Colleen Moore
Born Kathleen Morrison Aug. 19, 1900, in Port Huron,
MI. It was her Uncle Walter Howey, editor of the Chicago
Tribune, who arranged for Moore to be introduced to D.W.
Griffith. She started off with small parts in several Triangle
films, none of which were directed by Griffith. Her first starring
role was as Annie in "Little Orphant Annie" in 1918.
Her next film was in Charles Ray's "The
Busher" (1919) as the love interest which also had a
then-unknown John Gilbert as the bad guy. She also starred in
a couple of westerns opposite Tom Mix in 1919 and 1920 and admitted
to falling in love with her leading man. She stayed busy making
features and even working in a few Christie comedies. Then in
1921 she made "The
Sky Pilot" which was directed by King Vidor, a man whom
she reportedly loved all her life despite marrying others. They
remained close friends until Vidor's death in 1982. In 1923, she
married First National press agent John McCormick, and, although
their marriage was a stormy one (mainly due to McCormick's alcoholism),
he took over her career and guided her through her biggest films
of the twenties. The role that made her a star was "Flaming
Youth" (1923). This started the flapper craze of the twenties
and Moore's Dutch-bob hairstyle in the film also set off a new
craze, as well. After the success of "Flaming Youth,"
First National signed Moore to a contract at $4,000 a week. Moore
made over 20 more films during the 1920's. She was most recognized
for her light comedies such as "Irene" (1926), "Ella
Cinders" (1926), "Twinkletoes" (1926), "Orchids
and Ermines" (1927), and "Naughty But Nice" (1927).
One of her best dramatic performances was in Edna Ferber's popular
tale "So Big" (1924). One of her last silents was one
of the best World War I pictures of the silent era, "Lilac
Time" (1928) which co-starred the then up-and-coming
Gary Cooper. She made two more silents before her first talkie,
"Smiling Irish Eyes" (1929) which proved to be unsuccessful.
She made four more talkies before retiring with "The Scarlet
Letter" in 1934. Moore had divorced McCormick in the late
1920's and married New York businessman Albert Scott in 1931,
although the marriage was short-lived. Moore appeared in a few
plays during the thirties, but retired from acting altogether
in 1937 when she married stockbrocker Homer Hargrave. The two
were happily married until his death in 1967. Moore was a wealthy
woman who traveled and wrote books about the stock market and
her famous doll house which she began in 1928 (it is now housed
at Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago). Moore died at her
home in Templeton, CA. Jan. 25, 1988.
Selected films of this star available for viewing:
The
Busher (1919)
The
Sky Pilot (1921)
Broken Hearts of Broadway (1923)
Ella
Cinders (1926)
Irene (1926)
Orchids and Ermines (1927)
Lilac
Time (1928)
Why
Be Good? (1929)
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