Phyllis Haver

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Phyllis Haver
Born	Phyllis O'Haver January 6, 1899(1899-01-06) Douglass, Kansas
Died	November 19, 1960 (aged 61) Falls Village, Connecticut
Years active	1915-1930
Spouse(s)	William Seeman (1929 - 1945)

Phyllis Haver (January 6, 1899 – November 19, 1960) was an American actress of the silent film era.

Early life

She was born Phyllis O'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 legendary comedy producer Mack Sennett on a whim. Sennett was impressed by the attractive teenager and hired her on the spot as one of his Bathing Beauties. Within a few years, she appeared as a leading lady in two-reelers for Sennett Studios.

During the early 1920s, Haver's popularity grew and directors sought her for female comedy roles. Her years of work at the Sennett Studios honed her acting and comedic skills. Haver played the part of Roxie Hart in the first film adaptation of Chicago in 1927, opposite Hungarian film actor Victor Varconi. The film was an international success and made Haver known around the world. One reviewer called her performance "astoundingly fine", and added that Haver "makes this combination of tragedy and comedy a most entertaining piece of work."^[who?]

She was acclaimed for her performance in the 1928 box-office hit comedy film The Battle of the Sexes, directed by D. W. Griffith. Film critics wrote rave reviews about her.^[who?] The next year, she appeared with Lon Chaney, Sr. in his last silent film, Thunder. As the Roaring Twenties drew to a close, talkies became popular. She retired from the industry with just two 'sound' films to her credit .

Personal life

She married millionaire William Seeman in 1929. The marriage was performed by New York Mayor James J. Walker at the home of Rube Goldberg, the cartoonist. The couple divorced in 1945. She was linked to other notable men throughout her lifetime, but only married once.

Death

Haver retired in Falls Village, Connecticut. She died at age 61 from an intentional overdose of barbiturates in 1960. 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)
• Don Juan (Uncredited, 1926)
• 3 Bad Men (1926)
• Fig Leaves (1926)
• What Price Glory (1926)
• The Way of All Flesh (1927)
• Chicago (1927)
• The Battle of the Sexes (1928)
• Thunder (1929)
• She Couldn't Say No (1930)

References

• 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

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Phyllis Haver

• Phyllis Haver at the Internet Movie Database
• Phyllis Haver at Find a Grave
• Phyllis Haver in Fig Leaves - bottom photo