
May McAvoy
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
May 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: A Tale of the Christ, and Mary Dale in The Jazz Singer.
McAvoy appeared in her first film, entitled Hate, in 1917. After appearing in more than three dozen films, she co-starred with Ramón Novarro and Francis X. Bushman in director Fred Niblo's 1925 production of Ben-Hur, released by MGM. The feature-length film was one of the most lavish and spectacular productions of the silent movie era.
Although her voice was not heard in The Jazz Singer, McAvoy did speak in several other films, including the second "all-talkie" released by Warner Brothers, The Terror, which was directed by Roy Del Ruth and co-starred Conrad Nagel.
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, who asked her not to work.
Later, she returned to films and played small roles during the 1940s and 1950s, making her final film appearance in a small part in the 1959 version of Ben-Hur.
Acting (65 movies)

The Jazz Singer
1927

Love Crazy
1941

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
1925

Third Finger, Left Hand
1940

Two Girls and a Sailor
1944

A Homespun Vamp
1922

Clarence
1922

Hollywood
1923

Lady Windermere's Fan
1925

The Bedroom Window
1924

The Fire Brigade
1926

Irish Hearts
1927

Three Women
1924

The Yellow Cab Man
1950

The Mad Whirl
1925

A Trip to Paramountown
1922

I'll Say So
1918

Morals
1921

Only 38
1923

A Perfect Lady
1918

The Bad and the Beautiful
1952

A Private Scandal
1921

The Devil's Garden
1920

Hollywood: Style Center of the World
1940

Her Reputation
1923

Two Girls on Broadway
1940

Ben-Hur
1959

My Old Dutch
1926

The Truth About Husbands
1920

The Savage
1926

A Reno Divorce
1927

The Little Snob
1928

Phantom Raiders
1940

Movie Pests
1944

The Road to Glory
1926

Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
1919

Ringside Maisie
1941

The Way of a Woman
1919

The Enchanted Cottage
1924

Dulcy
1940

Born to Sing
1942

Luxury Liner
1948

The Lion and the Mouse
1928

Caught in the Fog
1928

The Terror
1928

Stolen Kisses
1929

No Defense
1929

Sentimental Tommy
1921

The Woman Under Oath
1919

Mystery Street
1950

Slightly Used
1927

Whispers
1941

Main Street on the March!
1941

Mr. Blabbermouth!
1942

Tarnish
1924

The Passionate Quest
1926

If I Were Single
1927

Kick In
1922

Sucker List
1941

Rio Rita
1942

The Top of New York
1922

1-2-3-Go!
1941

West of the Water Tower
1924

Matinee Ladies
1927

Executive Suite
1954
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