Ann Beatrice Sullivan (born Anna Beatrice Max; November 25, 1898https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7602/images/4117736_00342?usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&pId=40249610 – July 26, 1985), known professionally as Ann May, was a

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized Sound recording and reproduction, recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) ...

star who appeared in motion pictures from 1919 to 1925.

Early life and career

Ann May was born Anna Beatrice Max in

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state lin ...

on November 25, 1898, the first child to Russian-Jewish immigrants Nathan Max (1872–1917) and Sylvia Max (née Marks). She had four brothers; Benjamin, Isadore, Jacob "Jack", and Harry. She attended Woodward High School, where she was part of the glee club and swimming team. After finishing high school, she won a scholarship to do post-graduate work at Ursula Academy. After her father, who was opposed to May pursuing a career in acting, died, she moved to

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywoo ...

. Her first roles were minor parts in the productions of

Samuel Goldwyn Samuel Goldwyn (born Szmuel Gelbfisz; yi, שמואל געלבפֿיש; August 27, 1882 (claimed) January 31, 1974), also known as Samuel Goldfish, was a Polish-born American film producer. He was best known for being the founding contributor a ...

and

Famous Players-Lasky Famous Players-Lasky Corporation was an American motion picture and distribution company formed on June 28, 1916, from the merger of Adolph Zukor's Famous Players Film Company—originally formed by Zukor as Famous Players in Famous Plays—and t ...

. Her career began to rise after she received a wire from actor Charles Ray, who said he had a role for her as

leading lady A leading actor, leading actress, or simply lead (), plays the role of the protagonist of a film, television show or play. The word ''lead'' may also refer to the largest role in the piece, and ''leading actor'' may refer to a person who typica ...

in his film, ''Paris Green'' (1920). She had met Ray following a game of tennis at the

Beverly Hills Hotel The Beverly Hills Hotel, also called the Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows, is located on Sunset Boulevard in Beverly Hills, California. One of the world's best-known hotels, it is closely associated with Hollywood film stars, rock stars, and cel ...

. By late 1919, she was earning an income of $200 per week making movies. May was among the supporting cast of ''

Lombardi, Ltd. Lombardi, Ltd. (also sometimes styled ''Lombardi Limited'' in publicity materials) is a surviving 1919 American silent feature comedy film. It was adapted by June Mathis from a 1917 play of the same name by Frederick and Fanny Hatton, and direct ...

'' (1919), a movie which featured

Bert Lytell Bertram Lytell (February 24, 1885 – September 28, 1954) was an American actor in theater and film during the silent film era and early talkies. He starred in romantic, melodrama, and adventure films. Background Born in New York City, Lyt ...

. Released by

Metro Pictures Metro Pictures Corporation was a motion picture production company founded in early 1915 in Jacksonville, Florida. It was a forerunner of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The company produced its films in New York, Los Angeles, and sometimes at leased fac ...

in October 1919, the Jack Conway directed film recreated a story which was previously acted on the stage. In the comedy the character Tito Lombardi exerts his influence on three women, two of them played by

Alice Lake Alice Lake (September 12, 1895 – November 15, 1967) was an American film actress. She began her career during the silent film era and often appeared in comedy shorts opposite Roscoe Arbuckle. Career Born in Brooklyn, New York, Lake began her ...

and Vera Lewis. May secured this role while conversing with Conway at a party. She later became acquainted with Pat Powers who gave her an opportunity at

Universal Pictures Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Americ ...

. In ''The Half Breed'' (1922) May was paired with

Wheeler Oakman Wheeler Oakman (born Vivian Eichelberger; February 21, 1890 – March 19, 1949) was an American film actor. Early years Oakman was born as Vivian Eichelberger in Washington, D.C., and educated in that city's schools. He grew up in Fairfax, Vir ...

in a Western produced by

Oliver Morosco Oliver Morosco (June 20, 1875 – August 25, 1945) was an American theatrical producer, director, writer, film producer, and theater owner. He owned the Morosco Photoplay Company. He brought many of his theater actors to the screen. Frank A. Garbut ...

. The daring scenes she performed in this movie showed her talent as a performer. As an actress she was diverse enough to play a daring rider or a delicate society girl from the East. One film critic questioned why May was not a bigger star in her profession. He made reference to her "elfin humor, a tropical vampishness that is irresistible charm." She was in ''The Dangerous Maid'' (1923), a production of

Joseph Schenck Joseph Michael Schenck (; December 25, 1876 – October 22, 1961) was a Russian-born American film studio executive. Life and career Schenck was born to a Jewish family in Rybinsk, Yaroslavl Oblast, Russian Empire. He emigrated to New York City ...

which gave

Constance Talmadge Constance Alice Talmadge (April 19, 1898 – November 23, 1973) was an American silent film star. She was the sister of actresses Norma and Natalie Talmadge. Early life Talmadge was born on April 19, 1898 in Brooklyn, New York, to poor p ...

her first opportunity to act in a dramatic role. The setting of the film is

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

during the rebellion of the

Duke of Monmouth Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are rank ...

against James II. May began work on ''The End of the World'' in April 1924 after a break of several months, during which she performed on stage. She played the role of a

vamp The VaMP driverless car was one of the first truly autonomous cars Dynamic Vision for Perc ...

in '' Waking Up the Town'' (1925), which starred

Norma Shearer Edith Norma Shearer (August 11, 1902June 12, 1983) was a Canadian-American actress who was active on film from 1919 through 1942. Shearer often played spunky, sexually liberated ingénues. She appeared in adaptations of Noël Coward, Eugene O' ...

and

Jack Pickford John Charles Smith (August 18, 1896 – January 3, 1933), known professionally as Jack Pickford, was a Canadian-American actor, film director and producer. He was the younger brother of actresses Mary and Lottie Pickford. After their father ...

. Directed by Vernon Keays, the movie was shot on location in

Carmel, California Carmel-by-the-Sea (), often simply called Carmel, is a city in Monterey County, California, United States, founded in 1902 and incorporated on October 31, 1916. Situated on the Monterey Peninsula, Carmel is known for its natural scenery and ric ...

. May was injured during filming when a large piece of wood struck her in the forearm during a most realistic action scene, which resembled an earthquake. She was forced to stop working for several days until her arm healed. In ''The Fighting Cub'' May had the leading feminine role in a feature about a cub reporter. Directed by

Paul Hurst Paul Michael Hurst (born 25 September 1974) is an English football manager and former player who is the manager of club Grimsby Town. As a player, he was a defender from 1993 to 2008, notably playing his entire career at Rotherham United, b ...

, the film costarred

Mildred Harris Mildred Harris (April 18, 1901 – July 20, 1944) was an American stage, film, and vaudeville actress during the early part of the 20th century. Harris began her career in the film industry as a child actress when she was 10 years old. She was a ...

and Pat O'Malley. The melodrama written by Phil Goldstone has

Wesley Barry Wesley Barry (August 10, 1907 – April 11, 1994) was an American actor, director, and producer. Barry began his career as a child actor in silent motion pictures and later became a producer and director of both film and television. As a direc ...

as the young reporter and O'Malley as the editor of a large daily newspaper.

Personal life

She practiced dancing with modern dance pioneer and choreographer,

Ruth St. Denis Ruth St. Denis (born Ruth Denis; January 20, 1879 – July 21, 1968) was an American pioneer of modern dance, introducing eastern ideas into the art. She was the co-founder of the American Denishawn School of Dancing and Related Arts and the tea ...

, on the front lawn of May's Hollywood home. Early in her career May resided for a time at the Hollywood Studio Club. A petition filed in a Cincinnati Federal Court in September 1921 revealed that May was the beneficiary of an insurance policy taken out by E.M. Noel, a wealthy oil man who died in Cincinnati in January 1920. It was disclosed that Noel purchased two automobiles, jewelry, and advanced large sums of money, amounting to $30,000, to May. One of the cars had been recovered from May with the lawyer's advice. The $75,000 insurance benefit to May was cancelled by Noel upon the attorney's persuasion. In 1919 May became engaged to actor

Ralph Graves Ralph Graves (born Ralph Horsburgh; January 23, 1900 – February 18, 1977) was an American screenwriter, film director and actor who appeared in more than 90 films between 1918 and 1949. Biography Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Graves had already ...

after meeting him at the studio of

D.W. Griffith David Wark Griffith (January 22, 1875 – July 23, 1948) was an American film director. Considered one of the most influential figures in the history of the motion picture, he pioneered many aspects of film editing and expanded the art of the n ...

. She married the screenwriter and producer

C. Gardner Sullivan Charles Gardner Sullivan (September 18, 1884 – September 5, 1965) was an American screenwriter and film producer. He was a prolific writer with more than 350 films among his credits. In 1924, the magazine ''Story World'' selected him on a ...

on February 14, 1925 in Santa Ana. They had four children together; daughter Sheilah Dree, and sons Charles Gardner, Michael Patrick, and Timothy Reese. May died on July 26, 1985 in Los Angeles, and was buried at

Inglewood Park Cemetery Inglewood Park Cemetery, 720 East Florence Avenue in Inglewood, California, was founded in 1905. A number of notable people, including entertainment and sports personalities, have been interred or entombed there. History The proposed est ...

.https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/149038893:60525

Partial filmography

* '' Marriage for Convenience'' (1919) * '' Paris Green'' (1920) * '' An Amateur Devil'' (1920) * '' The Vermilion Pencil'' (1922) * '' The Half Breed'' (1922) * ''

The Fog ''The Fog'' is a 1980 American supernatural horror film directed by John Carpenter, who also co-wrote the screenplay and created the music for the film. It stars Adrienne Barbeau, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Atkins, Janet Leigh and Hal Holbrook. It ...

'' (1923) * ''

The Dangerous Maid The Dangerous Maid is a 1923 American silent historical comedy-drama film produced and distributed by Joseph M. Schenck Productions and directed by Victor Heerman. Based upon the novel ''Barbara Winslow, Rebel'' by Elizabeth Ellis, it was distr ...

'' (1923) * ''The End of the World'' (1924) * ''

What Shall I Do? ''What Shall I Do?'' is a 1924 American silent drama film directed by John G. Adolfi and starring Dorothy Mackaill, John Harron, and Louise Dresser. Synopsis After an accident, a man suffers from amnesia and leaves his wife and child to return ...

'' (1924) * '' Thundering Hoofs'' (1924) * '' Waking Up the Town'' (1925) * '' The Fighting Cub'' (1925)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:May, Ann 1898 births 1985 deaths 20th-century American actresses Actresses from Cincinnati American film actresses American silent film actresses Western (genre) film actresses