Anita Garvin

Acting

Born:February 11, 1906
Died:July 7, 1994(aged 88)
Birthplace:New York City, New York, USA
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Community

Biography

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."

Filmography (72 movies)

His Silent Racket movie poster
10.0
10.0

His Silent Racket

1933

as Mrs. Finlayson

Laurel & Hardy: Year Two movie poster
10.0
10.0

Laurel & Hardy: Year Two

2024

A Pair of Tights movie poster
7.6
7.6

A Pair of Tights

1929

as Anita

Blotto movie poster
7.2
7.2

Blotto

1930

as Mrs. Laurel

A Chump at Oxford movie poster
6.9
6.9

A Chump at Oxford

1940

as Mrs. Vandevere (uncredited)

The Battle of the Century movie poster
6.8
6.8

The Battle of the Century

1927

as Slips on pie (uncredited)

Going Ga-Ga movie poster
6.8
6.8

Going Ga-Ga

1929

as Anita

Be Big! movie poster
6.7
6.7

Be Big!

1931

as Mrs. Laurel

Sailors, Beware! movie poster
6.7
6.7

Sailors, Beware!

1927

as Madame Ritz

Sally movie poster
6.7
6.7

Sally

1930

as Party Guest (uncredited)

Their Purple Moment movie poster
6.6
6.6

Their Purple Moment

1928

as Oliver's Girlfriend

The Chiselers movie poster
6.6
6.6

The Chiselers

1931

as Mme. Laurel

From Soup to Nuts movie poster
6.5
6.5

From Soup to Nuts

1928

as Mrs. Culpepper

Baby Brother movie poster
6.4
6.4

Baby Brother

1927

as Amorous nursemaid

Dynamite movie poster
6.4
6.4

Dynamite

1929

as Undetermined Role (uncredited)

Hats Off movie poster
6.3
6.3

Hats Off

1927

as Customer at top of stairs

Move Along movie poster
6.2
6.2

Move Along

1926

as Rich girl with roses

Swiss Miss movie poster
6.2
6.2

Swiss Miss

1938

as Tradesman's wife

With Love and Hisses movie poster
6.1
6.1

With Love and Hisses

1927

as Captain Bustle's 1st girlfriend

The Skulls movie poster
6.1
6.1

The Skulls

1931

as Señora Laurel

Movie Night movie poster
6.0
6.0

Movie Night

1929

The Last Man on Earth movie poster
6.0
6.0

The Last Man on Earth

1924

as A Millionairess (uncredited)

Show Business movie poster
6.0
6.0

Show Business

1932

as Anita Garvin

Two-Time Mama movie poster
6.0
6.0

Two-Time Mama

1927

as Mrs. Dazzle

Book Bozo movie poster
6.0
6.0

Book Bozo

1925

Whispering Whoopee movie poster
5.9
5.9

Whispering Whoopee

1930

as Miss Garvin

Upstream movie poster
5.8
5.8

Upstream

1927

as Theatre Audience Admirer at Stage Door

The Sleuth movie poster
5.8
5.8

The Sleuth

1925

as The other woman

Feed 'em and Weep movie poster
5.6
5.6

Feed 'em and Weep

1928

Our Modern Maidens movie poster
5.5
5.5

Our Modern Maidens

1929

as Bridesmaid (uncredited)

The Single Standard movie poster
5.5
5.5

The Single Standard

1929

as Packy's Jealous Girlfriend at Art Exhibition (uncredited)

Raggedy Rose movie poster
5.5
5.5

Raggedy Rose

1926

as Janice

Murder at Midnight movie poster
5.4
5.4

Murder at Midnight

1931

as Party Guest (uncredited)

Why Girls Love Sailors movie poster
5.4
5.4

Why Girls Love Sailors

1927

as Captain's Wife

On With the Show! movie poster
5.2
5.2

On With the Show!

1929

as Chorine (uncredited)

Stepping Out movie poster
5.0
5.0

Stepping Out

1929

as The Date

Merry Wives of Reno movie poster
4.0
4.0

Merry Wives of Reno

1934

as Male-Seeking Woman in Hotel Lobby (uncredited)

The Charlatan movie poster
3.5
3.5

The Charlatan

1929

as Mrs. Paynter

Forgotten Sweeties movie poster
3.0
3.0

Forgotten Sweeties

1927

Asleep in the Feet movie poster
1.0
1.0

Asleep in the Feet

1933

as Dance Hall Hostess

Trent's Last Case movie poster

Trent's Last Case

1929

as Ottilie Dunois

Fandango movie poster

Fandango

1928

Roaming Romeo movie poster

Roaming Romeo

1928

as The Princess

The Millionaire Cat movie poster

The Millionaire Cat

1932

as Natalie

Home Boner movie poster

Home Boner

1939

Truth Aches movie poster

Truth Aches

1939

as Mrs. Errol

He Asked for It movie poster

He Asked for It

1940

Fighting Fathers movie poster

Fighting Fathers

1927

as Mrs. Sniffleblaster

Bested by a Beard movie poster

Bested by a Beard

1940

as Mrs. Vivian Errol

Yoo-Hoo movie poster

Yoo-Hoo

1932

as Anita

Creeps movie poster

Creeps

1926

My Swedie movie poster

My Swedie

1925

as Ethel Lorraine

Bertha the Sewing Machine Girl movie poster

Bertha the Sewing Machine Girl

1926

as Flo Mason

Sunk by the Census movie poster

Sunk by the Census

1940

Red Hot Rhythm movie poster

Red Hot Rhythm

1929

as Mable

Assistant Wives movie poster

Assistant Wives

1927

as Gwendolyn - the Flapjack Queen

Fair But Foolish movie poster

Fair But Foolish

1925

For Sadie's Sake movie poster

For Sadie's Sake

1926

The Motor Boat Demon movie poster

The Motor Boat Demon

1927

as Colleen

In the Grease movie poster

In the Grease

1925

as Physical Culture teacher

Modern Love movie poster

Modern Love

1929

as Mrs. Weston - the Brunette

While the Cat's Away movie poster

While the Cat's Away

1936

as Emma

Many Scrappy Returns movie poster

Many Scrappy Returns

1927

as Wellington's Wife

Never the Dames Shall Meet movie poster

Never the Dames Shall Meet

1927

as Edna's Sister

Imagine My Embarrassment movie poster

Imagine My Embarrassment

1928

Off to Buffalo movie poster

Off to Buffalo

1929

as Mrs. Brown

Sleepless Hollow movie poster

Sleepless Hollow

1936

as Harry's Wife

Bright Lights movie poster

Bright Lights

1924

A Dangerous Peach movie poster

A Dangerous Peach

1925

as Mrs. Wilson

A Taxi War movie poster

A Taxi War

1925

The Play Girl movie poster

The Play Girl

1928

as Millie

Hunting the Hunter movie poster

Hunting the Hunter

1929

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