Anita Garvin
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Female
Birthday
1906-02-11
Day of Death
1994-07-07 (88 years old)
Place of Birth
New York City, New York, USA
Anita Garvin
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Anita Garvin (February 11, 1907 – July 7, 1994) was an American actress and comedian who appeared in both silent and sound films. She is best known for her work with comedians Laurel and Hardy and Charley Chase.
Garvin was born in New York City.] Her two sisters who danced in vaudeville encouraged her talents. At age 12, she lied to an agent saying she was "almost sixteen" and got a job being a bathing beauty for one of Mack Sennett's stage shows. The following year she joined the Ziegfeld Follies. She took pride in being the only woman allowed to touch Will Rogers's ropes. She also appeared in Earl Carroll Vanities.
Garvin went on tour with the musical Sally staying with the show for two seasons, then decided to stay in California when the tour left that stop in 1924. In Hollywood, Garvin began working for Christie Film Company's comedies. She recalled her co-star Bobby Vernon dropping butter on the floor onto which she stepped and tumbled, cementing her career as a comedian. Charles Lamont brought her over to work for Educational Pictures. In 1926, Hal Roach took her under contract, where she appeared in many silent films with Charley Chase, James Finlayson, and Max Davidson as well as playing occasional supporting roles in feature films. Standing around 6 feet tall, "her regal countenance and deadpan expression" made her the perfect comic foil.
Roach later considered her "one of his finest actresses." Reflecting upon her frequent co-star Stan Laurel, Garvin observed: "One thing about Stan--with apologies to a lot of directors--they thought they were directing him. And they thought they were directing the picture. But Stan was the one...He was very clever about it. The director was never cognizant of the fact that he was not doing all the directing. Stan's mind was going all the time, always thinking of gags and things to do. The script didn't mean a thing." Garvin appeared in a total of eleven Laurel and Hardy films. In 1928, she was teamed with Marion Byron as a short-lived female version of Laurel and Hardy. Along with Edgar Kennedy, Byron and Garvin appeared in A Pair of Tights, an "acknowledged masterpiece."
Acting
(1940)
A Chump at Oxford
as Mrs. Vandevere (uncredited)
(1940)
(1940)
Bested by a Beard
as Mrs. Vivian Errol
(1938)
Swiss Miss
as Tradesman's wife
(1937)
(1936)
While the Cat's Away
as Emma
(1936)
Sleepless Hollow
as Harry's Wife
(1934)
Merry Wives of Reno
as Male-Seeking Woman in Hotel Lobby (uncredited)
(1933)
His Silent Racket
as Mrs. Finlayson
(1933)
Asleep in the Feet
as Dance Hall Hostess
(1932)
Show Business
as Anita Garvin
(1932)
Yoo-Hoo
as Anita
(1931)
Murder at Midnight
as Party Guest (uncredited)
(1931)
Be Big!
as Mrs. Laurel
(1931)
The Chiselers
as Mme. Laurel
(1931)
The Skulls
as Señora Laurel
(1930)
Sally
as Party Guest (uncredited)
(1930)
Blotto
as Mrs. Laurel
(1930)
Whispering Whoopee
as Miss Garvin
(1929)
Dynamite
as Undetermined Role (uncredited)
(1929)
The Single Standard
as Packy's Jealous Girlfriend at Art Exhibition (uncredited)
(1929)
Our Modern Maidens
as Bridesmaid (uncredited)
(1929)
On With the Show!
as Chorine (uncredited)
(1929)
Going Ga-Ga
as Anita
(1929)
Trent's Last Case
as Ottilie Dunois
(1929)
(1929)
The Charlatan
as Mrs. Paynter
(1929)
A Pair of Tights
as Anita
(1929)
Modern Love
as Mrs. Weston - the Brunette
(1929)
Off to Buffalo
as Mrs. Brown
(1929)
Stepping Out
as The Date
(1929)
Red Hot Rhythm
as Mable
(1928)
From Soup to Nuts
as Mrs. Culpepper
(1928)
(1928)
Their Purple Moment
as Oliver's Girlfriend
(1928)
(1928)
Roaming Romeo
as The Princess
(1928)
The Play Girl
as Millie
(1928)
(1927)
The Battle of the Century
as Slips on pie (uncredited)
(1927)
Upstream
as Theatre Audience Admirer at Stage Door
(1927)
Sailors, Beware!
as Madame Ritz
(1927)
Hats Off
as Customer at top of stairs
(1927)
Baby Brother
as Amorous nursemaid
(1927)
With Love and Hisses
as Captain Bustle's 1st girlfriend
(1927)
Assistant Wives
as Gwendolyn - the Flapjack Queen
(1927)
Why Girls Love Sailors
as Captain's Wife
(1927)
Two-Time Mama
as Mrs. Dazzle
(1927)
Many Scrappy Returns
as Wellington's Wife
(1927)
Never the Dames Shall Meet
as Edna's Sister
(1927)
(1927)
The Motor Boat Demon
as Colleen
(1926)
(1926)
Raggedy Rose
as Janice
(1926)
Move Along
as Rich girl with roses
(1926)
Bertha the Sewing Machine Girl
as Flo Mason
(1926)
(1925)
The Sleuth
as The other woman
(1925)
A Dangerous Peach
as Mrs. Wilson
(1925)
In the Grease
as Physical Culture teacher
(1925)
(1925)
(1924)
The Last Man on Earth
as A Millionairess (uncredited)
(1924)