Mary Loretta Philbin (July 16, 1902 – May 7, 1993)Resting Places"California Death Index, 1940–1997," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VP2K-JTB : 26 November 2014), Mary Loretta Philbin, 07 May 1993; Department of Public Health Services, Sacramento. was an American film actress of the silent film era, who played Christine Daaé in the 1925 film The Phantom of the Opera opposite Lon Chaney, and Dea in The Man Who Laughs alongside Conrad Veidt.
Early life Philbin was born on July 16, 1902 in Chicago, Illinois, into a middle-class, Irish-American family and raised Catholic. She was an only child, and was named after her mother, Mary. Her father, John Philbin, was born in Ballinrobe, County Mayo, Ireland, and had emigrated to America in 1900.
Career
Philbin began her acting career after winning a beauty contest sponsored by Universal Pictures in Chicago. After she moved to California, Erich von Stroheim signed her to a contract with Universal, deeming her a "Universal Super Jewel."
She made her screen debut in 1921, and the following year was honored at the first WAMPAS Baby Stars awards, a promotional campaign sponsored by the Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers in the United States.
During the 1920s, Philbin starred in a number of high-profile films, most notably in D. W. Griffith's 1928 film Drums of Love. In 1927, she appeared in Edward Sloman's Surrender with Ivan Mosjoukine, though her most celebrated role was in the Universal horror film The Phantom of the Opera in 1925. Philbin's ethereal screen presence was noted in a 1924 edition of Motion Picture Classic, in which she was referred to as "one of the astonishing anomalies of motion pictures. Pat O'Malley once said of her: 'If I were superstitious I would think that the spirit of some great tragedienne of a forgotten past slipped into Mary's soul when she heard the camera begin to click.
Philbin played a few parts during the early talkie era and most notably dubbed her own voice when The Phantom of the Opera was given sound and re-released. She retired from the screen in 1930.
Later life and death Philbin spent the remainder of her life after leaving the film industry as a recluse, living in the same home in Huntington Beach, California.
In 1988, she attended a memorial service for Rudolph Valentino, her first public appearance since 1931. Her final public appearance was at Los Angeles opening of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical The Phantom of the Opera in 1989.
She died of pneumonia at age 90 in 1993, and was buried at Calvary Cemetery in East Los Angeles, California.
Personal life From 1923 to 1927, Philbin was in a relationship with Paul Kohner. They had been introduced to each other by Erich von Stroheim. They secretly became engaged in 1926, but never married due to the disapproval of both Kohner’s mother and Philbin's parents (Kohner was Jewish, and the Philbin family were staunch Catholics). In 1929, they were rumored to be going to marry in June of that year, but it never happened. During their relationship, Philbin had a short-lived affair with Western star Guinn "Big Boy" Williams.
Ultimately, Philbin chose to not marry anyone and Kohner went on to marry Lupita Tovar in 1932. However, when Kohner died, he was found to still have the love letters Philbin had written to him in his possession. She, in turn, had also kept his, and was heartbroken at his death.
Filmography
Year Title Role Notes1921 The Blazing Trail Talithy Millicuddy 1921 Danger Ahead Tressie Harloow Lost film1921 Twelve Hours to Live Short subject1921 No Clothes to Guide Him Short subject1921 Red Courage Eliza Fay Lost film1921 Sure Fire Lost film1921 False Kisses Mary Lost film1922 Foolish Wives Crippled girl Uncredited1922 The WAMPAS Baby Stars of 1922 Herself Short subject1922 The Trouper Mary Lee Lost film1922 Human Hearts Ruth 1922 His First Job Jimmy's Sweetheart Short subject1922 Once to Every Boy Jimmy's Sweetheart Short subject1923 Penrod and Sam Margaret Schofield 1923 Merry-Go-Round Agnes Urban 1923 Where is This West? Sallie Summers 1923 The Age of Desire Margy (age 18) Lost film1923 The Temple of Venus Moira Lost film1923 The Thrill Chaser Herself Cameo appearance Lost film1924 Fools Highway Mamie Rose Lost film1924 The Gaiety Girl Irene Tudor Lost film1924 The Rose of Paris Mitsi 1925 The Phantom of the Opera Christine Daaé 1925 Fifth Avenue Models Isoel Ludant 1925 Stella Maris Stella Maris / Unity Blake 1927 Life in Hollywood No.3 Herself Short subject1927 Love Me and the World Is Mine Hannerl 1927 Surrender! Lea Lyon 1928 Drums of Love Princess Emanuella 1928 The Man Who Laughs Dea 1929 Girl Overboard Joan Lost film1929 The Last Performance Julie Fergeron 1929 The Shannons of Broadway Tessie Swanzey Lost film1929 After the Fog Faith Barker
Notes and references Notes
References
External links
Mary Philbin at the American Film Institute catalog Photographs and literature