Anita Garvin
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Anita Garvin (February 11, 1907 – July 7, 1994) was an American actress and comedian who appeared in both silent and sound films. She is best known for her work with comedians Laurel and Hardy and Charley Chase. Garvin was born in New York City.] Her two sisters who danced in vaudeville encouraged her talents. At age 12, she lied to an agent saying she was "almost sixteen" and got a job being a bathing beauty for one of Mack Sennett's stage shows. The following year she joined the Ziegfeld Follies. She took pride in being the only woman allowed to touch Will Rogers's ropes. She also appeared in Earl Carroll Vanities. Garvin went on tour with the musical Sally staying with the show for two seasons, then decided to stay in California when the tour left that stop in 1924. In Hollywood, Garvin began working for Christie Film Company's comedies. She recalled her co-star Bobby Vernon dropping butter on the floor onto which she stepped and tumbled, cementing her career as a comedian. Charles Lamont brought her over to work for Educational Pictures. In 1926, Hal Roach took her under contract, where she appeared in many silent films with Charley Chase, James Finlayson, and Max Davidson as well as playing occasional supporting roles in feature films. Standing around 6 feet tall, "her regal countenance and deadpan expression" made her the perfect comic foil. Roach later considered her "one of his finest actresses." Reflecting upon her frequent co-star Stan Laurel, Garvin observed: "One thing about Stan--with apologies to a lot of directors--they thought they were directing him. And they thought they were directing the picture. But Stan was the one...He was very clever about it. The director was never cognizant of the fact that he was not doing all the directing. Stan's mind was going all the time, always thinking of gags and things to do. The script didn't mean a thing." Garvin appeared in a total of eleven Laurel and Hardy films. In 1928, she was teamed with Marion Byron as a short-lived female version of Laurel and Hardy. Along with Edgar Kennedy, Byron and Garvin appeared in A Pair of Tights, an "acknowledged masterpiece."
Known For
Credits
- 1940 · Sunk by the Census as
- 1940 · Bested by a Beard as Mrs. Vivian Errol
- 1940 · A Chump at Oxford as Mrs. Vandevere (uncredited)
- 1938 · Swiss Miss as Tradesman's wife
- 1937 · Topper as
- 1936 · Sleepless Hollow as Harry's Wife
- 1936 · While the Cat's Away as Emma
- 1934 · Merry Wives of Reno as Male-Seeking Woman in Hotel Lobby (uncredited)
- 1933 · His Silent Racket as Mrs. Finlayson
- 1933 · Asleep in the Feet as Dance Hall Hostess
- 1932 · Yoo-Hoo as Anita
- 1932 · Show Business as Anita Garvin
- 1931 · Murder at Midnight as Party Guest (uncredited)
- 1931 · The Skulls as Señora Laurel
- 1931 · Be Big! as Mrs. Laurel
- 1931 · The Chiselers as Mme. Laurel
- 1930 · Whispering Whoopee as Miss Garvin
- 1930 · Blotto as Mrs. Laurel
- 1930 · Sally as Party Guest (uncredited)
- 1929 · Dynamite as Undetermined Role (uncredited)
- 1929 · Red Hot Rhythm as Mable
- 1929 · Stepping Out as The Date
- 1929 · Our Modern Maidens as Bridesmaid (uncredited)
- 1929 · The Single Standard as Packy's Jealous Girlfriend at Art Exhibition (uncredited)
- 1929 · Modern Love as Mrs. Weston - the Brunette
- 1929 · On With the Show! as Chorine (uncredited)
- 1929 · Movie Night as
- 1929 · The Charlatan as Mrs. Paynter
- 1929 · Trent's Last Case as Ottilie Dunois
- 1929 · Off to Buffalo as Mrs. Brown
- 1929 · A Pair of Tights as Anita
- 1929 · Going Ga-Ga as Anita
- 1928 · Feed 'em and Weep as
- 1928 · Imagine My Embarrassment as
- 1928 · Roaming Romeo as The Princess
- 1928 · Their Purple Moment as Oliver's Girlfriend
- 1928 · Fandango as
- 1928 · The Play Girl as Millie
- 1928 · From Soup to Nuts as Mrs. Culpepper
- 1927 · The Battle of the Century as Slips on pie (uncredited)
- 1927 · Never the Dames Shall Meet as Edna's Sister
- 1927 · Hats Off as Customer at top of stairs
- 1927 · Sailors, Beware! as Madame Ritz
- 1927 · With Love and Hisses as Captain Bustle's 1st girlfriend
- 1927 · Assistant Wives as Gwendolyn - the Flapjack Queen
- 1927 · Why Girls Love Sailors as Captain's Wife
- 1927 · Baby Brother as Amorous nursemaid
- 1927 · Forgotten Sweeties as
- 1927 · Upstream as Theatre Audience Admirer at Stage Door
- 1927 · Two-Time Mama as Mrs. Dazzle
- 1927 · Many Scrappy Returns as Wellington's Wife
- 1927 · The Motor Boat Demon as Colleen
- 1926 · Bertha the Sewing Machine Girl as Flo Mason
- 1926 · Raggedy Rose as Janice
- 1926 · Move Along as Rich girl with roses
- 1926 · Creeps as
- 1926 · For Sadie's Sake as
- 1925 · Fair But Foolish as
- 1925 · Book Bozo as
- 1925 · The Sleuth as The other woman
- 1925 · In the Grease as Physical Culture teacher
- 1925 · A Dangerous Peach as Mrs. Wilson
- 1924 · The Last Man on Earth as A Millionairess (uncredited)
- 1924 · Bright Lights as