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Leila Hyams

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Leila Hyams
Hyams in 1929
Born(1905-05-01)May 1, 1905
New York City, U.S.
DiedDecember 4, 1977(1977-12-04) (aged 72)
OccupationActress
Years active1924-1939 (features film), film short (1946)
SpousePhil Berg (1927–1977, her death)
MotherLeila McIntyre

Leila Hyams (May 1, 1905 – December 4, 1977) was an American actress who came from a show business family. Her relatively short film career began in 1924 during the era of silent films and ended in 1936 (excepting a 1946 film short appearance). The blonde blue-eyed ingenue and leading lady appeared in more than 50 film roles and remained a press favourite, with numerous magazine covers.

Early life

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She was born in New York City to vaudeville comedy performers John Hyams and Leila McIntyre, who performed as the duo "Hyams and McIntyre"[1] Her mother was a noted Broadway performer, and both her parents appeared in films. They can be seen together in several Hollywood films, primarily in minor supporting roles or uncredited appearances, including The Housekeeper's Daughter (1939).

Hyams appeared on stage with her parents while still a child, working in their vaudeville act for five years, but unable to establish a successful theatre career, she turned to modelling, modelling clothing, cosmetics and dental care.[2]

Film career

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By 1928, Hyams was playing starring roles, achieving success in MGM's first talkie release, Alias Jimmy Valentine (1928) opposite William Haines, Lionel Barrymore, and Karl Dane. The following year, she appeared in the popular murder mystery The Thirteenth Chair, a role that offered her the chance to display her dramatic abilities as a murder suspect. At Fox that same year, she appeared in director Allan Dwan's now lost romantic adventure The Far Call opposite Charles Morton.She had a role as Robert Montgomery's sister in the prison drama The Big House (1930) with Chester Morris and Wallace Beery. She then appeared in Surrender (1931) in which Warner Baxter and Ralph Bellamy desperately competed for her attention.

Hyams acted in two early 1930s horror movies, as the wise-cracking but kind-hearted circus performer Venus in Freaks (1932) and as the heroine in the Charles Laughton/Bela Lugosi film Island of Lost Souls (1932). She also appeared in the then-controversial Jean Harlow film Red-Headed Woman (1932) and the musical comedy The Big Broadcast (1932) with Bing Crosby, George Burns, and Gracie Allen.

Personal life

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Leila Hyams as Venus with Wallace Ford as Phroso the Clown in Freaks (1932)
Wallace Ford, Johnny Eck and Hyams in Freaks (1932)
Hyams in 1932
Hyams in 1932
Hyams with co-star Richard Dix in Yellow Dust (1936)

Hyams married her Hollywood talent agent, Phil Berg, in 1927.[2] In 1936, after a 12-year acting career and performing in 50 films, she retired from the motion-picture industry; nevertheless, she remained active in the Hollywood community for the rest of her life. In 1977, after a brief illness, Hyams died at age 72 at her home in Bel-Air in Los Angeles. She was survived by her husband, Phil.[2]

Complete filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1924 Sandra Mait Stanley Lost film
1926 Dancing Mothers Birdie Courtney
The Kick-Off Marilyn Spencer
Summer Bachelors Willowdean French
1927 The Brute Jennifer Duan Lost film
White Pants Willie Helen Charters Lost film
The Bush Leaguer Alice Hobbs Lost film
One-Round Hogan Helen Davis Lost film
The Wizard Anne Webster Lost film
1928 The Branded Sombrero Connie Marsh Lost film
A Girl in Every Port Widow in San Pedro, Belize
The Crimson City Nadine Howells
Honor Bound Selma Ritchie Lost film
Land of the Silver Fox Marie du Fronque
Alias Jimmy Valentine Rose Lost film
1929 Spite Marriage Ethyl Norcrosse
The Far Call Hilda Larsen Lost film
The Idle Rich Joan Thayer aka Joan Van Luyn
Wonder of Women Karen Lost film
Masquerade Sylvia Graeme
Hurricane Mary Stevens
The Thirteenth Chair Helen O'Neill
1930 The Bishop Murder Case Belle Dillard
The Girl Said No Mary Howe
The Flirting Widow Evelyn
The Big House Anne Marlowe
Sweethearts and Wives Angela Worthington
The Sins of the Children Alma Wagenkampf
Way Out West Molly Rankin
Way for a Sailor Joan
Part Time Wife Mrs. Murdock
1931 Gentleman's Fate Marjorie Channing
Men Call It Love Connie
Stepping Out Eve Martin
The Phantom of Paris Cecile Bourrelier
New Adventures of Get Rich Quick Wallingford Dorothy
Surrender Axelle von Meirbach
The Christmas Party Herself Short subject
Uncredited
1932 Freaks Venus
Red-Headed Woman Irene Legendre
The Big Broadcast Anita Rogers
Island of Lost Souls Ruth Thomas
1933 The Constant Woman Lou
Horse Play Angelica Wayne
Sing Sinner Sing Lela Larson
Saturday's Millions Joan Chandler
1934 The Poor Rich Grace Hunter
Affairs of a Gentleman Gladys Durland
No Ransom Barbara Winfield
1935 Ruggles of Red Gap Nell Kenner
People Will Talk Peggy Trask
1,000 Dollars a Minute Dorothy Summers
1936 Yellow Dust Nellie Bryan
1943 First Aid Red Cross Worker Short subject

References

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  1. ^ Cullen, Frank; Hackman, Florence; McNeilly, Donald (2007). Vaudeville old & new: an encyclopedia of variety performances in America. Psychology Press. p. 545. ISBN 9780415938532. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c "Leila Hyams, 72, 'Golden Girl' Of Movies in 20's and 30's, Dies". The New York Times. New York, New York City. December 9, 1977. Archived from the original on March 15, 2018. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
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