Mary Miles Minter facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mary Miles Minter
Minter in 1923
Born	Juliet Reilly (1902-04-25)April 25, 1902 Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S.
Died	August 4, 1984(1984-08-04) (aged 82) Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Other names	Juliet Shelby
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1907–1923
Spouse(s)	Brandon O. Hildebrandt ​ ​ (m. 1957; his death 1965)​
Parent(s)	Charlotte Shelby (mother)
Relatives	Margaret Shelby (sister)

Mary Miles Minter (born Juliet Reilly; April 25, 1902 – August 4, 1984) was an American actress. She starred in 53 silent films between 1912 and 1923.

In 1922, Mary Miles Minter's career was affected by a major event involving director William Desmond Taylor. Although rumors spread, her acting career ended in 1923.

Early life

Mary Miles Minter was born Juliet Reilly in Shreveport, Louisiana. She was the younger of two daughters. Her mother was Lily Pearl Miles, who later became a Broadway actress known as Charlotte Shelby. Her older sister, Margaret Reilly, also became an actress using the name Margaret Shelby.

Career

Stage and film career

Minter, around 1918

Mary Miles Minter began acting at age five. She went with her sister Margaret to an audition because there was no one to watch her. The director noticed her and gave her a part. She quickly became known for her talent and good looks. To follow rules about children working, her mother changed Juliet's name to Mary Miles Minter in 1912.

Her first movie was a short film called The Nurse (1912), where she was credited as Juliet Shelby. Later, using her new stage name, Minter starred as Viola Drayton in the drama The Fairy and the Waif (1915).

Mary Miles Minter's career grew steadily. She often played sweet, innocent young women. With her pretty face, blue eyes, and blonde curls, she was often compared to, and later became a rival of, the famous actress Mary Pickford.

Her first movie with director William Desmond Taylor was Anne of Green Gables (1919). This movie was very popular, and Taylor helped Minter's career a lot. Mary Miles Minter said she had strong feelings for him. However, Taylor reportedly felt their 30-year age difference was too great. Other people who knew them said he did not feel the same way about her.

Later career and retirement

Mary Miles Minter made four more movies for Paramount Pictures. Her last film was The Trail of the Lonesome Pine (1923). When her contract ended, she received many new offers. However, she turned them all down. She said she had never truly enjoyed being an actress.

Personal life

Miles Minter by Witzel, around 1917

In 1925, Mary Miles Minter had a disagreement with her mother. She asked for an accounting of the money her mother had managed for her during her acting career. They settled the case outside of court in Paris, France, in 1927.

In 1957, Mary Miles Minter married Brandon O. Hildebrandt (1898–1965), a real estate developer. They were married until his death in 1965.

Later years

Mary Miles Minter said she was happy living without her Hollywood career. She later became friends with her mother again. She also continued to express her feelings for William Desmond Taylor throughout her life. Mary Miles Minter had invested her money in real estate in Los Angeles. This allowed her to live a comfortable life. She later moved to a house in Santa Monica, California. Her mother, Charlotte Shelby, died there in 1957.

In 1981, Mary Miles Minter was injured during a robbery at her home. Many valuable items, including antiques, china, and jewelry, were stolen. Police described her as a frail older woman. People were often surprised to learn she had once been a famous movie star.

Mary Miles Minter died in 1984 at age 82 from a stroke in Santa Monica. She was cremated, and her ashes were scattered at sea. For her work in movies, she has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1724 Vine Street in Hollywood.

Legacy

Many of Mary Miles Minter's films are now lost. Out of her 53 movies, only about a dozen still exist today. A copy of her 1919 movie The Ghost of Rosy Taylor was found in New Zealand in the 1990s. Other surviving movies include The Fairy and the Waif (1915), Youth's Endearing Charm (1916), A Dream or Two Ago (1916), The Innocence of Lizette (1916), The Eyes of Julia Deep (1918), Nurse Marjorie (1920), A Cumberland Romance (1920), and The Little Clown (1921).

Filmography

Images for kids

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  The Amazing Impostor (1919)

See also

In Spanish: Mary Miles Minter para niños