Carmelita Geraghty

Carmelita Geraghty (March 21, 1901 in Rushville, Indiana – July 7, 1966 in Manhattan) was an American silent-film actress and painter.

Carmelita Geraghty
Carmelita Geraghty
Born(1901-03-21)March 21, 1901
Rushville, Indiana, U.S.
DiedJuly 7, 1966(1966-07-07) (aged 65)
Lombardy Hotel, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
Resting placeHollywood Forever Cemetery
OccupationActress, painter
Spouse(s)
Carey Wilson
​
​
(m. 1934; died 1962)​
Parent(s)
RelativesMaurice Geraghty (brother)
Gerald Geraghty (brother)

Early life

The daughter of screenwriter Tom Geraghty, she was the sister of writers Maurice and Gerald Geraghty. Although born in Indiana, she was educated mostly in New York City. She went on to be a graduate of the Hollywood High School and was in the graduating class of 1919. Though her parents wished her to stay at home, she went off to become a movie star. Her father was slow to approve of his daughter's new employment. Geraghty achieved a measure of success as a Mack Sennett featured player.

Career

She started work out as an extra in the early 1920s, using a fictitious name until getting her big break. She was selected as one of the WAMPAS Baby Stars of 1924. She soon became a leading actress, including a co-starring role with Virginia Valli in The Pleasure Garden (1925), the first film directed by Alfred Hitchcock. She played golfer Jordan Baker in the first film version of The Great Gatsby (1926).[1]

A New York Times review of one of her films commented that Geraghty "gives the only performance worth mentioning. She has very pretty eyes and obviously would be able to make her acting count for something in a more dramatic vehicle."[1]

When the age of sound dawned, her career began to crumble. Her roles began to be much smaller. Her last film role was in Phantom of Santa Fe (1936). She then retired from film altogether.

She became a very accomplished artist about ten years after leaving motion pictures.[2] Her painting style was reminiscent of French Impressionism. In the last years of her life, her artwork was put on display at the Weil Gardens in Paris. She married Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer writer and producer Carey Wilson on May 1, 1934, and the marriage ended in 1962 upon his death. Wilson worked on the Andy Hardy and Dr. Kildare films. Geraghty's father had written scenarios for Douglas Fairbanks Sr. and others.[3]

Death

Carmelita Geraghty died of a heart attack in 1966 at the Lombardy Hotel in Manhattan, aged 65. She was returning to her home in Los Angeles, California, after a month's exhibition of her work at the Weil Galleries.

She is interred in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Hollywood, California.[2]

Partial filmography

References
  1. Hall, Mourdant (June 30, 1925). "The Screen", The New York Times, p. 22
  2. Mack Sennett's Fun Factory
  3. "Carmelita Geraghty Dies at 65; Painter Played in Silent Films", The New York Times. July 8, 1966.
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