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Anita Garvin

Anita Garvin

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."

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

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

Assistant Wives

1927

as Gwendolyn - the Flapjack Queen

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

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