the Asking
''Yours for the Asking'' is a 1936 American comedy film film starring George Raft as a casino owner and Dolores Costello as the socialite he hires as hostess. The movie also features Ida Lupino and was directed by Alexander Hall.
Plot
Johnny L ...
'' (1936) - Society Woman (uncredited)
* ''In His Steps'' (1936) - Elaine Brewster
* ''
Polo Joe
''Polo Joe'' is a 1936 American comedy film directed by William C. McGann and starring Joe E. Brown, Carol Hughes and Richard 'Skeets' Gallagher.Gehring p.125 The screenplay concerns a man who, despite his fear of horses, takes up polo to impre ...
'' (1936) - Mrs. Hilton
* ''
Easy to Take
''Easy to Take'' is a 1936 American comedy film directed by Glenn Tryon and written by Virginia Van Upp. The film stars Marsha Hunt, John Howard, Eugene Pallette, Richard Carle, Douglas Scott and Robert Greig. The film was released on November 6 ...
'' (1936) - Announcer (uncredited)
* ''
Zaza
Zaza may refer to:
Ethnic group
* Zazas, a group of people in eastern Anatolia (southeastern Turkey)
* Zaza–Gorani languages, Indo-Iranian languages
** Zaza language, spoken by the Zazas
People Given name
* Zaza Sor. Aree (born 1993), Thai k ...
'' (1939) - Jeanne Liseron (uncredited) (final film role)
References
*''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'', "Olive Tell In Stage Return", March 25, 1928, Page C15.
*''
New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'', "Olive Tell, Appeared On Stage And Screen", June 9, 1951, Page 19.
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tell, Olive
1894 births
1951 deaths
American stage actresses
American film actresses
American silent film actresses
Actresses from New York City
20th-century American actresses