Phyllis Haver
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Phyllis Haver
Biography
Fresh out of Los Angeles Polytechnic High, Phyllis Haver paid a visit to the Mack Sennett studios, hoping to get a job as an actress. According to Haver, her "audition" consisted of having the attractiveness of her knees assessed by a bored Mack Sennett. Slightly more talented than most of the Sennett bathing beauties, Haver quickly worked her way up to leading roles, then left 2-reelers for a substantial career in silent features. Among her best roles were accused murderess Roxy Hart in the first film version of Chicago (1927) and the no-better-than-she-ought-to-be Shanghai Mabel in What Price Glory? (1927). Sensing that her career would end when talkies began, Haver retired in 1929 to marry a New York millionaire (According to one story, she invoked the "act of God" clause in her contract, cracking "if marrying a millionaire ain't an act of God, I don't know what is"). Divorced in 1945, Haver continued to live in wealthy retirement, appearing before the cameras one last time during a 1954 TV testimonial to her old boss Mack Sennett. In 1960, Phyllis Haver died of an overdose of barbiturates. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
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Phyllis Haver
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This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2008) |
| Phyllis Haver | |
|---|---|
| Born | Phyllis O'Haver January 6, 1899 Douglass, Kansas, U.S. |
| Died | November 19, 1960 (aged 61) Falls Village, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1915–1930 |
| Spouse | William Seeman (1929-1945) |
Phyllis Haver (January 6, 1899 – November 19, 1960) was an American actress of the silent film era.
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Contents
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Early life
She was born Phyllis Haver in Douglass, Kansas. When she was young, her family moved to Los Angeles, California, then a city of less than half a million people. Haver attended Los Angeles Polytechnic High. After graduating, she played piano to accompany the new silent films in local theaters.
Career
Haver auditioned for comedy producer Mack Sennett on a whim. Sennett hired her as one of his original Sennett Bathing Beauties.[1] Within a few years, she appeared as a leading lady in two-reelers for Sennett Studios.
At the Sennett Studios, Haver played the part of Roxie Hart in the first film adaptation of Chicago in 1927, opposite Hungarian film actor Victor Varconi. One reviewer called her performance "astoundingly fine", and added that Haver "makes this combination of tragedy and comedy a most entertaining piece of work."[2]
She performed in the 1928 comedy film The Battle of the Sexes, directed by D. W. Griffith. The next year, she appeared with Lon Chaney, Sr. in his last silent film, Thunder.
Haver retired from the industry with two 'sound' films to her credit.
Personal life
She married millionaire William Seeman with a service performed by New York Mayor James J. Walker [3] at the home of Rube Goldberg, the cartoonist. The couple divorced in 1945.
Death
Haver retired in Sharon, Connecticut. She died at age 61 from an overdose of barbiturates in 1960, a suspected suicide[4] Haver left no survivors.
Selected filmography
- Whose Baby? (1917)
- The Sultan's Wife (1917)
- The Pullman Bride (1917)
- The Balloonatic (1923 short)
- The Snob (1924)
- New Brooms (1925)
- The Caveman (1926)
- Don Juan (Uncredited, 1926)
- 3 Bad Men (1926)
- Fig Leaves (1926)
- What Price Glory (1926)
- "[[ No Control (1927)
- The Way of All Flesh (1927)
- The Rejuvenation of Aunt Mary (1927)
- Chicago (1927)
- The Battle of the Sexes (1928)
- Sal of Singapore (1928)
- Thunder (1929)
- She Couldn't Say No (1930)
References
- ^ Phyllis Haver, Actress, dies UPI. The Pittsburgh Press - Nov 21, 1960
- ^ Movie Review: Chicago Hall, Mordaunt. The New York Times, 1927. Retrieved August 28 2011.
- ^ Death Comes to Silent Star, Phyllis Haver AP. The Milwaukee Journal - Nov 21, 1960.
- ^ Kansas Silent Film Star Phyllis Haver is Dead AP. Lawrence Journal-World - Nov 21, 1960
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This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (January 2010) |
- Associated Press (1960-11-21). "Ex-Actress Found Dead In Her Home; Phyllis Haver, Who Starred in Silent Films, Believed to Have Taken Her Life" (fee). The New York Times: p. 58. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30F17FF3A541A7A93C3AB178AD95F448685F9. Retrieved 2007-09-04.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Phyllis Haver |
- Phyllis Haver at the Internet Movie Database
- Phyllis Haver at Find a Grave
- Phyllis Haver at Virtual History
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