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Agnes Ayres‌

Gender

Female

Birthday

calendar1892-04-04

Popularity

star2.2

Agnes Ayres

Carbondale, Illinois, USA

Agnes Ayres

Carbondale, Illinois, USA

Gender

Female

Birthday

calendar1892-04-04

Popularity

star2.2

Biography

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.

Movie Credits

The Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments‌
star6.5
calendar 1923

The Story Without a Name

The Story Without a Name‌
star0.0
calendar 1924

Hollywood

Hollywood‌
star7.0
calendar 1923

The Donovan Affair

The Donovan Affair‌
star6.0
calendar 1929

Screen Snapshots, Series 3, No. 12

Screen Snapshots, Series 3, No. 12‌
star0.0
calendar 1922

The Sheik

The Sheik‌
star5.9
calendar 1921

Racing Hearts

Racing Hearts‌
star0.0
calendar 1923

The Affairs of Anatol

The Affairs of Anatol‌
star5.6
calendar 1921

The Legend of Rudolph Valentino

The Legend of Rudolph Valentino‌
star0.0
calendar 1961

The Son of the Sheik

The Son of the Sheik‌
star6.3
calendar 1926

Too Much Speed

Too Much Speed‌
star0.0
calendar 1921

Clarence

Clarence‌
star0.0
calendar 1922

The Guilty One

The Guilty One‌
star0.0
calendar 1924

The Ordeal

The Ordeal‌
star0.0
calendar 1922

Eve's Love Letters

Eve's Love Letters‌
star6.3
calendar 1927

Mrs. Balfame

Mrs. Balfame‌
star0.0
calendar 1917

Sacred Silence

Sacred Silence‌
star1.0
calendar 1919

Screen Snapshots (Series 22, No. 10)

Screen Snapshots (Series 22, No. 10)‌
star0.0
calendar 1942

Go and Get It

Go and Get It‌
star6.0
calendar 1920

Bought and Paid For

Bought and Paid For‌
star0.0
calendar 1922

The Venturers

The Venturers‌
star0.0
calendar 1917

Small Town Girl

Small Town Girl‌
star6.2
calendar 1936

A Daughter of Luxury

A Daughter of Luxury‌
star0.0
calendar 1922

Midnight Taxi

Midnight Taxi‌
star5.0
calendar 1937

Morals for Men

Morals for Men‌
star0.0
calendar 1925

A Little Ouija Work

A Little Ouija Work‌
star0.0
calendar 1918

Forbidden Fruit

Forbidden Fruit‌
star6.1
calendar 1921

Detained

Detained‌
star5.5
calendar 1924

The Inner Voice

The Inner Voice‌
star0.0
calendar 1920

Life in Hollywood No. 7

Life in Hollywood No. 7‌
star0.0
calendar 1927

Her Market Value

Her Market Value‌
star0.0
calendar 1925

The Marriage Maker

The Marriage Maker‌
star0.0
calendar 1923

Don't Call It Love

Don't Call It Love‌
star0.0
calendar 1924

The Love Special

The Love Special‌
star0.0
calendar 1921

The Awful Truth

The Awful Truth‌
star5.0
calendar 1925

The Heart Raider

The Heart Raider‌
star0.0
calendar 1923

Cappy Ricks

Cappy Ricks‌
star0.0
calendar 1921

The Love Goddesses

The Love Goddesses‌
star6.3
calendar 1965

The Furnace

The Furnace‌
star0.0
calendar 1920

Held by the Enemy

Held by the Enemy‌
star0.0
calendar 1920

Maid of Salem

Maid of Salem‌
star5.9
calendar 1937

Motherhood

Motherhood‌
star0.0
calendar 1917

Tv Credits