About

Known credits:
33
Birthday:
1898-08-18
Place of birth:
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Website:
N/A

Eleanor Boardman

Overview

Olive Eleanor Boardman (August 19, 1898 – December 12, 1991) was an American film actress of the silent era.

Olive Eleanor Boardman was born on August 19, 1898, the youngest child to George W. Boardman and Janice Merriam "Jennie" Stockman Boardman. She had two older sisters named Merriam and Esther. In 1920, she was working as a contractor.

Educated in Philadelphia, Boardman originally acted on stage, but she lost her voice while starring in The National Anthem. She then entered a nationwide contest for new actors and actresses for silent films. She was chosen from among 1,000 competitors by Goldwyn Pictures as their "New Face of 1922". Her initial screen test was unsuccessful, but a second test resulted in a contract. After several successful supporting roles, she played the lead in Souls for Sale in 1923. That same year, Boardman's growing popularity was reflected by her inclusion on the list of WAMPAS Baby Stars.

She appeared in more than 30 films during her career, including director King Vidor's The Crowd (1928). Her performance in that film is widely recognized as one of the outstanding performances in American silent film. In 1932, after some success in sound films, she parted ways with MGM. Her final film was The Three Cornered Hat, which was made in Spain in 1935. After that production, she retired from acting and retreated from Hollywood. Her last appearances were in an interview filmed for Kevin Brownlow and David Gill's British documentary series Hollywood (1980) and the series MGM: When the Lion Roars (1992).

Known for

Acting
1939 Land of Liberty Actor (archive footage) N/A
N/A
1934 It Happened in Spain Actor Magistrate's Wife N/A
N/A
1931 The Squaw Man Actor Lady Diana Kerhill 58
Average
1931 The Great Meadow Actor Diony Hall 59
Average
1930 Redemption Actor Lisa Protasoff 58
Average
1930 Mamba Actor Helen von Linden 58
Average
1929 She Goes to War Actor Joan Morant 59
Average
1928 Show People Actor Roxalanne in 'Bardeleys the Magnificent' (uncredited) 59
Average
1928 Diamond Handcuffs Actor Tillie N/A
N/A
1928 The Crowd Actor Mary Sims 63
Fair
1926 Tell It to the Marines Actor Norma Dale 59
Average
1926 Bardelys the Magnificent Actor Roxalanne de Lavedan 59
Average
1926 The Auction Block Actor Lorelei Knight N/A
N/A
1926 Memory Lane Actor Mary N/A
N/A
1925 The Only Thing Actor Thyra, Princess of Svendborg 58
Average
1925 Exchange of Wives Actor Margaret Rathburn N/A
N/A
1925 The Circle Actor Elizabeth Cheney 58
Average
1925 Proud Flesh Actor Fernanda 58
Average
1925 1925 Studio Tour Actor Self 59
Average
1925 The Way of a Girl Actor Rosamond N/A
N/A
1924 The Wife of the Centaur Actor Joan Converse 58
Average
1924 So This Is Marriage? Actor Beth Marsh N/A
N/A
1924 The Silent Accuser Actor Barbara Jane N/A
N/A
1924 Wine of Youth Actor Mary Hollister 59
Average
1924 The Turmoil Actor Mary Vertrees N/A
N/A
1924 Sinners in Silk Actor Penelope Stevens N/A
N/A
1924 True As Steel Actor Ethel Parry N/A
N/A
1923 The Day of Faith Actor Jane Maynard N/A
N/A
1923 Three Wise Fools Actor Rena Fairchild / Sydney Fairfield N/A
N/A
1923 Souls for Sale Actor Miss Remember Steddon 59
Average
1923 Vanity Fair Actor Amelia Sedley N/A
N/A
1923 Gimme Actor Clothilde Kingsley N/A
N/A
1922 The Strangers' Banquet Actor Jean McPherson N/A
N/A