Mary Philbin

Mary Philbin (July 16, 1903 - May 27, 1993) was a notable film actress of the silent film era. Philbin is probably best remembered for playing the role of Christine in the 1925 film The Phantom of the Opera opposite screen legend Lon Chaney.

Related Topics:
July 16 - 1903 - May 27 - 1993 - Silent film - 1925 - The Phantom of the Opera - Lon Chaney

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Born in Chicago, Illinois into a middle-class Irish Catholic family, she began her acting career after winning a beauty contest sponsored by Universal Pictures. Mary Philbin made her screen debut in 1921 and during the 1920s she became a highly successful film actress and starred in a number of high profile films, most notably in D.W. Griffith's 1928 film Drums of Love. Like so many publicly acclaimed silent film actors however, Philbin was unable to continue a successful acting career during the talkie era of the early 1930s. Philbin did take 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 rereleased.

Related Topics:
Chicago, Illinois - Irish Catholic - Universal Pictures - 1921 - 1920 - D.W. Griffith - 1928 - Talkie - 1930

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Philbin retired from the screen in the early 1930s and devoted he life to caring or her aging parents. She never married and rarely made public appearances. One rare public appearance by Philbin occurred in her later years at the Los Angeles opening of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical The Phantom of the Opera. Philbin died of pneumonia at the age of 89 in Huntington Beach, California in 1993 and laid to rest at the Calvary Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.

Related Topics:
Andrew Lloyd Webber - The Phantom of the Opera - Pneumonia - Huntington Beach, California - Calvary Cemetery - Los Angeles, California

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