Leila Hyams facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Leila Hyams
Hyams in 1929
Born	(1905-05-01)May 1, 1905 New York City, U.S.
Died	December 4, 1977(1977-12-04) (aged 72) Bel Air, Los Angeles, U.S.
Occupation	vaudevillian stage performer model film actress
Years active	prior to 1924 vaudeville and stage, 1924 – 1936, film
Spouse(s)	Phil Berg (1927–1977, her death)

Leila Hyams (born May 1, 1905 – died December 4, 1977) was an American actress. She was also a model and performed in Vaudeville, which was a type of live stage show. Leila came from a family of performers.

Her movie career started in 1924, when movies were still silent. She stopped acting in films in 1936. Leila Hyams was known for her blonde hair and blue eyes. She acted in over 50 movies and was often featured on magazine covers.

Early Life and Family

Leila Hyams was born in New York City. Her parents, John Hyams and Leila (McIntyre) Hyams, were both comedy performers. They worked in vaudeville and also appeared in movies. You can see them together in films like The Housekeeper's Daughter (1939).

Stage and Modeling Career

Leila started performing on stage when she was a child. She worked with her parents in their vaudeville show for five years.

As a teenager, Leila became a model. She was very famous across the United States. This was because she appeared in many successful newspaper ads. Her success as a model helped her get noticed in Hollywood.

Leila Hyams' Film Career

Hyams photographed in Italy in 1931

Leila Hyams made her first movie in 1924. She often played sweet, innocent characters. At first, her roles mostly required her to smile and look pretty. But over time, she showed that she was a serious actress.

By 1928, she was playing main roles. She had a big success in Alias Jimmy Valentine (1928). This was one of the first "talkie" movies from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). She acted alongside famous stars like William Haines and Lionel Barrymore.

The next year, she was in a popular mystery movie called The Thirteenth Chair. This role let her show off her acting skills as a murder suspect. She also appeared in The Far Call, a romantic adventure movie that is now lost.

Leila's roles continued to get better. She played Robert Montgomery's sister in the prison drama The Big House (1930). She received good reviews for her performance in this film. She also starred in Surrender (1931).

Hyams in 1932

Even though she was good at playing pretty characters, she is best known for two horror movies. She played Venus, a kind circus performer, in Freaks (1932). She was also the main female character in Island of Lost Souls (1932). This movie starred Charles Laughton and Béla Lugosi.

Leila was first offered the role of Jane in Tarzan the Ape Man (1932). However, she turned it down, and Maureen O'Sullivan played the part instead. Leila also appeared in the movie Red-Headed Woman (1932) with Jean Harlow. She showed her comedic talent in Ruggles of Red Gap (1935). After making 1,000 Dollars a Minute in 1935, she retired from acting.

Later Life

Leila Hyams as Venus with Wallace Ford as Phroso the Clown in Freaks (1932)

Wallace Ford, Johnny Eck and Hyams in Freaks (1932)

Hyams in 1932

Hyams in 1932

Hyams with co-star Richard Dix in Yellow Dust (1936)

Leila Hyams married her talent agent, Phil Berg, in 1927. She retired from acting in 1936. She had been in 50 films over 12 years. Even after retiring, she stayed involved in the Hollywood community.

Leila Hyams passed away in 1977 at her home in Bel-Air, Los Angeles. She was 72 years old. Her husband, Phil, survived her.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Leila Hyams para niños