Ann Dvorak

Born: 1911-08-02

Ann Dvorak (born Anna McKim; August 2, 1911 – December 10, 1979) was an American stage and film actress. Asked how to pronounce her adopted surname, she told The Literary Digest: "My fake name is properly pronounced vor'shack. The D remains silent." Dvorak was the daughter and only child of silent film actress Anna Lehr and director Edwin McKim. While in New York, she attended St. Catherine's Convent. After moving to California, she attended Page School for Girls in Hollywood. She made her film debut when she was five years old in the silent film version of Ramona (1916), credited as "Baby Anna Lehr". She continued in children's roles in The Man Hater (1917) and Five Dollar Plate (1920), but then stopped acting in films. Her parents separated in 1916 and divorced in 1920; she did not see her father again until 13 years later, when she made a public plea to the press to help her find him. In the late 1920s, Dvorak worked as a dance instructor and gradually began to appear on film as a chorus girl. Her friend, actress Karen Morley, introduced her to billionaire movie producer Howard Hughes, who groomed her as a dramatic actress. She was a success in such pre-Code films as Scarface (1932) as Paul Muni's sister; in Three on a Match (1932) with Bette Davis and Joan Blondell as the doomed, unstable Vivian; in The Crowd Roars (1932) with James Cagney; and in Sky Devils (1932) opposite Spencer Tracy. Known for her style and elegance, she was a popular leading lady for Warner Bros. during the 1930s, and appeared in numerous contemporary romances and melodramas. At age 19, Dvorak eloped with Leslie Fenton, her English co-star from The Strange Love of Molly Louvain (1932), and they married on March 17, 1932. They left for a year-long honeymoon in spite of her contractual obligations to the studio, which led to a period of litigation and pay disputes during which she discovered she was making the same amount of money as the boy who played her son in Three on a Match. She completed her contract on permanent suspension, then worked as a freelancer. Although she worked regularly, the quality of her scripts declined sharply. She appeared as secretary Della Street to Donald Woods' Perry Mason in The Case of the Stuttering Bishop (1937). With her then-husband, Leslie Fenton, Dvorak traveled to England where she supported the war effort by working as an ambulance driver and acted in several British films. She appeared as a saloon singer in Abilene Town with Randolph Scott and Edgar Buchanan, released in 1946. The following year she adeptly handled comedy by giving an assured performance in Out of the Blue (1947). In 1948, Dvorak gave her only performance on Broadway in The Respectful Prostitute. Dvorak's marriage to Fenton ended in divorce in 1946. In 1947, she married Igor Dega, a Russian dancer who danced with her briefly in The Bachelor's Daughters. The marriage ended two years later. Dvorak retired from the screen in 1951, when she married her third and last husband, Nicholas Wade, to whom she remained married until his death in 1975. She had no children.


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Scarface

as Francesca 'Cesca' Camonte
Released: 1932-04-09

In 1920s Chicago, Italian immigrant and notorious thug, Antonio 'Tony' Camonte, aka Scarface,...

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'G' Men

as Jean Morgan
Released: 1935-05-04

James “Brick” Davis, a struggling attorney, owes his education to a mobster, but always has...

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Three on a Match

as Vivian Revere
Released: 1932-10-29

Although Vivian Revere is seemingly the most successful of a trio of reunited schoolmates, she...

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Free and Easy

as Chorine (uncredited)
Released: 1930-03-22

Gopher City Kansas hosts a beauty contest. The winner, Elvira Plunkett, and her mother go to...

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Housewife

as Nan Reynolds
Released: 1934-08-11

Nan Reynolds encourages her copywriter husband Bill to open his own agency. Nearly out of...

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Abilene Town

as Rita
Released: 1946-01-11

Marshall Dan Mitchell, who is the law in Abilene, has the job of keeping peace between two...

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Out of the Blue

as Olive Jensen
Released: 1947-04-21

Set in an apartment building whose occupants include Arthur Earthleigh, a meek and mild type...

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Thou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywood

as Vivian Revere Kirkwood (archive footage)
Released: 2008-03-03

A look at the forces that shaped Pre-Code Hollywood and brought about the strict enforcement of...

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Merrily We Live

as Minerva Harlan
Released: 1938-03-04

Society matron Emily Kilbourne has a habit of hiring ex-cons and hobos as servants. Her latest...

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Dance, Fools, Dance

as Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Released: 1931-02-07

When misfortune hits hard on the Jordan family of Chicago's upper class, Bonnie Jordan, a...

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Blind Alley

as Mary
Released: 1939-05-11

A gangster takes a doctor and his family hostage.

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A Life of Her Own

as Mary Ashlon
Released: 1950-09-01

A young woman from Kansas moves to New York City, becomes highly successful at a prestigious...

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Flame of Barbary Coast

as Ann 'Flaxen' Tarry
Released: 1945-05-28

Duke Fergus falls for Ann 'Flaxen' Tarry in the Barbary Coast in turn-of-the-century San...

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This Modern Age

as Party Guest (Uncredited)
Released: 1931-08-29

A Harvard football star disobeys his upper class parents and runs off with his true love.

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Madam Satan

as Zeppelin Reveler (uncredited)
Released: 1930-09-20

A socialite masquerades as a notorious femme fatale to win back her straying husband during a...

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Dr. Socrates

as Josephine
Released: 1935-10-19

Dr. Socrates gave up his brilliant career as surgeon in a prominent hospital because his...

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Side Streets

as Marguerite Gilbert
Released: 1934-08-14

A spinster dressmaker falls for a ne'er-do-well.

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Our Blushing Brides

as One of the 'Quartet' of Models with Tony (uncredited)
Released: 1930-07-19

Jerry, Connie, and Franky are small-town girls seeking wealthy husbands in New York City. But,...

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The Case of the Stuttering Bishop

as Della Street
Released: 1937-06-08

A Bishop from Australia comes to Perry to ask him to take a case of a woman wrongly accused of...

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Roast-Beef and Movies

as Chorine (archive footage) (uncredited)
Released: 1934-02-09

A trio of amateur film makers try to persuade a group of studio executives to exhibit their new...

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Cafe Hostess

as Jo
Released: 1940-01-11

A dancehall girl meets a sailor and they fall in love, but the club’s owner doesn’t want the...

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Stronger Than Desire

as Eva McLain
Released: 1939-06-30

An attorney handling a murder case in unaware his own wife played a crucial role in the killing.

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Breakdowns of 1936

as Self
Released: 1936-12-30

Flubs and bloopers that occurred on the set of some of the major Warner Bros. pictures of 1936.

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Bogart: The Untold Story

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 1997-01-05

Stephen H. Bogart narrates the rise to fame of his father, Humphrey Bogart through the use of...

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Crooner

as Judith 'Judy' Mason
Released: 1932-08-20

Fame goes to a priggish singer's head and almost costs him his girlfriend.

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Way Out West

as Carnival Show Girl (uncredited)
Released: 1930-08-02

Wise-guy carnival barker Windy bilks a group of cowboys out of their money, gets caught and is...

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The Long Night

as Charlene
Released: 1947-05-28

City police surround a building, attempting to capture a suspected murderer. The suspect knows...

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Heat Lightning

as Myra
Released: 1934-03-01

A lady gas station attendant gets mixed up with escaped murderers.

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Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone

as Connie Kepplar
Released: 1950-12-08

Harriet O'Malley tries to solve a murder aboard a train en route to New York.

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We Who Are About to Die

as Connie Stewart
Released: 1937-01-08

John Thompson is kidnapped by mobsters after quitting his job. Then he is arrested, tried, and...

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College Coach

as Claire Gore
Released: 1933-11-04

Ruthless Coach Gore creates turmoil at a college by hiring players and alienating students....

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The Private Affairs of Bel Ami

as Madeleine Forestier
Released: 1947-04-25

A self-serving journalist uses influential women in late-1800s Paris and denies the one who...

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Son of India

as Dancer (uncredited)
Released: 1931-08-01

An Indian jewel merchant goes from penniless to wealthy in this story about gratitude.

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Sweet Music

as Bonnie Haydon
Released: 1935-02-23

A midwest band leader and his lead singer share a love-hate relationship as they try for success...

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The Walls of Jericho

as Belle Connors
Released: 1948-11-22

In a small town in Kansas, a county attorney in an unhappy marriage falls in love with another...

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Gangs of New York

as Connie Benson
Released: 1938-05-23

An undercover cop infiltrates a powerful New York based crime syndicate.

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A Trip Thru a Hollywood Studio

as Herself (uncredited)
Released: 1935-02-02

This short shows the entrances of the various Hollywood studios, then specifically visits Warner...

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I Sell Anything

as Barbara
Released: 1934-10-20

Auctioneer Spot Cash Cutler is planning the scam of a lifetime, but will he get burned?

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Masquerade in Mexico

as Helen Grant
Released: 1945-12-03

An American singer stranded in Mexico is hired by a banker to distract a Mexican matador who is...

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The Strange Love of Molly Louvain

as Madeleine Maude 'Molly' Louvain
Released: 1932-05-28

A fast-talking reporter befriends a young woman and her male companion who are wanted for a...

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The Secret of Convict Lake

as Rachel Schaeffer
Released: 1951-07-29

After a group of convicts escapes from prison, they take refuge in the wilderness. While most of...

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The Hollywood Revue of 1929

as Chorus Girl from Omaha (uncredited)
Released: 1929-11-23

An all-star revue featuring MGM contract players.

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Massacre

as Lydia
Released: 1934-01-20

Upon the death of his father, who was the tribal chieftain, Joe Thunder Horse returns to the...

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Manhattan Merry-Go-Round

as Ann Rogers
Released: 1937-11-26

In this musical comedy, a crooked record producer uses his mob connections to force performers...

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Murder in the Clouds

as Judy Wagner
Released: 1934-12-15

Bob Halsey is a first-rate pilot who's in love with stewardess Judy Wagner. He's ordered to...

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Stranger in Town

as Marian Crickle
Released: 1931-08-06

Crickle is a tenacious small-town grocer who stubbornly resists the efforts of a monopolistic...

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The Devil's Cabaret

as Chorine in Black (uncredited)
Released: 1930-12-13

At Satan & Co., Inc., the devil is upset because too many people are going up to Heaven rather...

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Friends of Mr. Sweeney

as Miss Beulah Boyd
Released: 1934-07-28

Asaph (Charles Ruggles) is a meek, mild-mannered homebody who occasionally shows some backbone...

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The Crowd Roars

as Lee Merrick
Released: 1932-04-16

Famous auto racing champion Joe Greer returns to his hometown to compete in a local race,...

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So This Is College

as Student (uncredited)
Released: 1929-11-08

Scheming coed Babs comes between college buddies Eddie and Biff.

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Chasing Rainbows

as Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Released: 1930-01-10

The road-show troupe of a top Broadway show go cross-country while taking the audience along on...

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Squadron Leader X

as Barbara Lucas
Released: 1943-03-01

Equipped with an RAF uniform, an English accent, a photograph of his "wife" and a packet of...

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Love Is a Racket

as Sally Condon
Released: 1932-06-18

A gossip columnist helps a Broadway ingenue who's beholden to a penthouse gangster.

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The Song Writers' Revue

as Member of the Chorus (uncredited)
Released: 1929-11-27

This short showcases composers and lyricists of songs that are now considered standards of...

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The Bachelor's Daughters

as Terry Wilson
Released: 1946-08-06

A department store floor walker is persuaded by four husband-seeking salesgirls to pose as their...

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Midnight Court

as Carol O'Neill
Released: 1937-03-06

After losing his bid for district attorney, an aspiring young lawyer agrees to defend a ring of...

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Estrellados

as Chorine (uncredited)
Released: 1930-07-07

A matinée idol and a bumbling manager fight for the love of a would-be starlet. Estrellados is...

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Good News

as Student
Released: 1930-08-22

A college football star falls for his mousy French tutor.

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Our Very Own

as Gert Lynch
Released: 1950-07-27

During a heated argument with her sister Joan, Gail discovers the shocking news that she is...

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Politics

as Rally Audience Extra (uncredited)
Released: 1931-02-26

A widow's decision to run for mayor kicks off a battle of the sexes in a small town.

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Thanks a Million

as Sally Mason
Released: 1935-11-13

A show troupe is engaged by Judge Culliman, who is running for Governor, to enhance his...

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Sky Devils

as Mary Way
Released: 1932-03-12

Wilkie and Mitchell, trying to desert their draft into the army, stow away on a ship which takes...

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Midnight Alibi

as Joan
Released: 1934-07-12

An elderly woman provides an alibi to a man she scarcely knows who is on trial for murder of his...

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Children of Pleasure

as Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Released: 1930-04-26

A successful songwriter, dazzled by high society, falls for a society girl who is just playing...

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The Guardsman

as Fan Saying "There He Is" (uncredited)
Released: 1931-10-20

An acclaimed actor and his equally acclaimed actress wife, who have been married for less than a...

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Lord Byron of Broadway

as Chorus Girl
Released: 1930-02-28

A talented songwriter gets his inspiration for songs from others and not from within himself. He...

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A Tailor-Made Man

as Bit (uncredited)
Released: 1931-03-28

John Paul Bart is just a pants-presser in a tailor's shop, but he has big ambitions. One night,...

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Hello Pop

as Dancer
Released: 1933-09-16

A stage director is trying to put on a musical/comedy revue, but has to contend with...

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Girls of the Road

as Kay Warren
Released: 1940-07-24

A story of the great-depression era about women hobos, tramps, job-seekers, fugitives and...

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Bright Lights

as Fay Wilson
Released: 1935-07-27

Husband-and-wife vaudeville stars separate when success goes to his head.

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The Woman Racket

as Chorus Girl
Released: 1930-01-24

During a raid, a cop lets a pretty speakeasy employee escape and later begins dating her....

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Devil-May-Care

as Chorine (uncredited)
Released: 1929-12-27

A follower of Napoleon escapes the firing squad, flees to a woman's bedroom and winds up butler.

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I Was an American Spy

as Mrs. Claire 'High Pockets' Phillips
Released: 1951-04-14

An American nightclub singer in 1940's Singapore becomes a spy for America in an effort to get...

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Escape to Danger

as Joan Grahame
Released: 1943-10-18

During the Second World War a British schoolteacher working in Denmark is caught up when the...

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Gentlemen Are Born

as Susan Merrill
Released: 1934-11-17

A well-cloistered and protected-against-reality group of college students get their diplomas in...

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Racing Lady

as Ruth Martin
Released: 1937-01-12

A shrewd millionaire who owns races horses for publicity for his automobile business, claims...

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Ramona

as Ramona Phail (age 4)
Released: 1916-04-05

Silent version of the 1884 Helen Hunt Jackson novel originally ran 3 hours but all but 50...

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The Return of Jesse James

as Sue Ellen Younger
Released: 1950-08-01

Frank James resents and tries to stop a ruthless drifter who has adopted the name of his dead...

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This Was Paris

as Ann Morgan
Released: 1942-03-21

British agents operate in Paris during the Second World War.

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The Way to Love

as Madeleine
Released: 1933-10-20

Francois, a cheerful Parisian bohemian, wants more than anything to be a tour guide in his...

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It's a Great Life

as Chorus Girl
Released: 1929-12-06

Casey and Babe are sisters who work in a department store and each year the store puts on a...

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The Doll Shop

as Doll
Released: 1929-09-28

Early Vitaphone short.

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The March of Time

as Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Released: 1930-09-01

Unfinished pre-Code era film consisting of three sections with past performers from the stage...

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She's No Lady

as Jerry
Released: 1937-08-20

Alden "Bill" Carter III sees a beautiful woman, Jerry, dining alone at the Park Savoy in New...

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The Man Hater

as Phemie's Sister
Released: 1917-09-02

Phemie, an avowed man-hater, marries Joe, the village blacksmith.

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Manhattan Serenade

as Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Released: 1929-12-21

An homage to NYC in the form of a short travelogue.

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