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Anita Page
Anita Page - OUR MODERN MAIDENS.jpg
Page in Our Modern Maidens (1929)
Born
Anita Evelyn Pomares

(1910-08-04)August 4, 1910
Flushing, Queens, New York City, U.S.
Died September 6, 2008(2008-09-06) (aged 98)
Resting place Holy Cross Cemetery, San Diego, California
Occupation Actress
Years active 1925–1936; 1961; 1996–2008
Spouse(s)
Nacio Herb Brown
(m. 1934; div. 1935)
Herschel A. House
(m. 1937; died 1991)
Children 2

Anita Page (born Anita Evelyn Pomares; August 4, 1910 – September 6, 2008) was an American film actress. She became very famous during the last years of the silent film era.

People in the 1920s called her "the girl with the most beautiful face in Hollywood." She was known for her blonde hair and blue eyes. Anita Page stopped acting in 1936. However, she returned to movies sixty years later in 1996. She even appeared in four more films in the 2000s.

Early Life

Anita Evelyn Pomares was born on August 4, 1910. Her birthplace was Flushing, Queens, New York. Her parents were Marino Leo, Sr., and Maude Evelyn Pomares. Her father was from Brooklyn.

Anita had one brother, Marino Jr. He later worked as her gym instructor. Her mother was her secretary, and her father was her chauffeur. Anita's grandfather, Marino, was from Spain. He worked as a consul in El Salvador. Her grandmother, Anna Muñoz, had Spanish and French family roots.

Career

Starting in Movies

Anita Page began her film career with help from her friend, actress Betty Bronson. A man who handled Betty's fan mail saw a photo of Anita. He was also interested in finding new actors. With her mother's encouragement, Anita called him. He set up a meeting for her with a casting director at Paramount Studios.

After a screen test, Anita was offered contracts by two big studios. She chose MGM. She said she picked MGM because "they were so good for female actresses." She believed MGM was the best studio.

Silent Film Star

Anita Page's first movie for MGM was Telling the World in 1928. It was a comedy-drama with William Haines. Her next MGM film, Our Dancing Daughters (1928), was a big hit. She starred alongside Joan Crawford. This movie led to two more similar films with them: Our Modern Maidens and Our Blushing Brides. Anita once joked about these movies, saying they would become "The Galloping Grandmothers."

One of her most famous films was The Broadway Melody (1929). She starred with Bessie Love. This movie won the Best Picture award at the Academy Awards.

Moving to Talkies

Anita Page successfully moved into talking pictures. However, she missed silent films. She felt silent films were better. She explained that silent films had mood music playing throughout scenes. This music helped inspire the actors. Her favorite song for this was 'My Heart at Thy Sweet Voice'.

She found that talkies stopped the music when actors spoke. This was often a letdown for her.

Hollywood Popularity

When not filming, Anita was busy with studio photographer George Hurrell. They created many publicity photos. She was one of the first people he photographed. Her picture was the first of his to be published. MGM often highlighted her background in press releases. They called her "a Spanish blonde" and "a blonde, blue-eyed Latin."

Anita Page played the main female role for many famous actors. These included Lon Chaney, Buster Keaton, Robert Montgomery, and Clark Gable. In the early 1930s, she was one of Hollywood's busiest actresses. She was very popular and received more fan mail than almost any other female star. Only Greta Garbo received more.

Retirement from Acting

In 1933, Anita Page's contract ended. She decided to retire from acting at age 23. She retired because she was not given a pay raise. She made one more movie, Hitch Hike to Heaven, in 1936. After that, she fully stopped acting for a long time.

She married composer Nacio Herb Brown in 1934. This marriage was later canceled. She then married Navy pilot Lieutenant Hershel A. House in 1937. They lived in Coronado, California, until he passed away in 1991. They had two daughters named Linda and Sandra.

Anita Page was a Democrat. She supported Adlai Stevenson II in the 1952 presidential election. She was also a Roman Catholic.

Return to Acting

Anita Page returned to acting in 1996. This was after sixty years of retirement. She appeared in several low-budget horror films. Another film veteran, Margaret O'Brien, appeared in two of these movies with her.

Later Years and Death

Anita Page was the last living person who attended the very first Academy Awards ceremony in 1929. She often gave interviews as the "last star of the silents." She appeared in documentaries about that movie era.

Anita Page passed away peacefully in her sleep at age 98. This was on September 6, 2008, at her home in Los Angeles. She is buried in the Holy Cross Cemetery in San Diego.

Legacy

Anita Page has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It is located at 6116 Hollywood Boulevard. This star honors her important contributions to the movie industry.

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1925 A Kiss for Cinderella Uncredited
1926 Love 'Em and Leave 'Em Uncredited
1927 Beach Nuts Short
1928 Telling the World Chrystal Malone
Our Dancing Daughters Ann 'Annikins'
While the City Sleeps Myrtle Portions of 2 reels are missing
West of Zanzibar Bit role Uncredited
1929 The Flying Fleet Anita Hastings
The Broadway Melody Queenie Mahoney Alternative title: The Broadway Melody of 1929
The Hollywood Revue of 1929 Herself
Our Modern Maidens Kentucky Strafford
Speedway Patricia
Navy Blues Alice "Allie" Brown
1930 Free and Easy Elvira Plunkett Alternative title: Easy Go
Caught Short Genevieve Jones
Our Blushing Brides Connie Blair
The Little Accident Isabel
War Nurse Joy Meadows
Great Day Incomplete
Estrellados Herself Uncredited
1931 The Voice of Hollywood No. 7 (Second Series) Herself Short
Wir schalten um auf Hollywood Herself Uncredited
Reducing Vivian Truffle
The Easiest Way Peg Murdock Feliki
Gentleman's Fate Ruth Corrigan
Sidewalks of New York Margie Kelly
Under Eighteen Sophie
1932 Are You Listening? Sally O'Neil
Night Court Mary Thomas Alternative title: Justice for Sale
Skyscraper Souls Jenny LeGrande
Prosperity Helen Praskins Warren
1933 Jungle Bride Doris Evans
Soldiers of the Storm Natalie
The Big Cage Lilian Langley
I Have Lived Jean St. Clair Alternative titles: After Midnight
Love Life
1936 Hitch Hike to Heaven Claudia Revelle Alternative title: Footlights and Shadows
1961 The Runaway Nun
1996 Sunset After Dark Anita Bronson
1998 Creaturealm: From the Dead Herself (segment "Hollywood Mortuary")
2000 Witchcraft XI: Sisters in Blood Sister Seraphina Direct-to-DVD release
2002 The Crawling Brain Grandma Anita Kroger Direct-to-DVD release
2004 Bob's Night Out Socialite
2010 Frankenstein Rising Elizabeth Frankenstein Released posthumously
2016 Doctor Stein Elizabeth Stein Released posthumously

Images for kids

See Also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Anita Page para niños

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