Agnes Ayres

Agnes Ayres
Born	Agnes Eyre Henkel April 4, 1898(1898-04-04) Carbondale, Illinois, U.S.
Died	December 25, 1940(1940-12-25) (aged 42) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Other names	Agnes Eyre
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1914–1937
Spouse	Captain Frank P. Schuker (? – 1921) S. Manuel Reachi (July 13, 1924 – June 10, 1927)

Agnes Ayres (April 4, 1898 – December 25, 1940) was an American actress who rose to fame during the silent film era. She was best known for her role as Lady Diana Mayo in The Sheik and The Son of the Sheik opposite Rudolph Valentino.

Early life and career

Born as Agnes Eyre Henkel in Carbondale, Illinois to Solon and Emma Slack Henkel on April 4, 1898. She also had an older brother named Solon William Henkel born in 1888. She began her career in 1914 when she was noticed by an Essanay Studios staff director and cast as an extra in a crowd scene. After moving to New York City with her mother to pursue a career in acting, Ayres was spotted by actress Alice Joyce. Joyce noticed the physical resemblance the two shared which eventually led to Ayres being cast in Richard the Brazen (1917), as Joyce's character's sister. Ayres' career began to gain momentum when Paramount Pictures founder Jesse Laksy began to take an interest in her. Lasky gave her a starring role in the Civil War drama Held by the Enemy (1920), and also lobbied for parts for her in several Cecil B. DeMille productions.^[1] It was during this time that Ayres married, and quickly divorced, Captain Frank P. Schuker, an army officer whom she had wed during World War I. She also began a romance with Lasky.^[2]

In 1921, Ayres shot to stardom when she was cast as Lady Diana Mayo, an English heiress opposite "Latin lover" Rudolph Valentino in The Sheik. Ayres later reprised her role as Lady Diana in the 1926 sequel Son of the Sheik. Following the release of The Sheik, she went on to have major roles in many other films including The Affairs of Anatol (1921) starring Wallace Reid, Forbidden Fruit (1921), and Cecil B. DeMille's epic The Ten Commandments (1923).

By 1923, Ayres' career began to wane following the end of her relationship with Jesse Lasky. She married Mexican diplomat S. Manuel Reachi in 1924. The couple had a daughter before divorcing in 1927.^[3] In 1929, Ayres lost her fortune and real estate holdings in the Crash of ’29. That same year, she also appeared in her last major role in The Donovan Affair, starring Jack Holt. To earn money, she left acting and played the vaudeville circuit. She returned to acting in 1936, confident that she could make a comeback. Unable to secure starring roles, Ayres appeared in mostly uncredited bit parts and finally retired from acting for good in 1937.^[3]

Agnes Ayres as Helen Allen in the 1920 film Go and Get It - Munsey’s Magazine, 1920

Later years and death

After her retirement, Ayres became despondent and was eventually committed to a sanatorium. She also lost custody of her daughter to Reachi, in 1939.^[3]

She died from a cerebral hemorrhage on December 25, 1940 at her home at the age of 42.^[4] She is interred in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Hollywood, CA.

For her contribution to motion pictures, Agnes Ayres has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6504 Hollywood Boulevard.

Selected filmography

Further Reading

• Michael G. Ankerich (2010). Dangerous Curves atop Hollywood Heels: The Lives, Careers, and Misfortunes of 14 Hard-Luck Girls of the Silent Screen. BearManor. ISBN 1-59393-605-2. 

References

• 5.1900 United States Federal Census, Cobden, Union, Illinois; Roll: T623_346; Page: 24B; Enumeration

District: 95.

• 6.1910 United States Federal Census, Chicago Ward 34, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T624_281; Page: 8B;

Enumeration District 1461.

External links

Biography portal

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Agnes Ayres

• Agnes Ayres at the Internet Movie Database
• Agnes Ayres at AllRovi
• Agnes Ayres at Find a Grave
• Photographs and literature
• Agnes Ayres Website