Ann May
Encyclopedia
Ann May was a silent film
star who made motion pictures from (1919 - 1925). Her given name was Anna Max and she was born in Cincinnati, Ohio
. In appearance she was
compared to Dorothy Gish
, with her short fluffy hair and eyes which sparkled.
, in 1917. Prior to this she studied at the Ursula Academy. May won a scholarship to do post-graduate work. Her father was opposed to her doing any type of acting, so she waited until after his death to pursue this venture. She went back to the dramatic school after a dissatisfying stay of three months in California
. Her first roles were minor parts in the productions of Samuel Goldwyn
and Famous Players-Lasky
.
She returned after receiving a wire from actor, Charles Ray
, who said he had a role for her as leading lady
in his film, Paris Green (1920). By late 1919
she was earning an income of $200 per week making movies.
May was among the supporting cast of Lombardi, Ltd. (1919), a movie which featured Bert Lytell
. Released by Metro Pictures
in October 1919,
the Jack Conway directed film recreated a story which was previously acted on the stage. In the comedy the character Tito Lombardi exerts his influence on three women, two of them played by Alice Lake
and Vera Lewis.
May secured this role while conversing with Conway at a party. She later became acquainted with Pat Powers who gave her an opportunity at Universal Pictures
. She met Ray following a game of tennis at the Beverly Hills Hotel
.
In The Half Breed (1922) May is paired with Wheeler Oakman
in a western produced by Oliver Morosco
. The daring scenes she performed in this movie showed her talent as a performer. As an actress she was diverse enough to play a daring rider or a delicate society girl from the east. One film critic questioned why May was not a bigger star in her profession. He made reference to her "elfin humor, a tropical vampishness that is irresistible charm."
She is in The Dangerous Maid (1923), a production of Joseph Schenck
which gave Constance Talmadge
her first opportunity to act in a dramatic role. The setting of the film is England
during the rebellion of the Duke of Monmouth against James II
.
May began work on The End of the World in April 1924 after a break of several months, during which she performed on stage. She has the role of a vamp
in a photoplay that starred Norma Shearer
and Jack Pickford
. Directed by Vernon Keays, the
movie was shot on location in Carmel, California. May was injured during filming when a large piece of wood struck her in the forearm during a most realistic action scene, which resembled an earthquake.
She was forced to stop working for several days until her arm healed.
In The Fighting Cub May has the leading feminine role in a feature about a cub reporter. Directed by Paul Hurst
, Mildred Harris
and Pat O'Malley
are other actors who make up the cast. The melodrama written by Phil Goldstone has Wesley Barry
as the young reporter and O'Malley as the editor of a large daily newspaper.
May became engaged to actor Ralph Graves after meeting him at the studio of D.W. Griffith.
She practiced dancing with modern dance pioneer and choreographer, Ruth St. Denis
, on the front lawn of May's Hollywood home. Early in her career May resided for a time at the Hollywood Studio Club.
A petition filed in a Cincinnati Federal Court in September 1921 revealed that May was the beneficiary of an insurance policy taken out by E.M. Noel,
a wealthy oil man who died in Cincinnati in January 1920. It was disclosed that Noel purchased two automobiles, jewelry, and advanced large sums of money, amounting to $30,000, to May. One of the cars had been recovered from May with the lawyer's advice. The $75,000 insurance benefit to May was cancelled by Noel upon the attorney's persuasion.
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
star who made motion pictures from (1919 - 1925). Her given name was Anna Max and she was born in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
. In appearance she was
compared to Dorothy Gish
Dorothy Gish
Dorothy Elizabeth Gish was an American actress, and the younger sister of actress Lillian Gish.-Early life:...
, with her short fluffy hair and eyes which sparkled.
Film Actress
She was an heiress who came to Hollywood after graduating from a school of dramatic art in OhioOhio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, in 1917. Prior to this she studied at the Ursula Academy. May won a scholarship to do post-graduate work. Her father was opposed to her doing any type of acting, so she waited until after his death to pursue this venture. She went back to the dramatic school after a dissatisfying stay of three months in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Her first roles were minor parts in the productions of Samuel Goldwyn
Samuel Goldwyn
Samuel Goldwyn was an American film producer, and founding contributor executive of several motion picture studios.-Biography:...
and Famous Players-Lasky
Famous Players-Lasky
Famous Players-Lasky Corporation was an American motion picture and distribution company created on July 19, 1916 from the merger of Adolph Zukor's Famous Players Film Company -- originally formed by Zukor as Famous Players in Famous Plays -- and Jesse L...
.
She returned after receiving a wire from actor, Charles Ray
Charles Ray
Charles Ray was a silent film star. Extremely popular in a series of films casting him in juvenile roles, primarily rural young men, Ray's career faded as he lost his youthful looks- he also had a reputation of being demanding and having an outsized ego...
, who said he had a role for her as leading lady
Leading lady
Leading lady is an informal term for the actress who plays a secondary lead or supporting role, usually a love interest, to the leading actor in a film or play. It is not usually applied to the leading actress in the performance if her character is the protagonist.A leading lady can also be an...
in his film, Paris Green (1920). By late 1919
she was earning an income of $200 per week making movies.
May was among the supporting cast of Lombardi, Ltd. (1919), a movie which featured Bert Lytell
Bert Lytell
Bert Lytell , Born Bertram Lytell, he was a popular screen star of the silent film era who starred in romantic, melodrama and adventure films....
. Released by Metro Pictures
Metro Pictures
Metro Pictures Corporation was an American motion picture production company founded in late 1915 by Richard A. Rowland . Louis B. Mayer who worked for Metro Pictures Corporation early on. It is not to be confused with MGM which is a much later franchise concerning itself, Goldwyn and Louis B....
in October 1919,
the Jack Conway directed film recreated a story which was previously acted on the stage. In the comedy the character Tito Lombardi exerts his influence on three women, two of them played by Alice Lake
Alice Lake
Alice Lake was an American film actress. She began her career during the silent film era and often appeared in comedy shorts opposite Roscoe Arbuckle.-Career:...
and Vera Lewis.
May secured this role while conversing with Conway at a party. She later became acquainted with Pat Powers who gave her an opportunity at Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures
-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...
. She met Ray following a game of tennis at the Beverly Hills Hotel
Beverly Hills Hotel
The Beverly Hills Hotel is a hotel on Sunset Boulevard in Beverly Hills, California. It was opened on May 12, 1912 by Margaret J. Anderson and her son, Stanley S. Anderson, who had been managing the Hollywood Hotel. The original main building of The Beverly Hills Hotel was designed by Pasadena...
.
In The Half Breed (1922) May is paired with Wheeler Oakman
Wheeler Oakman
Wheeler Oakman was an American film actor.Usually appearing as a henchman in films, rarely a leading role, he appeared in over 280 films between 1912 and 1948....
in a western produced by Oliver Morosco
Oliver Morosco
Oliver Morosco was an American theatrical producer, director, writerand theater owner.-Biography:Born Oliver Mitchell in Logan, Utah, Morosco was raised in San Francisco, California...
. The daring scenes she performed in this movie showed her talent as a performer. As an actress she was diverse enough to play a daring rider or a delicate society girl from the east. One film critic questioned why May was not a bigger star in her profession. He made reference to her "elfin humor, a tropical vampishness that is irresistible charm."
She is in The Dangerous Maid (1923), a production of Joseph Schenck
Joseph Schenck
Joseph Michael Schenck was a pioneer executive who played a key role in the development of the United States film industry.Born in Rybinsk, Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia to a Jewish household, he and his family-including younger brother Nicholas- emigrated to New York City in 1893, he and Nicholas...
which gave Constance Talmadge
Constance Talmadge
Constance Talmadge was a silent movie star born in Brooklyn, New York, USA, and was the sister of fellow actresses Norma Talmadge and Natalie Talmadge.-Early life:...
her first opportunity to act in a dramatic role. The setting of the film is England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
during the rebellion of the Duke of Monmouth against James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
.
May began work on The End of the World in April 1924 after a break of several months, during which she performed on stage. She has the role of a vamp
Vamp
Vamp may refer to:* VaMP, the first autonomous car that drove long distances in traffic* Vamp , a Norwegian folk music band* Vamp, a character in the Metal Gear series of video games* Vamp , in Gobots toyline and cartoon...
in a photoplay that starred Norma Shearer
Norma Shearer
Edith Norma Shearer was a Canadian-American actress. Shearer was one of the most popular actresses in North America from the mid-1920s through the 1930s...
and Jack Pickford
Jack Pickford
Jack Pickford was a Canadian-born American actor. He was best known for his tabloid lifestyle, marriage to the top starlets of his day, and being of the famous Pickford acting family.-Early life:...
. Directed by Vernon Keays, the
movie was shot on location in Carmel, California. May was injured during filming when a large piece of wood struck her in the forearm during a most realistic action scene, which resembled an earthquake.
She was forced to stop working for several days until her arm healed.
In The Fighting Cub May has the leading feminine role in a feature about a cub reporter. Directed by Paul Hurst
Paul Hurst
Paul Michael Hurst is a former English footballer who played in Football League Two in England, for Rotherham, where he played for over 10 years. He is currently joint manager of Conference National side Grimsby Town with Rob Scott.-Playing career:Hurst figured regularly on the left side of the...
, Mildred Harris
Mildred Harris
Mildred Harris was an American film actress. Harris began her career in the film industry as a popular child actress at age eleven. At the age of fifteen, she was cast as a harem girl in D. W. Griffith's Intolerance . She appeared as a leading lady through the 1920s but her career slowed with...
and Pat O'Malley
Pat O'Malley
Patrick O'Malley or Pat O'Malley may refer to:*Patrick H. O'Malley, Jr. , American actor*J. Pat O'Malley , English singer and actor*Patrick O'Malley , former Illinois State Senator...
are other actors who make up the cast. The melodrama written by Phil Goldstone has Wesley Barry
Wesley Barry
Wesley Barry was an American child actor in silent motion pictures. He later became a producer and director of both film and television. As a director, he was sometimes billed as Wesley E...
as the young reporter and O'Malley as the editor of a large daily newspaper.
Private life
Internet Movie Database gives her birthdate as November 25, 1899.May became engaged to actor Ralph Graves after meeting him at the studio of D.W. Griffith.
She practiced dancing with modern dance pioneer and choreographer, Ruth St. Denis
Ruth St. Denis
Ruth St. Denis was an early modern dance pioneer.-Biography:Ruth St. Denis founded Adelphi University's dance program in 1938 which was one of the first dance departments in an American university...
, on the front lawn of May's Hollywood home. Early in her career May resided for a time at the Hollywood Studio Club.
A petition filed in a Cincinnati Federal Court in September 1921 revealed that May was the beneficiary of an insurance policy taken out by E.M. Noel,
a wealthy oil man who died in Cincinnati in January 1920. It was disclosed that Noel purchased two automobiles, jewelry, and advanced large sums of money, amounting to $30,000, to May. One of the cars had been recovered from May with the lawyer's advice. The $75,000 insurance benefit to May was cancelled by Noel upon the attorney's persuasion.