Eleanor Boardman

Also Known As: The Eastman Kodak Girl

Biography: Olive Eleanor Boardman (August 19, 1898 – December 12, 1991) was an American film actress of the silent era. Olive Eleanor Boardman was born on August 19, 1898, the youngest child to George W. Boardman and Janice Merriam "Jennie" Stockman Boardman. She had two older sisters named Merriam and Esther. In 1920, she was working as a contractor. Educated in Philadelphia, Boardman originally acted on stage, but she lost her voice while starring in The National Anthem. She then entered a nationwide contest for new actors and actresses for silent films. She was chosen from among 1,000 competitors by Goldwyn Pictures as their "New Face of 1922". Her initial screen test was unsuccessful, but a second test resulted in a contract. After several successful supporting roles, she played the lead in Souls for Sale in 1923. That same year, Boardman's growing popularity was reflected by her inclusion on the list of WAMPAS Baby Stars. She appeared in more than 30 films during her career, including director King Vidor's The Crowd (1928). Her performance in that film is widely recognized as one of the outstanding performances in American silent film. In 1932, after some success in sound films, she parted ways with MGM. Her final film was The Three Cornered Hat, which was made in Spain in 1935. After that production, she retired from acting and retreated from Hollywood. Her last appearances were in an interview filmed for Kevin Brownlow and David Gill's British documentary series Hollywood (1980) and the series MGM: When the Lion Roars (1992).

Department: Acting

Place of Birth: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Adult: No

Birthday: August 18, 1898

Age: 126 years old

Gender: Female

Deathday: December 12, 1991

Popularity:

1.07%

Known For:

The Crowd
Show People
The Wife of the Centaur
Souls for Sale
The Turmoil
Bardelys the Magnificent
Proud Flesh
The Squaw Man
Redemption
Wine of Youth
The Great Meadow
Tell It to the Marines
Mamba
Land of Liberty
The Day of Faith
True As Steel
The Silent Accuser
Sinners in Silk
She Goes to War
Three Wise Fools
The Way of a Girl
Gimme
The Strangers' Banquet
The Auction Block
The Circle
The Only Thing
Vanity Fair
Memory Lane
Diamond Handcuffs
1925 Studio Tour
Exchange of Wives
So This Is Marriage?
It Happened in Spain