Anita Page 98 Moves On

Posted by dominie in Events, News on September 8th, 2008

Anita Page, the last surviving star of the silent film era has moved on.  Born Anita Pomares in New York State in 1910, the legendary Hollywood actress successfully transitioned from silent films to the first talkie movies in a career that spanned 84 years.

Anita Page had her big break in 1928 in the popular Jazz Age silent melodrama Our Dancing Daughters, playing the leading lady alongside Joan Crawford.  She went on to play secondary parts opposite the likes of William Haines, Ramon Novarro, Lon Chaney, Buster Keaton, Bessie Love, and many others.  In 1928, Page was ranked second only to Greta Garbo at MGM, followed by Crawford.  At the peak of her success, Page received 35,000 fan letters a week, of which she continued to respond to even into her 90s.

Page’s 1929 hit with Bessie Love, The Broadway Melody won the first Best Picture Oscar.  She had a part in West In Zanzibar and starred as Myrtle in While the City Sleeps with our favorite Lon Chaney Sr. where you can’t help but to appreciate Page in all her beauty. Page’s final film role will be as Elizabeth Frankenstein in the upcoming horror movie Frankenstein Rising, due for release later this year.

Anita Page is the last known living attendee of the very first Academy Awards in 1929.  Harry from Ain’t It Cool News said it best, “Too often in today’s society we miss the great silent sirens - Anita was one of those.  We lost an amazing link to cinematic history - and from everything I’ve heard, an amazing lady.”

The actor passed away in her sleep on September 6, 2008 at 98 years old.