1904-08-25 Paterson, New Jersey, USA
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Alice White (born Alva White, August 25, 1904 – February 19, 1983) was an American film actress. Her career spanned late silent films and early sound films. After leaving school, White became a secretary and "script girl" for director Josef Von Sternberg. She also worked as a switchboard operator at the Hollywood Writers' Club. After clashing with Von Sternberg, White left to work for Charlie Chaplin, who decided before long to place her in front of the camera. Her bubbly and vivacious persona led to comparisons with Clara Bow, but White's career was slow to progress. In his book, Silent Films, 1877-1996: A Critical Guide to 646 Movies, Robert K. Klepper wrote: "Some critics have said that Ms. White was a second-string Clara Bow. In actuality, Ms. White had her own type of charm, and was a delightful actress in her own, unique way. Whereas Clara Bow played the quintessential, flaming redheaded flapper, Alice White was more of a bubbly, vivacious blonde." After playing a succession of flappers and gold diggers, she attracted the attention of director and producer Mervyn LeRoy, who saw potential in her. Her screen debut was in The Sea Tiger (1927). Her early films included Show Girl (1928), which had Vitaphone musical accompaniment but no dialog, and its "talkie" musical sequel Show Girl in Hollywood (1930), both released by Warner Brothers and both based on novels by J. P. McEvoy. In these two films, White appeared as "Dixie Dugan". In October 1929, McAvoy started the comic strip Dixie Dugan with the character Dixie having a "helmet" hairstyle and appearance similar to actress Louise Brooks. White also used the services of Hollywood 'beauty sculptor' Sylvia of Hollywood to stay in shape. White was featured in The Girl from Woolworth's (1929), having the role of a singing clerk in the music department of a Woolworth's store. Karen Plunkett-Powell wrote in her book, Remembering Woolworth's: A Nostalgic History of the World's Most Famous Five-and-Dime: "First National Pictures produced this 60-minute musical as a showcase for up-and-coming actress Alice White." She left films in 1931 to improve her acting abilities, returning in 1933 only to have her career hurt by a scandal that erupted over her involvement with boyfriend actor Jack Warburton and future husband Sy Bartlett. Although she later married Bartlett, her reputation was tarnished and she appeared only in supporting roles after this. By 1937 and 1938, her name was at the bottom of the cast lists. She made her final film appearance in Flamingo Road (1949) and eventually resumed working as a secretary.
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Flamingo Road | Gracie | 1949-04-30 |
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Girls' Town | Nicky | 1942-03-06 |
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The Night of January 16th | Flashy Blonde | 1941-11-28 |
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King of the Newsboys | Dolly | 1938-03-18 |
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Annabel Takes a Tour | Marcella, Hotel Manicurist | 1938-11-10 |
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Big City | Peggy Devlin | 1937-09-03 |
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Telephone Operator | Dotty Stengal | 1937-12-07 |
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Sweet Music | Lulu Betts | 1935-02-23 |
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Coronado | Violet Wray Hornbostel | 1935-11-27 |
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A Trip Thru a Hollywood Studio | Herself (uncredited) | 1935-02-02 |
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The Hollywood Gad-About | Self (uncredited) | 1934-10-04 |
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A Very Honorable Guy | Hortense | 1934-04-18 |
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Secret of the Chateau | Didi Bonfee | 1934-12-03 |
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Gift of Gab | Margot | 1934-09-01 |
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Cross Country Cruise | May | 1934-01-16 |
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Jimmy the Gent | Mabel | 1934-03-09 |
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King for a Night | Evelyn | 1933-12-09 |
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Employees' Entrance | Polly Dale | 1933-02-11 |
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Picture Snatcher | Allison | 1933-05-06 |
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Luxury Liner | Milli Lynch | 1933-02-03 |
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Murder at Midnight | Millie Scripps | 1931-09-01 |
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Sweet Mama | Goldie | 1930-07-06 |
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Sweethearts on Parade | Helen | 1930-09-12 |
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The Naughty Flirt | Miss Katherine Constance 'Kay' Elliott | 1930-12-17 |
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Show Girl in Hollywood | Dixie Dugan | 1930-04-20 |
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The Widow from Chicago | Polly Henderson, aka Polly Dorgan | 1930-11-23 |
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Playing Around | Sheba Miller | 1930-01-10 |
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Hot Stuff | Barbara Allen | 1929-05-05 |
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The Girl from Woolworth's | Pat King | 1929-10-27 |
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Show of Shows | Performer in 'If I Could Learn to Love' Number (uncredited) | 1929-11-21 |
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Broadway Babies | Dee Foster | 1929-06-30 |
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3-Ring Marriage | Trapeze Performer | 1928-06-10 |
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Naughty Baby | Rosalind McGill | 1928-12-16 |
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Fashion News | Self (1929) | 1928-11-06 |
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Gentlemen Prefer Blondes | Dorothy Shaw | 1928-01-22 |
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Show Girl | Dixie Dugan | 1928-09-23 |
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Harold Teen | Giggles Dewberry | 1928-04-28 |
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The Big Noise | Sophie Sloval | 1928-03-25 |
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Mad Hour | Aimee | 1928-03-04 |
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Breakfast at Sunrise | Loulou | 1927-10-23 |
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The Sea Tiger | Manuella | 1927-02-27 |
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The Private Life of Helen of Troy | Adraste | 1927-12-09 |
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The Satin Woman | Jean Taylor | 1927-07-24 |
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American Beauty | Claire O'Riley | 1927-10-09 |
