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(January 6, 1899 – November 19, 1960)
 Born
Phyllis O'Haver in Douglass, Kansas, Phyllis Haver relocated with
her family to the then small town of Los Angeles, California when
she was very young. Haver attended Los Angeles Polytechnic High and
upon graduating began to earn a living as a pianist in the new
silent film theaters that began cropping up in the fast-growing
city.
Haver began her acting career on a whim, when she decided to
audition for legendary comedy producer Mack Sennett. Sennett was
immediately impressed by the attractive teenager and hired her on
the spot to appear as one of his Bathing Beauties. Within a few
years, Haver had begun appearing as a leading lady in two-reelers
for Sennett Studios.
During the early 1920s Haver's public popularity rose and she became
a favorite choice for directors to appear in comedy roles. Having
worked for several years with Sennett, Haver had honed her skills as
an actress and become a rather adept comedienne. One of her most
memorable roles was the part of Roxie Hart in the very first film
adaptation of Chicago in 1927, opposite Hungarian film actor Victor
Varconi. The film became an enormous international success and made
Haver recognizable throughout the world. A reviewer called her
performance astoundingly fine. Miss Haver makes this combination of
tragedy and comedy a most entertaining piece of work.
Another of Phyllis Haver's notable roles was in the 1928 box-office
hit comedy film The Battle of the Sexes, directed by D.W. Griffith.
Haver won rave reviews from film critics for her role in the film.
The following year, she co-starred with Lon Chaney, Sr. in his last
silent film, Thunder. As the Roaring Twenties drew to a close and
talkies came increasingly popular with the public, after appearing
in two sound films, she retired from the industry. She is remembered
for her beauty, her large blue eyes, and bobbing yellow curls. |
