1906-02-11 New York City, New York, USA
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."
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Laurel & Hardy: Year Two | 2024-10-29 | |
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Laurel & Hardy: Year One | 2023-09-01 | |
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Bested by a Beard | Mrs. Vivian Errol | 1940-07-16 |
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A Chump at Oxford | Mrs. Vandevere (uncredited) | 1940-01-25 |
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He Asked for It | 1940-09-27 | |
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Sunk by the Census | 1940-08-06 | |
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Home Boner | 1939-03-10 | |
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Truth Aches | Mrs. Errol | 1939-11-03 |
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Swiss Miss | Tradesman's wife | 1938-05-20 |
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Topper | 1937-07-16 | |
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While the Cat's Away | Emma | 1936-01-04 |
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Sleepless Hollow | Harry's Wife | 1936-05-08 |
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Merry Wives of Reno | Male-Seeking Woman in Hotel Lobby (uncredited) | 1934-04-18 |
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His Silent Racket | Mrs. Finlayson | 1933-04-29 |
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Asleep in the Feet | Dance Hall Hostess | 1933-01-21 |
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Show Business | Anita Garvin | 1932-08-20 |
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The Millionaire Cat | Natalie | 1932-10-21 |
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The Hollywood Handicap | 1932-08-10 | |
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Yoo-Hoo | Anita | 1932-10-04 |
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Be Big! | Mrs. Laurel | 1931-02-07 |
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Murder at Midnight | Party Guest (uncredited) | 1931-09-01 |
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Los calaveras | Señora Laurel | 1931-04-18 |
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Les Carottiers | Mme. Laurel | 1931-02-07 |
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Sally | Party Guest (uncredited) | 1930-01-12 |
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Whispering Whoopee | Miss Garvin | 1930-03-08 |
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Blotto | Mrs. Laurel | 1930-02-08 |
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Stepping Out | The Date | 1929-11-02 |
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The Charlatan | Mrs. Paynter | 1929-04-13 |
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Modern Love | Mrs. Weston - the Brunette | 1929-07-21 |
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Dynamite | Undetermined Role (uncredited) | 1929-12-13 |
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Red Hot Rhythm | Mable | 1929-11-23 |
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Off to Buffalo | Mrs. Brown | 1929-02-16 |
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Going Ga-Ga | Anita | 1929-01-05 |
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On With the Show! | Chorine (uncredited) | 1929-07-13 |
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Our Modern Maidens | Bridesmaid (uncredited) | 1929-09-08 |
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The Single Standard | Packy's Jealous Girlfriend at Art Exhibition (uncredited) | 1929-07-27 |
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Trent's Last Case | Ottilie Dunois | 1929-03-31 |
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Movie Night | 1929-05-11 | |
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A Pair of Tights | Anita | 1929-02-03 |
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Hunting the Hunter | 1929-10-20 | |
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From Soup to Nuts | Mrs. Culpepper | 1928-03-24 |
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The Play Girl | Millie | 1928-04-22 |
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Feed 'em and Weep | 1928-12-08 | |
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Their Purple Moment | Oliver's Girlfriend | 1928-05-19 |
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Fandango | 1928-05-05 | |
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Imagine My Embarrassment | 1928-09-01 | |
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Roaming Romeo | The Princess | 1928-07-29 |
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Sailors, Beware! | Madame Ritz | 1927-09-25 |
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Forgotten Sweeties | 1927-04-10 | |
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Assistant Wives | Gwendolyn - the Flapjack Queen | 1927-12-04 |
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Many Scrappy Returns | Wellington's Wife | 1927-01-09 |
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Fighting Fathers | Mrs. Sniffleblaster | 1927-12-10 |
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Never the Dames Shall Meet | Edna's Sister | 1927-12-24 |
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Why Girls Love Sailors | Captain's Wife | 1927-07-17 |
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Upstream | Theatre Audience Admirer at Stage Door | 1927-01-30 |
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Hats Off | Customer at top of stairs | 1927-11-05 |
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Baby Brother | Amorous nursemaid | 1927-06-26 |
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The Battle of the Century | Slips on pie (uncredited) | 1927-12-31 |
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With Love and Hisses | Captain Bustle's 1st girlfriend | 1927-08-28 |
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Two-Time Mama | Mrs. Dazzle | 1927-01-29 |
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The Motor Boat Demon | Colleen | 1927-01-02 |
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Raggedy Rose | Janice | 1926-11-06 |
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For Sadie's Sake | 1926-01-24 | |
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Bertha the Sewing Machine Girl | Flo Mason | 1926-12-19 |
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Move Along | Rich girl with roses | 1926-07-24 |
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Creeps | 1926-05-30 | |
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A Taxi War | 1925-11-11 | |
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In the Grease | Physical Culture teacher | 1925-06-20 |
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Book Bozo | 1925-08-15 | |
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My Swedie | Ethel Lorraine | 1925-12-13 |
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A Dangerous Peach | Mrs. Wilson | 1925-02-18 |
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Fair But Foolish | 1925-11-29 | |
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The Sleuth | The other woman | 1925-06-30 |
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Bright Lights | 1924-09-14 | |
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The Last Man on Earth | A Millionairess (uncredited) | 1924-11-02 |
