From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMay 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 Niblos 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.

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The Jazz Singer

Mary Dale

Movie 1927

Love Crazy

Sanity Hearing Secretary (uncredited)

Movie 1941

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ

Esther

Movie 1925

Third Finger, Left Hand

Telephone Operator (uncredited)

Movie 1940

Two Girls and a Sailor

Dowager (uncredited)

Movie 1944

A Homespun Vamp

Meg Mackenzie

Movie 1922

Clarence

Cora Wheeler

Movie 1922

Hollywood

May McAvoy

Movie 1923

Lady Windermere's Fan

Lady Windermere

Movie 1925

The Bedroom Window

Ruth Martin

Movie 1924

The Fire Brigade

Helen Corwin

Movie 1926

Irish Hearts

Sheila

Movie 1927

Three Women

Jeannie Wilton

Movie 1924

The Yellow Cab Man

(uncredited)

Movie 1950

The Mad Whirl

Cathleen Gillis

Movie 1925

A Trip to Paramountown

Self

Movie 1922

I'll Say So

Movie 1918

Morals

Carlotta Carlotta

Movie 1921

Only 38

Lucy Stanley

Movie 1923

Gareth Hughes

Self (archive footage)

Movie 2000

A Perfect Lady

Claire Higgins

Movie 1918

The Bad and the Beautiful

Pebbel's Secretary (uncredited)

Movie 1952

A Private Scandal

Jeanne Millett

Movie 1921

The Devil's Garden

Norah

Movie 1920

Hollywood: Style Center of the World

Saleslady

Movie 1940

Her Reputation

Jacqueline Lanier

Movie 1923

Two Girls on Broadway

Chatworth's Secretary (uncredited)

Movie 1940

Ben-Hur

Woman in crowd (uncredited)

Movie 1959

My Old Dutch

Sal Gratton

Movie 1926

The Truth About Husbands

Leslie Brownell

Movie 1920

The Savage

Ysabel Atwater

Movie 1926

A Reno Divorce

Carla

Movie 1927

The Little Snob

May Banks

Movie 1928

Phantom Raiders

Middle Telephone Operator

Movie 1940

Movie Pests

Woman Whose Vision Gets Blocked (uncredited)

Movie 1944

The Road to Glory

Judith Allen

Movie 1926

Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch

Australy Wiggs

Movie 1919

Ringside Maisie

1st Nurse (uncredited)

Movie 1941

The Way of a Woman

Grace Lee

Movie 1919

The Enchanted Cottage

Laura Pennington

Movie 1924

Dulcy

Miss Murphy - Van Dyke's Secretary (uncredited)

Movie 1940

Born to Sing

(uncredited)

Movie 1942

Luxury Liner

Woman (uncredited)

Movie 1948

The Lion and the Mouse

Shirley Ross

Movie 1928

Caught in the Fog

The Girl

Movie 1928

The Terror

Olga Redmayne

Movie 1928

Stolen Kisses

May Lambert

Movie 1929

No Defense

Ruth Harper

Movie 1929

Sentimental Tommy

Grizel

Movie 1921

The Woman Under Oath

Edith Norton

Movie 1919

Mystery Street

Nurse (uncredited)

Movie 1950

Slightly Used

Cynthia Martin

Movie 1927

Whispers

Gossip (uncredited)

Movie 1941

Main Street on the March!

Window Shopper (uncredited)

Movie 1941

Mr. Blabbermouth!

Movie 1942

Tarnish

Letitia Tevis

Movie 1924

The Passionate Quest

Movie 1926

If I Were Single

May Howard

Movie 1927

Kick In

Myrtle

Movie 1922

Sucker List

Secretary (uncredited)

Movie 1941

Rio Rita

Hotel Guest (uncredited)

Movie 1942

The Top of New York

Hilda O'Shaunnessey

Movie 1922

1-2-3-Go!

Nurse

Movie 1941