Ann May
Ann Beatrice Sullivan (born Anna Beatrice Max; November 25, 1898 – July 26, 1985), known professionally as Ann May, was a silent film star who appeared in motion pictures from 1919 to 1925. Early life and career Ann May was born Anna Beatrice Max in Cincinnati on November 25, 1898, the first child to Russian-Jewish immigrants Nathan Max (1872–1917) and Sylvia Max (née Marks). She had four brothers; Benjamin, Isadore, Jacob "Jack", and Harry. She attended Woodward High School, where she was part of the glee club and swimming team. After finishing high school, she won a scholarship to do post-graduate work at Ursula Academy. After her father, who was opposed to May pursuing a career in acting, died, she moved to Hollywood. Her first roles were minor parts in the productions of Samuel Goldwyn and Famous Players–Lasky. Her career began to rise after she received a wire from actor Charles Ray, who said he had a role for her as leading lady in his film, Paris Green (1920). She had met Ray following a game of tennis at the Beverly Hills Hotel. By late 1919, she was earning an income of $200 per week making movies. May was among the supporting cast of Lombardi, Ltd. (1919), a movie which featured Bert Lytell. Released by Metro Pictures in October 1919, the Jack Conway directed film recreated a story which was previously acted on the stage. In the comedy the character Tito Lombardi exerts his influence on three women, two of them played by Alice Lake and Vera Lewis. May secured this role while conversing with Conway at a party. She later became acquainted with Pat Powers who gave her an opportunity at Universal Pictures. In The Half Breed (1922) May was paired with Wheeler Oakman in a Western produced by Oliver Morosco. The daring scenes she performed in this movie showed her talent as a performer. As an actress she was diverse enough to play a daring rider or a delicate society girl from the East. One film critic questioned why May was not a bigger star in her profession. He made reference to her "elfin humor, a tropical vampishness that is irresistible charm." She was in The Dangerous Maid (1923), a production of Joseph Schenck which gave Constance Talmadge her first opportunity to act in a dramatic role. The setting of the film is England during the rebellion of the Duke of Monmouth against James II. May began work on The End of the World in April 1924 after a break of several months, during which she performed on stage. She played the role of a vamp in Waking Up the Town (1925), which starred Norma Shearer and Jack Pickford. Directed by Vernon Keays, the movie was shot on location in Carmel, California. May was injured during filming when a large piece of wood struck her in the forearm during a most realistic action scene, which resembled an earthquake. She was forced to stop working for several days until