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Alice Terry
Alice Frances Taaffe (July 24, 1899 – December 22, 1987), known professionally as Alice Terry, was an American film actress and director. She began her career during the silent film era, appearing in thirty-nine films between 1916 and 1933. While Terry's trademark look was her blonde hair, she was actually a brunette, and put on her first blonde wig in Hearts Are Trumps (1920) to look different from Francelia Billington, the other actress in the film. Terry played several different characters in the 1916 anti-war film Civilization, co-directed by Thomas H. Ince and Reginald Barker. Alice wore the blonde wig again in her most acclaimed role as "Marguerite" in the film The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921), and kept the wig for any future roles. In 1925 her husband Rex Ingram co-directed Ben-Hur, filming parts of it in Italy. The two decided to move to the French Riviera, where they set up a small studio in Nice and made several films on location in North Africa, Spain, and Italy for MGM and others. In 1933, Terry made her last film appearance in Baroud, which she also co-directed with her husband.
Terry was born Alice Frances Taaffe in Vincennes, Indiana, on July 24, 1899. In the early 1910s she and her family moved to southern California.
Terry made her film debut in 1916 in Not My Sister, opposite Bessie Barriscale and William Desmond.
Terry started in films as an extra during her mid-teens, working at Thomas Ince Studio. She worked for Triangle Film Corporation from 1916 to 1919. She worked as an extra to help her family financially. She turned down being a full time actress and was interested in steady work to help support her family. For two years she worked in cutting rooms at Famous-Players-Lasky; she had also worked in a department store.
Despite her rising success, Terry felt restricted by the demands of Hollywood; her weight, hair color, acting, and dancing were all scrutinized, she was required to learn French (despite the films being silent), and her name was changed, all in service of making her a star.
Terry was married to Rex Ingram, a prominent director who directed most of the films that she played in.[better source needed] She gained recognition for her performances in The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and The Prisoner of Zenda. Terry was recognized for her beauty and screen presence, and often played lead roles.
Ingram altered her appearance, encouraging her to wear blonde wigs, get dental work, and lose weight. Ingram also hired male stars who outshone her, such as in The Conquering Power (1921) and The Prisoner of Zenda. One fan magazine writer described Terry as "pliant clay," easily manipulated on screen.
In 1924 and 1925 their marriage was in jeopardy, and Terry worked with other directors. Her success during this period, particularly in Any Woman and Sackcloth and Scarlet, proved that she was a legitimate star away from her husband. With their relationship mended, Terry acted in six more pictures after 1925, five of which were directed by her husband, but she also took on additional responsibilities behind the scenes.
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Alice Terry
Alice Frances Taaffe (July 24, 1899 – December 22, 1987), known professionally as Alice Terry, was an American film actress and director. She began her career during the silent film era, appearing in thirty-nine films between 1916 and 1933. While Terry's trademark look was her blonde hair, she was actually a brunette, and put on her first blonde wig in Hearts Are Trumps (1920) to look different from Francelia Billington, the other actress in the film. Terry played several different characters in the 1916 anti-war film Civilization, co-directed by Thomas H. Ince and Reginald Barker. Alice wore the blonde wig again in her most acclaimed role as "Marguerite" in the film The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921), and kept the wig for any future roles. In 1925 her husband Rex Ingram co-directed Ben-Hur, filming parts of it in Italy. The two decided to move to the French Riviera, where they set up a small studio in Nice and made several films on location in North Africa, Spain, and Italy for MGM and others. In 1933, Terry made her last film appearance in Baroud, which she also co-directed with her husband.
Terry was born Alice Frances Taaffe in Vincennes, Indiana, on July 24, 1899. In the early 1910s she and her family moved to southern California.
Terry made her film debut in 1916 in Not My Sister, opposite Bessie Barriscale and William Desmond.
Terry started in films as an extra during her mid-teens, working at Thomas Ince Studio. She worked for Triangle Film Corporation from 1916 to 1919. She worked as an extra to help her family financially. She turned down being a full time actress and was interested in steady work to help support her family. For two years she worked in cutting rooms at Famous-Players-Lasky; she had also worked in a department store.
Despite her rising success, Terry felt restricted by the demands of Hollywood; her weight, hair color, acting, and dancing were all scrutinized, she was required to learn French (despite the films being silent), and her name was changed, all in service of making her a star.
Terry was married to Rex Ingram, a prominent director who directed most of the films that she played in.[better source needed] She gained recognition for her performances in The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and The Prisoner of Zenda. Terry was recognized for her beauty and screen presence, and often played lead roles.
Ingram altered her appearance, encouraging her to wear blonde wigs, get dental work, and lose weight. Ingram also hired male stars who outshone her, such as in The Conquering Power (1921) and The Prisoner of Zenda. One fan magazine writer described Terry as "pliant clay," easily manipulated on screen.
In 1924 and 1925 their marriage was in jeopardy, and Terry worked with other directors. Her success during this period, particularly in Any Woman and Sackcloth and Scarlet, proved that she was a legitimate star away from her husband. With their relationship mended, Terry acted in six more pictures after 1925, five of which were directed by her husband, but she also took on additional responsibilities behind the scenes.