Born 1899 in New York City, American actress May McAvoy debuted as an extra in the film Hate in 1917. After appearing in more than three dozen films, she co-starred with Ramón Novarro and Francis X. Bushman in director Fred Niblo’s 1925 production of Ben-Hur released by MGM. She also portrayed Lady Windermere in Ernst Lubitsch’s Lady Windermere’s Fan (1925).
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, McAvoy returned to films and played small, uncredited roles during the 1940s and 1950s, making her final film appearance in a small part of the 1959 version of Ben-Hur. Most of her later uncredited work was performed for MGM.
McAvoy died in 1984 at the age of 84. For her contribution to the motion picture industry, she has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1731 Vine Street. Take a look at these vintage photos to see the beauty of young May McAvoy in the 1920s.
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