Olive Tell (September 27, 1894 – June 8, 1951) was a stage and screen actress from New York City.

Biography

Tell was educated in several cities in Europe. She and her younger actress sister

Alma Alma or ALMA may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Alma'' (film), a 2009 Spanish short animated film * ''Alma'', an upcoming film by Sally Potter * ''Alma'' (Oswald de Andrade novel), 1922 * ''Alma'' (Le Clézio novel), 2017 * ''Alma'' ( ...

graduated from the

American Academy of Dramatic Arts The American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA) is a Private college, private drama school with two locations, one in New York City and one in Los Angeles. The academy offers an associate degree in occupational studies and teaches drama and related ...

in 1915. The sisters began appearing in Broadway theaters around 1918. Olive made her New York debut in the drama ''Husband and Wife''. At first, she preferred acting in theater and detested her work on screen. She first appeared in motion pictures during World War I. Her early screen roles were in silent films, including '' The Silent Master'' (1917), ''The Unforeseen'' (1917), ''Her Sister'' (1917), and ''

National Red Cross Pageant ''The National Red Cross Pageant'' of 1917 was an American war pageant that was performed in order to sell war bonds, support the National Red Cross, and promote a positive opinion about American involvement in World War I. The live open-air page ...

'' (1917). Tell appeared with popular film actors of the era such as

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and a young

Tallulah Bankhead Tallulah Brockman Bankhead (January 31, 1902 – December 12, 1968) was an American actress. Primarily an actress of the stage, Bankhead also appeared in several films including an award-winning performance in Alfred Hitchcock's ''Lifeboat (194 ...

. Her first husband was killed in World War I. Tell married George Willis Kreh in April 1923; he died four months later; she married

First National Pictures First National Pictures was an American motion picture production and distribution company. It was founded in 1917 as First National Exhibitors' Circuit, Inc., an association of independent theatre owners in the United States, and became the count ...

movie producer Henry Morgan Hobart in 1926. Hobart and Tell moved to California in 1926 and stayed in Hollywood for 12 years. Her final screen credits came in the late 1930s. She performed in ''In His Steps'' (1936), ''Polo Joe'' (1936) with Joe E. Brown, ''Easy to Take'' (1936), and ''Under Southern Stars'' (1937). Tell's final screen appearance was in the drama ''

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'' (1939), directed by

George Cukor George Dewey Cukor ( ; July 7, 1899 – January 24, 1983) was an American film director and film producer, producer. He mainly concentrated on comedies and literary adaptations. His career flourished at RKO Pictures, RKO when David O. Selzn ...

. Olive Tell died in

Bellevue Hospital Bellevue Hospital (officially NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue and formerly known as Bellevue Hospital Center) is a hospital in New York City and the oldest public hospital in the United States. One of the largest hospitals in the United States ...

in 1951 after suffering a fractured skull at the Dryden Hotel, 150 East Thirty-Ninth Street, New York City, where she resided. She was 56 years old.

Partial filmography

* '' The Silent Master'' (1917) - Miss Virginia Arlen * ''

The Unforseen ''The Unforeseen'' is a lost 1917 silent film drama directed by John B. O'Brien and starring Olive Tell and David Powell. Distributed by the Mutual Film Company, it is based on the 1903 Broadway play, ''The Unforeseen'', by Robert Marshall. ...

'' (1917) - Margaret Fielding * ''Her Sister'' (1917) - Eleanor Alderson * ''

'' (1917) - Louvain - Flemish episode * ''The Girl and the Judge'' (1918) - Winifred Stanton * ''

To Hell with the Kaiser! ''To Hell with the Kaiser!'' is a lost 1918 American silent Great War propaganda comedy film produced by Screen Classics Productions and distributed by Metro Pictures. It was directed by George Irving and starred Lawrence Grant as the Kaiser. M ...

'' (1918) - Alice Monroe * ''

Secret Strings ''Secret Strings'' is a lost 1918 American silent crime drama film produced and distributed by Metro Pictures. Olive Tell, a stage actress, starred in the story based on a play by Kate Jordan. John Ince directed. Plot As described in a film mag ...

'' (1918) - Janet Newell * '' The Trap'' (1919) - Jean Carson - the Schoolteacher Heroine * ''Love Without Question'' (1920) based on the novel "The Abandoned Room" by Charles Wadsworth Camp - Katherine * '' A Woman's Business'' (1920) - Barbara * ''Wings of Pride'' (1920) - Olive Muir * ''

Clothes Clothing (also known as clothes, garments, dress, apparel, or attire) is any item worn on a human human body, body. Typically, clothing is made of fabrics or textiles, but over time it has included garments made from animal skin and other thin s ...

'' (1920) - Olivia Sherwood * ''The Wrong Woman'' (1920) - Viola Sherwin * '' Worlds Apart'' (1921) - Elinor Ashe * '' Chickie'' (1925) - Ila Moore * ''

Womanhandled ''Womanhandled'' is a 1925 American silent comedy film produced by Famous Players–Lasky and distributed through Paramount Pictures. It is based on a short story by Arthur Stringer and stars Richard Dix and Esther Ralston. Plot Bill Dana ( ...

'' (1925) - Lucy Chatham * ''

Prince of Tempters ''Prince of Tempters'' is a 1926 American silent film, silent romance film directed by Lothar Mendes and starring Lois Moran, Ben Lyon, and Lya De Putti. It is based on the 1924 novel ''The Ex-Duke'' by the British writer E. Phillips Oppenheim. ...

'' (1926) - Duchess of Chatsfield * ''

Summer Bachelors ''Summer Bachelors'' is a 1926 American silent romantic comedy film produced and directed by Allan Dwan. The film is based on the 1926 novel ''Summer Widowers'' by Warner Fabian and stars Madge Bellamy, Matt Moore, Allan Forrest, and Hale H ...

'' (1926) - Mrs. Preston Smith * ''

Slaves of Beauty ''Slaves of Beauty'' is a 1927 American silent comedy drama film directed by John G. Blystone and starring Olive Tell, Holmes Herbert, Earle Foxe, Margaret Livingston, and future talent agent Sue Carol. The film was written by William M. Cons ...

'' (1927) - Anastasia Jones * ''

Sailors' Wives ''Sailor's Wives'' is a lost 1928 silent film romantic-comedy directed by Joseph Henabery and starring Mary Astor. It was produced and distributed by First National Pictures. Plot Cast * Mary Astor as Carol Trent * Lloyd Hughes as Don Mannin ...

'' (1928) - Careth Lindsey * ''

Soft Living ''Soft Living'' is a 1928 American silent comedy film directed by James Tinling and starring Madge Bellamy, Johnny Mack Brown and Mary Duncan. Cast * Madge Bellamy as Nancy Woods * Johnny Mack Brown as Stockney Webb * Mary Duncan as Lorna ...

'' (1928) - Mrs. Rodney S. Bowen * '' The Trial of Mary Dugan'' (1929) - Mrs. Gertrude Rice * '' Hearts in Exile'' (1929) - Annna Reskova * ''

The Very Idea ''The Very Idea'' is an American comedy film directed by Frank Craven and Richard Rosson and written by William LeBaron, based on his play of the same title. Released in 1929, it was the fourth film released by RKO Pictures, starring Sally Blane ...

'' (1929) - Marion Green * '' Cock o' the Walk'' (1930) - Rosa Vallejo * '' Lawful Larceny'' (1930) - Vivan Hepburn * '' The Right of Way'' (1931) - Kathleen * ''

Ten Cents a Dance "Ten Cents a Dance" is a popular song with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart. The song was published in 1930. Background The song lyrics tell of a taxi dancer lamenting the hardships of her job. The song was originally writt ...

'' (1931) - Mrs. Carlton * '' Woman Hungry'' (1931) - Betty Temple * '' Ladies' Man'' (1931) - Mrs. Fendley * ''

Devotion Devotion or Devotions may refer to: Religion * Anglican devotions, private prayers and practices used by Anglican Christians * Buddhist devotion, commitment to religious observance * Catholic devotions, customs, rituals, and practices of worship ...

'' (1931) - Mrs. Trent * ''

Delicious Delicious may refer to: Fruits * Golden Delicious, a cultivar of apple * Red Delicious, several cultivars of apple Other * ''Delicious'' (1931 film), a Hollywood musical * ''Delicious'' (2021 film), a French film * ''Delicious'' (TV series), ...

'' (1931) - Mrs. Van Bergh * '' False Faces'' (1932) - Mrs. Day (uncredited) * '' Strictly Personal'' (1933) - Mrs. Castleton * '' The Witching Hour'' (1934) - Mrs. Helen Thorne * ''

The Scarlet Empress ''The Scarlet Empress'' is a 1934 American historical drama film starring Marlene Dietrich and John Lodge about the life of Catherine the Great. It was directed and produced by Josef von Sternberg from a screenplay by Eleanor McGeary, loosely b ...

'' (1934) - Princess Johanna Elizabeth * ''

Private Scandal ''Private Scandal'' is a 1934 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Ralph Murphy and written by Vera Caspary, Garrett Fort and Bruce Manning. The film stars ZaSu Pitts, Phillips Holmes, Mary Brian, Ned Sparks, Lew Cody, June Brewster an ...

'' (1934) - Deborah Lane * ''

Baby Take a Bow ''Baby Take a Bow'' (sometimes written as ''Baby, take a Bow'', etc. in promotional posters at the time) is a 1934 American comedy-drama film directed by Harry Lachman and is one of the earliest Hays code Hollywood films (its MPAA certificate ...

'' (1934) - Mrs. Carson * '' Four Hours to Kill!'' (1935) - Mrs. Madison * ''

Shanghai Shanghai, Shanghainese: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the ...

'' (1935) - Mrs. Hilton * ''

Brilliant Marriage ''Brilliant Marriage'' is a 1936 American drama film directed by Phil Rosen and starring Joan Marsh, Ray Walker and Inez Courtney.Pitts p.114 Plot New York newspaper reporter Garry Dane tries to smooth talk his way into an invitation-only par ...

'' (1936) - Mrs. Jane Taylor * ''

Yours for the Asking ''Yours for the Asking'' is a 1936 American comedy film starring George Raft as a casino owner and Dolores Costello as the socialite he hires as hostess. The movie also features Ida Lupino and was directed by Alexander Hall. Plot Johnny Lamb r ...

'' (1936) - Society Woman (uncredited) * '' In His Steps'' (1936) - Elaine Brewster * ''

Polo Joe ''Polo Joe'' is a 1936 American comedy film directed by William C. McGann and starring Joe E. Brown, Carol Hughes and Richard 'Skeets' Gallagher.Gehring p.125 It was Brown's final film for Warner Brothers before he left the studio to make fil ...

'' (1936) - Mrs. Hilton * '' Easy to Take'' (1936) - Announcer (uncredited) * ''

'' (1939) - Jeanne Liseron (uncredited) (final film role)

References

*''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

'', "Olive Tell In Stage Return", March 25, 1928, Page C15. *''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', "Olive Tell, Appeared On Stage And Screen", June 9, 1951, Page 19.

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Tell, Olive 1894 births 1951 deaths American stage actresses American film actresses American silent film actresses Actresses from New York City 20th-century American actresses