Mae Busch facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mae Busch
Busch featured in The Blue Book of the Screen, 1923
Born	Annie May Busch (1891-06-18)18 June 1891 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Died	20 April 1946(1946-04-20) (aged 54) San Fernando Valley, California, U.S.
Resting place	Chapel of the Pines Crematory
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1912–1946
Spouse(s)	Francis McDonald ​ ​ (m. 1915; div. 1922)​ John Earl Cassell ​ ​ (m. 1926; div. 1929)​ Thomas C. Tate ​ (m. 1936)​
Signature

Mae Busch (born Annie May Busch; 18 June 1891 – 20 April 1946) was an actress from Australia. She starred in both silent films and early "talkies" (movies with sound) in Hollywood. Later in her career, she became well-known for playing strong-willed characters, often the wife of Oliver Hardy, in many Laurel and Hardy comedies.

Early Life and Acting Career

Mae Busch in the film magazine Stars of the Photoplay, 1924

Mae Busch was born in Melbourne, Australia. Her parents, Elizabeth Maria Lay and Frederick William Busch, were popular vaudeville performers. Vaudeville was a type of live entertainment with different acts like singing, dancing, and comedy.

Her parents toured a lot, even when Mae was young. When she was six, Mae lived in a convent school in New Jersey, USA. At age 12, she joined her parents on stage. Their act was called the Busch Devere Trio.

Mae got her big chance in 1912. She took over a main role in a show called Over the River with famous performer Eddie Foy.

Starting in Movies

Mae Busch began appearing in films around 1912. She joined Keystone Studios in 1915. There, she acted in short comedy films, often called "two-reelers."

At the peak of her film career, Mae was known as a "versatile actress." She starred in big movies like The Devil's Pass Key (1920) and Foolish Wives (1923). Both were directed by Erich von Stroheim. She also appeared in The Unholy Three (1925) with Lon Chaney.

After leaving her contract at Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer, she took a break to regain her health. She then returned to acting in both large and small studios. A great opportunity came in 1927 with the movie Perch of the Devil. In this film, Mae played a kind young bride, a different type of role for her. This movie had an amazing flood scene. Footage from this scene was used in other Universal movies for over ten years!

Working with Laurel and Hardy

In 1926, producer Hal Roach started casting famous dramatic actors in his short comedies. Mae Busch joined his "All Stars" team. She had a main role in Love 'em and Weep (1927). This film started her long connection with the comedy duo Laurel and Hardy.

By 1929, many silent film stars worried about their future. Movies were starting to have sound, and new skills were needed. Mae Busch took a role in a Laurel & Hardy comedy called Unaccustomed as We Are (1929). This was the comedy team's first "all-talking" movie. Mae, who had stage experience, handled her lines very well as Oliver Hardy's strong-willed wife.

She appeared in 12 more Laurel and Hardy comedies. She showed her acting range by playing different types of characters. Sometimes she was a tough, tricky woman (in Chickens Come Home, Come Clean). Other times, she was Oliver Hardy's spirited wife (in Sons of the Desert, Their First Mistake). She also played more understanding roles (in Them Thar Hills, Tit for Tat, The Fixer Uppers). Her last role with Laurel and Hardy was in The Bohemian Girl in 1936.

After 1936, many of her film roles were "uncredited." This means her name was not shown in the movie's opening or closing credits. Overall, Mae Busch acted in about 130 movies between 1912 and 1946. Later, TV star Jackie Gleason even mentioned her as "the ever-popular Mae Busch."

In 2014, a movie from 1919 called The Grim Game was found and restored. It was the first movie to star Harry Houdini, the famous magician. Mae Busch appears in this film, credited as Mae Bush.

Personal Life and Legacy

Mae Busch and her third husband, Thomas Tate

Mae Busch was married three times. Her husbands were actor Francis McDonald (from 1915 to 1922), John Earl Cassell (from 1926 to 1929), and civil engineer Thomas C. Tate (from 1936 until her death).

Mae Busch passed away on 20 April 1946, at age 54. She had been ill with colon cancer.

For her important work in movies, Mae Busch received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. Her star is located at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.

Years after her death, it was found that her ashes had not been claimed. A group called The Sons of the Desert, which is a fan club for Laurel and Hardy, paid to have her ashes placed in a public spot at the Chapel of the Pines Crematory. The memorial plaque there incorrectly shows her birth year as 1901.

Selected Filmography