1898-08-18 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Olive Eleanor Boardman (August 19, 1898 – December 12, 1991) was an American film actress of the silent era. Olive Eleanor Boardman was born on August 19, 1898, the youngest child to George W. Boardman and Janice Merriam "Jennie" Stockman Boardman. She had two older sisters named Merriam and Esther. In 1920, she was working as a contractor. Educated in Philadelphia, Boardman originally acted on stage, but she lost her voice while starring in The National Anthem. She then entered a nationwide contest for new actors and actresses for silent films. She was chosen from among 1,000 competitors by Goldwyn Pictures as their "New Face of 1922". Her initial screen test was unsuccessful, but a second test resulted in a contract. After several successful supporting roles, she played the lead in Souls for Sale in 1923. That same year, Boardman's growing popularity was reflected by her inclusion on the list of WAMPAS Baby Stars. She appeared in more than 30 films during her career, including director King Vidor's The Crowd (1928). Her performance in that film is widely recognized as one of the outstanding performances in American silent film. In 1932, after some success in sound films, she parted ways with MGM. Her final film was The Three Cornered Hat, which was made in Spain in 1935. After that production, she retired from acting and retreated from Hollywood. Her last appearances were in an interview filmed for Kevin Brownlow and David Gill's British documentary series Hollywood (1980) and the series MGM: When the Lion Roars (1992).
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Land of Liberty | (archive footage) | 1939-06-15 |
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The Great Meadow | Diony Hall | 1931-01-24 |
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The Squaw Man | Lady Diana Kerhill | 1931-07-21 |
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Redemption | Lisa Protasoff | 1930-04-05 |
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Mamba | Helen von Linden | 1930-03-09 |
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She Goes to War | Joan Morant | 1929-06-07 |
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The Crowd | Mary Sims | 1928-03-03 |
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Diamond Handcuffs | Tillie | 1928-05-05 |
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Show People | Roxalanne in 'Bardeleys the Magnificent' (uncredited) | 1928-11-20 |
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Memory Lane | Mary | 1926-02-01 |
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Tell It to the Marines | Norma Dale | 1926-12-23 |
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The Auction Block | Lorelei Knight | 1926-07-19 |
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Bardelys the Magnificent | Roxalanne de Lavedan | 1926-09-30 |
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The Only Thing | Thyra, Princess of Svendborg | 1925-11-22 |
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The Circle | Elizabeth Cheney | 1925-09-22 |
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Exchange of Wives | Margaret Rathburn | 1925-10-04 |
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The Way of a Girl | Rosamond | 1925-03-29 |
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1925 Studio Tour | Self | 1925-04-09 |
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Proud Flesh | Fernanda | 1925-04-27 |
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So This Is Marriage? | Beth Marsh | 1924-11-26 |
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True As Steel | Ethel Parry | 1924-04-20 |
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The Silent Accuser | Barbara Jane | 1924-11-24 |
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Sinners in Silk | Penelope Stevens | 1924-09-01 |
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Wine of Youth | Mary Hollister | 1924-09-15 |
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The Wife of the Centaur | Joan Converse | 1924-12-01 |
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The Turmoil | Mary Vertrees | 1924-09-14 |
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Souls for Sale | Miss Remember Steddon | 1923-04-22 |
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Vanity Fair | Amelia Sedley | 1923-02-25 |
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Three Wise Fools | Rena Fairchild / Sydney Fairfield | 1923-08-19 |
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The Day of Faith | Jane Maynard | 1923-10-20 |
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Gimme | Clothilde Kingsley | 1923-01-14 |
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The Strangers' Banquet | Jean McPherson | 1922-12-31 |
