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(April 4, 1899 - November 9, 1980)
 Myers
was born in San Francisco, the daughter of an Australian rabbi and
Austrian Jewish mother. Her father became well-connected with
California's emerging film industry, and introduced her to film
pioneer D.W. Griffith, who gave Myers a small part in Intolerance.
Myers would also get her brother, Zion, into Hollywood as a
writer/director.
From this beginning, Myers left for New York, where she acted mainly
on stage for the next two years. She was soon signed by Universal,
however, where she soon emerged as a popular actress in vamp roles.
Her most popular film from this period is probably the romantic
comedy All Night, opposite Rudolph Valentino. By 1924 she was
working for MGM, making such films as Broadway After Dark, which
also starred Adolphe Menjou, Norma Shearer and Anna Q. Nilsson. In
1925, she appeared in arguably her most famous role, that of the
Egyptian vamp Iras in Ben-Hur, who tries to seduce both Messala
(Francis X. Bushman) and Ben-Hur himself (Ramón Novarro). This film
was a big boost to Myers' career, who appeared in many more major
roles throughout the 1920's, including Tell It To The Marines in
1926 with Lon Chaney, Sr., William Haines and Eleanor Boardman.
Myers appeared in Four Walls and Dream of Love both with Joan
Crawford in 1928. Myers also appeared in 1929's Your Show Of Shows,
a showcase of popular contemporary film actors.
Myers had a successful sound career, although she ended up mostly in
supporting roles due to her age. Among her popular sound films is
1931's Svengali with John Barrymore. |
