Biographies of Paramount Players and Directors (1936)

Mary Ellis ^ (Per-: mou nt Player) The nationality of Mary Ellis is a bit involved. She was born in New York of Alsatian parents, end was reared in and still lives in England. However, she is an American citizen because of her birth end proudly clings to thet feet. At the age of 15, Miss Ellis bede school goodbye end took up the study of painting, singing and dancing in London and New York. / t 16 she made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera House in Nev York. She sang With Caruso, Scotti end other opera stars. David Belesco discovered the actress there end sent her to his friend, Stuart Walker, former Purs mount director, for further training in dramatic v.ork. She appeared in Walker's stock company for a season. -playing nineteen leading parts in nineteen weeks. There followed a series of starring roles for E-elesco, Henry Miller end other theatre impressarios including such famous plays as "Me rchent of Venice", "Rose M«rie", (which wts especially written for htr) end "Becky Sharp". She made her first London appearance in "Knave I nd the Queen". Cther London olfys she sterrcd in induce, "Strange Interlude", and "Music in the Air". Rcctntly while scoring in the London musical, "Josephine", she found time to appear in two British films with Conrad Veldt. She owns htr own f i rm in Sussex, England and raises most everything. Only recently she won ? Grind Prize for the finest tomatoes in that part of the country. She Y..-s married in turn to L. A. Fr.rnheimer, producer; Edward Knopf, publisher; and Basil Sydney, the f ctor she plryed opposite for seven years. She prcftrs to be known rs r singing-c ctr* ss end not as an oper' tic singer. Mist. Ellis is five feet three inches U lly weighs 110 pounds ajad has dark brov.n hair rnd eyes. Her recent Paramount Pictures are: ALL THE KING'S HORSES, PARIS IN THE SPRING, FATAL LAEY.