Anita Garvin
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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."
Acted in
Sunk by the Census
1940
Bested by a Beard
1940
as Mrs. Vivian Errol
A Chump at Oxford
1940
as Mrs. Vandevere (uncredited)
Swiss Miss
1938
as Tradesman's wife
Topper
1937
Sleepless Hollow
1936
as Harry's Wife
While the Cat's Away
1936
as Emma
Merry Wives of Reno
1934
as Male-Seeking Woman in Hotel Lobby (uncredited)
His Silent Racket
1933
as Mrs. Finlayson
Asleep in the Feet
1933
as Dance Hall Hostess
Yoo-Hoo
1932
as Anita
Show Business
1932
as Anita Garvin
Murder at Midnight
1931
as Party Guest (uncredited)
The Skulls
1931
as Señora Laurel
Be Big!
1931
as Mrs. Laurel
The Chiselers
1931
as Mme. Laurel
Whispering Whoopee
1930
as Miss Garvin
Blotto
1930
as Mrs. Laurel
Sally
1930
as Party Guest (uncredited)
Dynamite
1929
as Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Red Hot Rhythm
1929
as Mable
Stepping Out
1929
as The Date
Our Modern Maidens
1929
as Bridesmaid (uncredited)
The Single Standard
1929
as Packy's Jealous Girlfriend at Art Exhibition (uncredited)
Modern Love
1929
as Mrs. Weston - the Brunette
On With the Show!
1929
as Chorine (uncredited)
Movie Night
1929
The Charlatan
1929
as Mrs. Paynter
Trent's Last Case
1929
as Ottilie Dunois
Off to Buffalo
1929
as Mrs. Brown
A Pair of Tights
1929
as Anita
Going Ga-Ga
1929
as Anita
Feed 'em and Weep
1928
Imagine My Embarrassment
1928
Roaming Romeo
1928
as The Princess
Their Purple Moment
1928
as Oliver's Girlfriend
Fandango
1928
The Play Girl
1928
as Millie
From Soup to Nuts
1928
as Mrs. Culpepper
The Battle of the Century
1927
as Slips on pie (uncredited)
Never the Dames Shall Meet
1927
as Edna's Sister
Assistant Wives
1927
as Gwendolyn - the Flapjack Queen
Hats Off
1927
as Customer at top of stairs
Sailors, Beware!
1927
as Madame Ritz
With Love and Hisses
1927
as Captain Bustle's 1st girlfriend
Why Girls Love Sailors
1927
as Captain's Wife
Baby Brother
1927
as Amorous nursemaid
Forgotten Sweeties
1927
Upstream
1927
as Theatre Audience Admirer at Stage Door
Two-Time Mama
1927
as Mrs. Dazzle
Many Scrappy Returns
1927
as Wellington's Wife
The Motor Boat Demon
1927
as Colleen
Bertha the Sewing Machine Girl
1926
as Flo Mason
Raggedy Rose
1926
as Janice
Move Along
1926
as Rich girl with roses
Creeps
1926
For Sadie's Sake
1926
Fair But Foolish
1925
Book Bozo
1925
The Sleuth
1925
as The other woman
In the Grease
1925
as Physical Culture teacher
A Dangerous Peach
1925
as Mrs. Wilson
The Last Man on Earth
1924
as A Millionairess (uncredited)
Bright Lights
1924