Known For
Acting
Known Credits
87
Gender
Female
Birthday
August 2, 1911 (114 years old)
Place of Birth
New York City, New York, USA
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.
| 2008 | Thou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywoodas Vivian Revere Kirkwood (archive footage) | |
| 1997 | Bogart: The Untold Storyas Self (archive footage) | |
| 1951 | The Secret of Convict Lakeas Rachel Schaeffer | |
| 1951 | I Was an American Spyas Mrs. Claire 'High Pockets' Phillips | |
| 1950 | Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Maloneas Connie Kepplar | |
| 1950 | A Life of Her Ownas Mary Ashlon | |
| 1950 | The Return of Jesse Jamesas Sue Ellen Younger | |
| 1950 | Our Very Ownas Gert Lynch | |
| 1948 | The Walls of Jerichoas Belle Connors | |
| 1947 | The Long Nightas Charlene | |
| 1947 | The Private Affairs of Bel Amias Madeleine Forestier | |
| 1947 | Out of the Blueas Olive Jensen | |
| 1946 | The Bachelor's Daughtersas Terry Wilson | |
| 1946 | Abilene Townas Rita | |
| 1945 | Masquerade in Mexicoas Helen Grant | |
| 1945 | Flame of Barbary Coastas Ann 'Flaxen' Tarry | |
| 1943 | Escape to Dangeras Joan Grahame | |
| 1943 | Squadron Leader Xas Barbara Lucas | |
| 1942 | This Was Parisas Ann Morgan | |
| 1940 | Girls of the Roadas Kay Warren | |
| 1940 | Cafe Hostessas Jo | |
| 1939 | Stronger Than Desireas Eva McLain | |
| 1939 | Blind Alleyas Mary | |
| 1938 | Gangs of New Yorkas Connie Benson | |
| 1938 | Merrily We Liveas Minerva Harlan | |
| 1937 | Manhattan Merry-Go-Roundas Ann Rogers | |
| 1937 | She's No Ladyas Jerry | |
| 1937 | The Case of the Stuttering Bishopas Della Street | |
| 1937 | Midnight Courtas Carol O'Neill | |
| 1937 | Racing Ladyas Ruth Martin | |
| 1937 | We Who Are About to Dieas Connie Stewart | |
| 1936 | Breakdowns of 1936as Self | |
| 1935 | Thanks a Millionas Sally Mason | |
| 1935 | Dr. Socratesas Josephine | |
| 1935 | Bright Lightsas Fay Wilson | |
| 1935 | 'G' Menas Jean Morgan | |
| 1935 | Sweet Musicas Bonnie Haydon | |
| 1935 | A Trip Thru a Hollywood Studioas Herself (uncredited) | |
| 1934 | Murder in the Cloudsas Judy | |
| 1934 | Gentlemen Are Bornas Susan Merrill | |
| 1934 | I Sell Anythingas Barbara | |
| 1934 | Side Streetsas Marguerite Gilbert | |
| 1934 | Housewifeas Nan Reynolds | |
| 1934 | Friends of Mr. Sweeneyas Miss Beulah Boyd | |
| 1934 | Midnight Alibias Joan | |
| 1934 | Heat Lightningas Myra | |
| 1934 | Roast-Beef and Moviesas Chorine (archive footage) (uncredited) | |
| 1934 | Massacreas Lydia | |
| 1933 | College Coachas Claire Gore | |
| 1933 | The Way to Loveas Madeleine | |
| 1933 | Hello Popas Dancer | |
| 1932 | Three on a Matchas Vivian Revere | |
| 1932 | Crooneras Judith 'Judy' Mason | |
| 1932 | Love is a Racketas Sally Condon | |
| 1932 | The Strange Love of Molly Louvainas Madeleine Maude 'Molly' Louvain | |
| 1932 | The Crowd Roarsas Lee Merrick | |
| 1932 | Scarfaceas Francesca 'Cesca' Camonte | |
| 1932 | Sky Devilsas Mary Way | |
| 1931 | The Guardsmanas Fan Saying "There He Is" (uncredited) | |
| 1931 | This Modern Ageas Party Guest (Uncredited) | |
| 1931 | Stranger in Townas Marian Crickle | |
| 1931 | Son of Indiaas Dancer (uncredited) | |
| 1931 | A Tailor-Made Manas Bit (uncredited) | |
| 1931 | Politicsas Rally Audience Extra (uncredited) | |
| 1931 | Dance, Fools, Danceas Chorus Girl (uncredited) | |
| 1930 | The Devil's Cabaretas Chorine in Black (uncredited) | |
| 1930 | Madam Satanas Zeppelin Reveler (uncredited) | |
| 1930 | The March of Timeas Chorus Girl (uncredited) | |
| 1930 | Good Newsas Student | |
| 1930 | Way Out Westas Carnival Show Girl (uncredited) | |
| 1930 | Our Blushing Bridesas One of the 'Quartet' of Models with Tony (uncredited) | |
| 1930 | Estrelladosas Chorine (uncredited) | |
| 1930 | Children of Pleasureas Chorus Girl (uncredited) | |
| 1930 | Free and Easyas Chorine (uncredited) | |
| 1930 | A Lady to Loveas | |
| 1930 | Lord Byron of Broadwayas Chorus Girl | |
| 1930 | The Woman Racketas Chorus Girl | |
| 1930 | Chasing Rainbowsas Chorus Girl (uncredited) | |
| 1929 | Devil-May-Careas Chorine (uncredited) | |
| 1929 | Manhattan Serenadeas Chorus Girl (uncredited) | |
| 1929 | It's a Great Lifeas Chorus Girl | |
| 1929 | The Song Writers' Revueas Member of the Chorus (uncredited) | |
| 1929 | The Hollywood Revue of 1929as Chorus Girl from Omaha (uncredited) | |
| 1929 | So This Is Collegeas Student (uncredited) | |
| 1929 | The Doll Shopas Doll | |
| 1917 | The Man Hateras Phemie's Sister | |
| 1916 | Ramonaas Ramona Phail (age 4) |
| 1931 | Dance, Fools, Dance...Choreographer |