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Ann Dvorak

Acting 68 (deceased) years old New York City, New York, USA ★ 0.7
Born: August 2, 1911
Died: December 10, 1979

Biography

Ann Dvorak (born Anna McKim; August 2, 1911 – December 10, 1979) was an American stage and film actress. Asked how to pronounce her adopted surname, she told The Literary Digest: "My fake name is properly pronounced vor'shack. The D remains silent."

Dvorak was the daughter and only child of silent film actress Anna Lehr and director Edwin McKim. While in New York, she attended St. Catherine's Convent. After moving to California, she attended Page School for Girls in Hollywood.

She made her film debut when she was five years old in the silent film version of Ramona (1916), credited as "Baby Anna Lehr". She continued in children's roles in The Man Hater (1917) and Five Dollar Plate (1920), but then stopped acting in films. Her parents separated in 1916 and divorced in 1920; she did not see her father again until 13 years later, when she made a public plea to the press to help her find him.

In the late 1920s, Dvorak worked as a dance instructor and gradually began to appear on film as a chorus girl. Her friend, actress Karen Morley, introduced her to billionaire movie producer Howard Hughes, who groomed her as a dramatic actress. She was a success in such pre-Code films as Scarface (1932) as Paul Muni's sister; in Three on a Match (1932) with Bette Davis and Joan Blondell as the doomed, unstable Vivian; in The Crowd Roars (1932) with James Cagney; and in Sky Devils (1932) opposite Spencer Tracy. Known for her style and elegance, she was a popular leading lady for Warner Bros. during the 1930s, and appeared in numerous contemporary romances and melodramas. At age 19, Dvorak eloped with Leslie Fenton, her English co-star from The Strange Love of Molly Louvain (1932), and they married on March 17, 1932. They left for a year-long honeymoon in spite of her contractual obligations to the studio, which led to a period of litigation and pay disputes during which she discovered she was making the same amount of money as the boy who played her son in Three on a Match. She completed her contract on permanent suspension, then worked as a freelancer. Although she worked regularly, the quality of her scripts declined sharply. She appeared as secretary Della Street to Donald Woods' Perry Mason in The Case of the Stuttering Bishop (1937). With her then-husband, Leslie Fenton, Dvorak traveled to England where she supported the war effort by working as an ambulance driver and acted in several British films. She appeared as a saloon singer in Abilene Town with Randolph Scott and Edgar Buchanan, released in 1946. The following year she adeptly handled comedy by giving an assured performance in Out of the Blue (1947). In 1948, Dvorak gave her only performance on Broadway in The Respectful Prostitute.

Dvorak's marriage to Fenton ended in divorce in 1946. In 1947, she married Igor Dega, a Russian dancer who danced with her briefly in The Bachelor's Daughters. The marriage ended two years later.

Dvorak retired from the screen in 1951, when she married her third and last husband, Nicholas Wade, to whom she remained married until his death in 1975. She had no children.

Filmography

Acting Credits (87)

Thou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywood
Thou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywood Vivian Revere Kirkwood (archive footage) 2008
Bogart: The Untold Story
Bogart: The Untold Story Self (archive footage) 1997
The Secret of Convict Lake
The Secret of Convict Lake Rachel Schaeffer 1951
I Was an American Spy
I Was an American Spy Mrs. Claire 'High Pockets' Phillips 1951
Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone
Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone Connie Kepplar 1950
A Life of Her Own
A Life of Her Own Mary Ashlon 1950
The Return of Jesse James
The Return of Jesse James Sue Ellen Younger 1950
Our Very Own
Our Very Own Gert Lynch 1950
The Walls of Jericho
The Walls of Jericho Belle Connors 1948
The Long Night
The Long Night Charlene 1947
The Private Affairs of Bel Ami
The Private Affairs of Bel Ami Madeleine Forestier 1947
Out of the Blue
Out of the Blue Olive Jensen 1947
The Bachelor's Daughters
The Bachelor's Daughters Terry Wilson 1946
Abilene Town
Abilene Town Rita 1946
Masquerade in Mexico
Masquerade in Mexico Helen Grant 1945
Flame of Barbary Coast
Flame of Barbary Coast Ann 'Flaxen' Tarry 1945
Escape to Danger
Escape to Danger Joan Grahame 1943
Squadron Leader X
Squadron Leader X Barbara Lucas 1943
This Was Paris
This Was Paris Ann Morgan 1942
Girls of the Road
Girls of the Road Kay Warren 1940
Cafe Hostess
Cafe Hostess Jo 1940
Stronger Than Desire
Stronger Than Desire Eva McLain 1939
Blind Alley
Blind Alley Mary 1939
Gangs of New York
Gangs of New York Connie Benson 1938
Merrily We Live
Merrily We Live Minerva Harlan 1938
Manhattan Merry-Go-Round
Manhattan Merry-Go-Round Ann Rogers 1937
She's No Lady
She's No Lady Jerry 1937
The Case of the Stuttering Bishop
The Case of the Stuttering Bishop Della Street 1937
Midnight Court
Midnight Court Carol O'Neill 1937
Racing Lady
Racing Lady Ruth Martin 1937
We Who Are About to Die
We Who Are About to Die Connie Stewart 1937
Breakdowns of 1936
Breakdowns of 1936 Self 1936
Thanks a Million
Thanks a Million Sally Mason 1935
Dr. Socrates
Dr. Socrates Josephine 1935
Bright Lights
Bright Lights Fay Wilson 1935
'G' Men
'G' Men Jean Morgan 1935
Sweet Music
Sweet Music Bonnie Haydon 1935
A Trip Thru a Hollywood Studio
A Trip Thru a Hollywood Studio Herself (uncredited) 1935
Murder in the Clouds
Murder in the Clouds Judy Wagner 1934
Gentlemen Are Born
Gentlemen Are Born Susan Merrill 1934
I Sell Anything
I Sell Anything Barbara 1934
Side Streets
Side Streets Marguerite Gilbert 1934
Housewife
Housewife Nan Reynolds 1934
Friends of Mr. Sweeney
Friends of Mr. Sweeney Miss Beulah Boyd 1934
Midnight Alibi
Midnight Alibi Joan 1934
Heat Lightning
Heat Lightning Myra 1934
Roast-Beef and Movies
Roast-Beef and Movies Chorine (archive footage) (uncredited) 1934
Massacre
Massacre Lydia 1934
College Coach
College Coach Claire Gore 1933
The Way to Love
The Way to Love Madeleine 1933
Hello Pop
Hello Pop Dancer 1933
Three on a Match
Three on a Match Vivian Revere 1932
Crooner
Crooner Judith 'Judy' Mason 1932
Love is a Racket
Love is a Racket Sally Condon 1932
The Strange Love of Molly Louvain
The Strange Love of Molly Louvain Madeleine Maude 'Molly' Louvain 1932
The Crowd Roars
The Crowd Roars Lee Merrick 1932
Scarface
Scarface Francesca 'Cesca' Camonte 1932
Sky Devils
Sky Devils Mary Way 1932
The Guardsman
The Guardsman Fan Saying "There He Is" (uncredited) 1931
This Modern Age
This Modern Age Party Guest (Uncredited) 1931
Stranger in Town
Stranger in Town Marian Crickle 1931
Son of India
Son of India Dancer (uncredited) 1931
A Tailor-Made Man
A Tailor-Made Man Bit (uncredited) 1931
Politics
Politics Rally Audience Extra (uncredited) 1931
Dance, Fools, Dance
Dance, Fools, Dance Chorus Girl (uncredited) 1931
The Devil's Cabaret
The Devil's Cabaret Chorine in Black (uncredited) 1930
Madam Satan
Madam Satan Zeppelin Reveler (uncredited) 1930
The March of Time
The March of Time Chorus Girl (uncredited) 1930
Good News
Good News Student 1930
Way Out West
Way Out West Carnival Show Girl (uncredited) 1930
Our Blushing Brides
Our Blushing Brides One of the 'Quartet' of Models with Tony (uncredited) 1930
Estrellados
Estrellados Chorine (uncredited) 1930
Children of Pleasure
Children of Pleasure Chorus Girl (uncredited) 1930
Free and Easy
Free and Easy Chorine (uncredited) 1930
Lord Byron of Broadway
Lord Byron of Broadway Chorus Girl 1930
A Lady to Love
A Lady to Love 1930
The Woman Racket
The Woman Racket Chorus Girl 1930
Chasing Rainbows
Chasing Rainbows Chorus Girl (uncredited) 1930
Devil-May-Care
Devil-May-Care Chorine (uncredited) 1929
Manhattan Serenade
Manhattan Serenade Chorus Girl (uncredited) 1929
It's a Great Life
It's a Great Life Chorus Girl 1929
The Song Writers' Revue
The Song Writers' Revue Member of the Chorus (uncredited) 1929
The Hollywood Revue of 1929
The Hollywood Revue of 1929 Chorus Girl from Omaha (uncredited) 1929
So This Is College
So This Is College Student (uncredited) 1929
The Doll Shop
The Doll Shop Doll 1929
The Man Hater
The Man Hater Phemie's Sister 1917
Ramona
Ramona Ramona Phail (age 4) 1916

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