Foto: Fred Hartsook (1876-1930)

1899 - 1984

Mae MacAvoy began as a Model and appeared in advertisings. In 1917/18 she worked as an estra for the movies "Hate" and I'll Say So", it followed a small part in "To Hell With the Kaiser!" (18).

After some small roles at Norma Talmadge's and Florence Reed's side followed the movie "The Devil's Garden" (20) at Lionel Barrymore's side. With this role she attracted attention of film makers and got the leading role in the movie "Sentimental Tommy" (21). 
With this movie she became a star and was signed on by Paramount.

In the following years followed successful movies like "Morals" (21), "The Top of New York" (22), "Clarence" (22), "Kick In" (22) and "Her Reputation" (23).

When she refused a role for which she should appear partial nude, the stuiod didn't offer her more roles for the time being. Mae MacAvoy reacted to this boycott und payed to be set free from the contract to work as a freelancing actress.

Ironically she worked beside other great studios for Paramount again, so in "West of the Water Tower" (24) and "The Enchanted Cottage" (24). But especially the movies "The Bedroom Window" (24), "Tarnish" (24), "Three Women" (24), "The Mad Whirl" (25), "Tessie" (25) and "Lady Windermere's Fan" (25) made one of the most popular and best payed star of her of her time.

With "Ben-Hur" (25) followed one of her greatest hits, after that she took part in "My Old Dutch" (26), "The Savage" (26), "Matinee Ladies" (27), "Irish Hearts" (27) and "The Jazz Singer" (27) - which went down in film history as the first sound movie, although there were merely some sound effects and singing.

The first real talkie of Mae MacAvoy was "The Lion and the Mouse" (28), beside it she also appeared in England's first sound film at all called "The Terror" (28).

After the movies "Stolen Kisses" (29) and "No Defense" (29) she retired from the film business when she got married with Maurice Cleary.
Only when her son went to school she came back to MGM in 1940 and impersonated small roles till the middle of the 50's, so in "The New Pupil" (40), "Whispers" (41) and "Mystery Street" (50).
 

Other movies with Mae MacAvoy:
A Perfect Lady (18) Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch (19) The Way of a Woman (19) The Woman Under Oath (19) My Husband's Other Wife (20) The Sporting Duchess (20) Man and His Woman (20) The House of the Tolling Bell (20) The Forbidden Valley (20) The Thruth Abuot Husbands (20) Love Wins (20) A Private Scandal (21) Everything for Sale (21) A Virginia Courtship (21) A Homespun Vamp (22) Through a Glass Window (22) Grumpy (23) Only 38 (23) Married Flirts (24) The Road to Glory (26) The Passionate Quest (26) The Fire Brigade (26) Calf-Love (26) Slightly Used (27) A Reno Divorce (27) If I Were Single (27) The Little Snob (28) Caught in the Fog (28) Phantom Raiders (40) Dulcy (40) The Get-Away (41) Ringside Maisie (41) Kid Glove Killer (42) Luxury Liner (48) Executive Suite (54) The Wings of Eagles (57) Gun Glory (57)