Anita Page, silent film star, dies at 98 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

HuntingtonM15 · 09-07-2008, 12:47 AM

Silent screen siren Anita Page dies at 98

19 minutes ago

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anita Page, an MGM actress who appeared in films with Lon Chaney, Joan Crawford and Buster Keaton during the transition from silent movies to talkies, has died. She was 98.

Page died in her sleep early Saturday morning at her home in Los Angeles, said actor Randal Malone, her longtime friend and companion.

Page's career, which spanned 84 years, began in 1924 when she started as an extra.

Her big break came in 1928 when she won a major role — as the doomed bad girl — in "Our Dancing Daughters," a film that featured a wild Charleston by Crawford and propelled them both to stardom. It spawned two sequels, "Our Modern Maidens" and "Our Blushing Brides." Page and Crawford were in all three films.

Page's daughter Linda Sterne said her mother had been good friends with Marion Davies and Jean Harlow, and for about six months in the 1930s lived as a guest in William Hearst's massive castle on the Southern California coast.

"She was the best mother I could have," Sterne said. "She was wonderful."

In 1928, the New York-born Page starred opposite Chaney in "While the City Sleeps."

The following year, she was co-star of "The Broadway Melody," the 1929 backstage tale of two sisters who love the same man. The film made history as the first talkie to win the best-picture Oscar and was arguably the first true film musical.

In his 1995 book "A Song in the Dark: The Birth of the Musical Film," author Richard Barrios reserved much of his praise for Bessie Love, the veteran actress who played the other sister. But he called Page "intensely likable — sincere, well-meaning, endearing, in much the same fashion as Ruby Keeler several years later — and, of course, quite beautiful."

Variety wrote in 1929 that Page "is also apt to bowl the trade over with a contribution that's natural all the way, plus her percentage on appearance. ... She can't dance, (but) the remainder of her performance is easily sufficient to make this impediment distinctly negligible."

Among Page's other films were two of Keaton's sound films, "Free and Easy" in 1930, and "Sidewalks of New York" in 1931; "Night Court," with Walter Huston in 1932; and "The Easiest Way" in 1931, in which Clark Gable had a small role.

For a short time Page was married to composer Nacio Herb Brown, who wrote songs for "The Broadway Melody," but the marriage was annulled within a year, Sterne said.

Page stopped acting in 1936 when she fell in love with Herschel House, a Navy aviator. The couple married six weeks later and Page happily adapted to life as an officer's wife, hosting many parties at their home in Coronado, a city peninsula in the San Diego Bay, Sterne said.

The couple had two daughters, Linda and Sandra.

After House died in 1991, Page went on to return to films. In 1994, she appeared in the suspense thriller "Sunset After Dark."

Most recently, she had a cameo in the horror film "Frankenstein Rising," due out later this year.

HuntingtonM15 · 09-07-2008, 12:48 AM

She was great to her fans, always signing autographs through the mail.

Schmoopie · 09-07-2008, 01:29 AM

Wow, 98! Sorry to hear that she's gone but it's wonderful that she had such a good long life!

Andrea

09-07-2008, 12:47 AM	#1
HuntingtonM15 Moderator Martina Join Date: Jun 20, 2003 Location: MI Posts: 8,469	Anita Page, silent film star, dies at 98 Silent screen siren Anita Page dies at 98 19 minutes ago LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anita Page, an MGM actress who appeared in films with Lon Chaney, Joan Crawford and Buster Keaton during the transition from silent movies to talkies, has died. She was 98. Page died in her sleep early Saturday morning at her home in Los Angeles, said actor Randal Malone, her longtime friend and companion. Page's career, which spanned 84 years, began in 1924 when she started as an extra. Her big break came in 1928 when she won a major role — as the doomed bad girl — in "Our Dancing Daughters," a film that featured a wild Charleston by Crawford and propelled them both to stardom. It spawned two sequels, "Our Modern Maidens" and "Our Blushing Brides." Page and Crawford were in all three films. Page's daughter Linda Sterne said her mother had been good friends with Marion Davies and Jean Harlow, and for about six months in the 1930s lived as a guest in William Hearst's massive castle on the Southern California coast. "She was the best mother I could have," Sterne said. "She was wonderful." In 1928, the New York-born Page starred opposite Chaney in "While the City Sleeps." The following year, she was co-star of "The Broadway Melody," the 1929 backstage tale of two sisters who love the same man. The film made history as the first talkie to win the best-picture Oscar and was arguably the first true film musical. In his 1995 book "A Song in the Dark: The Birth of the Musical Film," author Richard Barrios reserved much of his praise for Bessie Love, the veteran actress who played the other sister. But he called Page "intensely likable — sincere, well-meaning, endearing, in much the same fashion as Ruby Keeler several years later — and, of course, quite beautiful." Variety wrote in 1929 that Page "is also apt to bowl the trade over with a contribution that's natural all the way, plus her percentage on appearance. ... She can't dance, (but) the remainder of her performance is easily sufficient to make this impediment distinctly negligible." Among Page's other films were two of Keaton's sound films, "Free and Easy" in 1930, and "Sidewalks of New York" in 1931; "Night Court," with Walter Huston in 1932; and "The Easiest Way" in 1931, in which Clark Gable had a small role. For a short time Page was married to composer Nacio Herb Brown, who wrote songs for "The Broadway Melody," but the marriage was annulled within a year, Sterne said. Page stopped acting in 1936 when she fell in love with Herschel House, a Navy aviator. The couple married six weeks later and Page happily adapted to life as an officer's wife, hosting many parties at their home in Coronado, a city peninsula in the San Diego Bay, Sterne said. The couple had two daughters, Linda and Sandra. After House died in 1991, Page went on to return to films. In 1994, she appeared in the suspense thriller "Sunset After Dark." Most recently, she had a cameo in the horror film "Frankenstein Rising," due out later this year.

09-07-2008, 01:29 AM	#3
Schmoopie Moderator Forum Veteran I adore David Hyde Pierce! Join Date: Jul 13, 2008 Location: Seattle-The home of Niles Crane, Cafe Nervosa and KACL 780AM Posts: 10,543	Wow, 98! Sorry to hear that she's gone but it's wonderful that she had such a good long life! Andrea __________________ Daphne: I hope some day some man will feel that way about me. Niles: Oh, Daphne, don't worry. You are a very special person, and some day a man worthy of you will come along... just as soon as the gods create him. Daphne: I feel very close to you. Niles: I feel very close to you too Daphne. You know it's easy being someone you feel close to when you feel close to someone who's so close.

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09-07-2008, 12:48 AM	#2
HuntingtonM15 Moderator Martina Join Date: Jun 20, 2003 Location: MI Posts: 8,469	She was great to her fans, always signing autographs through the mail.