Mary McAllister, also known as Little Mary McAllister, (born Mary McAlister; May 27, 1908 – May 1, 1991) was an American

silent film 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) ...

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 (), li ...

of Hollywood's early years, and a pioneer of

child actor The term child actor or child actress is generally applied to a child acting on stage or in movies or television. An adult who began their acting career as a child may also be called a child actor, or a "former child actor". Closely associated t ...

Biography

McAllister was born in

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' ...

, and started her acting career at the early age of 6, starring opposite Edna Mayo and William Burns in the 1915 film ''Despair''. As a child actor she would star in thirty six films by the time she reached the age of 18. Her best known film during that time would be her lead role in ''Sadie Goes to Heaven'', which also starred Russell McDermott and Jenny St. George, which was St. George's first and only film role. In 1927 she was one of thirteen girls selected as "

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. ...

", alongside Sally Phipps,

Martha Sleeper Martha Sleeper (June 24, 1910 – March 25, 1983) was a film actress of the 1920s–1930s and, later, a Broadway stage actress. She studied dancing for five years with Russian ballet master, Louis H. Chalif, at his New York dancing studio. ...

and Frances Lee, among others. The following year, in 1928, she would star in four films, the last of which would be ''Loves of an Actress'', starring Rudolph Valentino's former lover

Pola Negri Pola Negri (; born Apolonia Chalupec ; 3 January 1897 – 1 August 1987) was a Polish stage and film actress and singer. She achieved worldwide fame during the silent and golden eras of Hollywood and European film for her tragedienne and femm ...

. In 1929 her career took a downward turn, and she had no roles that year. With the advent of "talking films", her transition was not successful. She had a minor supporting role in the 1930 film ''On the Level'', starring

Victor McLaglen Victor Andrew de Bier Everleigh McLaglen (10 December 1886 – 7 November 1959) was a British boxer-turned-Hollywood actor.Obituary ''Variety'', 11 November 1959, page 79. He was known as a character actor, particularly in Westerns, and made sev ...

, and that same year she had an uncredited role in ''Madam Satan'', which would be her last. After fifteen years in the business as an actress and a total of 43 films to her credit, her career was over at the age of 21. She eventually settled in

Del Mar, California Del Mar (; Spanish for "Of the Sea") is a beach town in San Diego County, California, located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Established in 1885 as a seaside resort, the city incorporated in 1959. The Del Mar Horse Races are hosted on the ...

, where she was living at the time of her death on May 1, 1991, aged 82.

Selected filmography

*'' On Trial'' (1917) *''The Little Missionary'' (1917) *''Young Mother Hubbard'' (1917) *''The Kill-Joy'' (1917) * '' Sadie Goes to Heaven'' (1917) *''Half a Chance'' (1920) *''

Ashes of Vengeance ''Ashes of Vengeance'' is a 1923 American drama film directed by Frank Lloyd and starring Norma Talmadge and Wallace Beery. Plot At the ball celebrating the wedding of Henry of Navarre on August 23, 1572, the evil Queen Mother Catherine de' Me ...

'' (1923) *'' The Measure of a Man'' (1924) *''A Roaring Adventure'' (1925) * ''

The Boomerang ''The Boomerang'' was a weekly newspaper published in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. History The newspaper was established by William Lane in 1887, publishing its first issue on 19 November 1887. James Drake, future Attorney-General of A ...

'' (1925) *''

The Red Rider ''The Red Rider'' is a 1934 American Western film serial from Universal Pictures and starring Buck Jones. It has 15 chapters based on the short story "The Redhead from Sun Dog" by W. C. Tuttle, and is a remake of Buck Jones' earlier 1931 film '' ...

'' (1925) *''

Ace of Spades The Ace of Spades (also known as the Spadille and Death Card) is traditionally the highest and most valued card in the deck of playing cards in English-speaking countries. The actual value of the card varies from game to game. Design The orn ...

'' (1925) *'' The Sap'' (1926) *'' The Waning Sex'' (1926) *''One Minute to Play'' (1926) * '' The Man in the Shadow'' (1926) *'' The Midnight Watch'' (1927) * '' Fire and Steel'' (1927) *'' Singed'' (1927) *'' Wickedness Preferred'' (1928) *''

The Devil's Skipper ''The Devil's Skipper'' is a 1928 American silent drama film directed by John G. Adolfi and starring Belle Bennett, Montagu Love and Gino Corrado. It was based on a short story by Jack London.Goble p.736 It is now considered a lost film. Cast * ...

'' (1928) * '' Into No Man's Land'' (1928) *''

Loves of an Actress ''Loves of an Actress'' is a lost 1928 American silent romantic drama film directed by Rowland V. Lee and starring Pola Negri. It was produced by Adolph Zukor and Jesse Lasky with the distribution through Paramount Pictures. The film had a soun ...

'' (1928) *'' On the Level'' (1930) *''

Madam Satan ''Madam Satan'' or ''Madame Satan'' is a 1930 American pre-Code musical comedy film in black and white with Multicolor sequences. It was produced and directed by Cecil B. DeMille and starred Kay Johnson, Reginald Denny, Lillian Roth, and Ro ...

'' (1930)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:McAlister, Mary American silent film actresses American child actresses Actresses from Los Angeles 1908 births 1991 deaths 20th-century American actresses People from Del Mar, California WAMPAS Baby Stars