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Photo of Eleanor Boardman

Eleanor Boardman

Actor
Born August 18, 1898Died December 12, 1991 (93 years)
Olive Eleanor Boardman (August 19, 1898 – December 12, 1991) was an American film actress of the silent era.

Olive Eleanor Boardman was born on August 19, 1898, the youngest child to George W. Boardman and Janice Merriam "Jennie" Stockman Boardman. She had two older sisters named Merriam and Esther. In 1920, she was working as a contractor.

Educated in Philadelphia, Boardman originally acted on stage, but she lost her voice while starring in The National Anthem. She then entered a nationwide contest for new actors and actresses for silent films. She was chosen from among 1,000 competitors by Goldwyn Pictures as their "New Face of 1922". Her initial screen test was unsuccessful, but a second test resulted in a contract. After several successful supporting roles, she played the lead in Souls for Sale in 1923. That same year, Boardman's growing popularity was reflected by her inclusion on the list of WAMPAS Baby Stars.

She appeared in more than 30 films during her career, including director King Vidor's The Crowd (1928). Her performance in that film is widely recognized as one of the outstanding performances in American silent film. In 1932, after some success in sound films, she parted ways with MGM. Her final film was The Three Cornered Hat, which was made in Spain in 1935. After that production, she retired from acting and retreated from Hollywood. Her last appearances were in an interview filmed for Kevin Brownlow and David Gill's British documentary series Hollywood (1980) and the series MGM: When the Lion Roars (1992).
Known For
  • The Crowd
  • Souls for Sale
  • The Circle
  • Bardelys the Magnificent
  • Tell It to the Marines
  • Proud Flesh

Filmography

1939
Land of Liberty · as (archive Footage)
1931
The Squaw Man · as Lady Diana Kerhill
1931
The Great Meadow · as Diony Hall
1930
Mamba · as Helen Von Linden
1930
Redemption · as Lisa Protasoff
1929
She Goes to War · as Joan Morant
1928
Show People · as Roxalanne In 'bardeleys The Magnificent' (uncredited)
1928
The Crowd · as Mary Sims
1926
Tell It to the Marines · as Norma Dale
1926
Bardelys the Magnificent · as Roxalanne De Lavedan
1925
The Only Thing · as Thyra, Princess Of Svendborg
1925
The Circle · as Elizabeth Cheney
1925
Proud Flesh · as Fernanda
1924
Wine of Youth · as Mary Hollister
1923
Souls for Sale · as Miss Remember Steddon

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