Agnes Ayres
From Wikipedia Agnes Ayres (April 4, 1892 – December 25, 1940) was an American actress who rose to fame during the silent film era. She was known for her role as Lady Diana Mayo in The Sheik and The Son of the Sheik opposite Rudolph Valentino. She was born Agnes Eyre Henkel in Carbondale, Illinois to Solon and Emma Slack Henkel on April 4, 1898. She had an older brother named Solon William Henkel born in 1888. Ayres began her career in 1914 when she was noticed by an Essanay Studios staff director and cast as an extra in a crowd scene. After moving to New York City with her mother to pursue a career in acting, Ayres was spotted by actress Alice Joyce. Joyce noticed the physical resemblance the two shared, which eventually led to Ayres being cast in Richard the Brazen (1917) as Joyce's character's sister. Ayres' career began to gain momentum when Paramount Pictures founder Jesse Lasky began to take an interest in her. Lasky gave her a starring role in the Civil War drama Held by the Enemy (1920), and also lobbied for parts for her in several Cecil B. DeMille productions. It was during this time that Ayres married, and quickly divorced, Captain Frank P. Schuker, an army officer whom she had wed during World War I. She also began a romance with Lasky. In 1921, Ayres shot to stardom when she was cast as Lady Diana Mayo, an English heiress opposite "Latin lover" Rudolph Valentino in The Sheik. Ayres later reprised her role as Lady Diana in the 1926 sequel Son of the Sheik. Following the release of The Sheik, she went on to have major roles in many other films including The Affairs of Anatol (1921) starring Wallace Reid, Forbidden Fruit (1921), and Cecil B. DeMille's epic The Ten Commandments (1923). By 1923, Ayres' career began to wane following the end of her relationship with Jesse Lasky. She married Mexican diplomat S. Manuel Reachi in 1924. The couple had a daughter before divorcing in 1927. In 1929, Ayres lost her fortune and real estate holdings in the Crash of '29. That same year, she also appeared in her last major role in The Donovan Affair, starring Jack Holt. To earn money, she left acting and played the vaudeville circuit. She returned to acting in 1936, confident that she could make a comeback. Unable to secure starring roles and somewhat overweight, Ayres appeared in mostly uncredited bit parts, and finally retired from acting for good in 1937. After her retirement, Ayres became despondent and was eventually committed to a sanatorium. She also lost custody of her daughter to Reachi, in 1939. She died from a cerebral hemorrhage on December 25, 1940 at her home at the age of 42. She is interred in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. For her contribution to motion pictures, Agnes Ayres has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6504 Hollywood Boulevard.
The Ten Commandments
as The OutcastThe first part tells the story of Moses leading the Jews from Egypt to the Promised Land, his...
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Maid of Salem
as Townswoman (Uncredited)When a young woman named Barbara Clarke has an affair with adventurer Roger Coverman, it causes...
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The Sheik
as Lady Diana MayoSheik Ahmed desperately desires feisty British socialite Diana, so he abducts her and carries...
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The Son of the Sheik
as Diana - Wife of the SheikAhmed, son of Diana and Sheik Ahmed Ben Hassan, falls in love with Yasmin, a dancing girl who...
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Hollywood
as Agnes AyresAngela comes to Hollywood with only two things: Her dream to become a movie star, and Grandpa....
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The Affairs of Anatol
as Annie ElliottSocialite Anatol Spencer, finding his relationship with his wife lackluster, goes in search of...
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Small Town Girl
as Catherine (uncredited)Kay is a girl living in a small rural town whose life is just too dull and repetitious to bear....
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The Legend of Rudolph Valentino
as Self (archive footage)A documentary of Hollywood's first great Latin Lover, the contradictions in his personal life,...
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Screen Snapshots (Series 22, No. 10)
as Self (archive footage)The edition of Screen Snapshots celebrates 25 years of production. It looks at the content of...
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Clarence
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The Furnace
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The Donovan Affair
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Forbidden Fruit
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Life in Hollywood No. 7
as HerselfPart of a 7-part series exploring all aspects of Hollywood.
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Racing Hearts
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Morals for Men
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Held by the Enemy
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The Marriage Maker
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The Guilty One
as Irene ShortThe Guilty One is a 1924 mystery film.
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Eve's Love Letters
as The wifeAgnes Ayres was apparently a star of feature film who is top billed in this one-off Hal Roach...
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The Ordeal
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The Story Without a Name
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Bought and Paid For
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The Awful Truth
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Midnight Taxi
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Cappy Ricks
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Go and Get It
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Her Market Value
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The Heart Raider
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The Love Special
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Too Much Speed
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Sacred Silence
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Detained
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The Venturers
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A Little Ouija Work
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Motherhood
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The Inner Voice
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