Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Olivia Joyce Compton (January 27, 1907 – October 13, 1997) was an American actress. Compton was born in Lexington, Kentucky. (Despite frequent reports to the contrary, her name was not originally "Eleanor Hunt"; she had appeared in the film Good Sport (1931) with Hunt and this confusion in an early press article followed Compton throughout her career.) After graduating high school she spent two years studying at the University of Tulsa, studying dramatics, art, music and dancing. She won a personality and beauty contest and spent two months in a film studio as an extra. Compton first made a name for herself when she was named one of the WAMPAS Baby Stars in 1926, alongside Mary Brian, Dolores Costello, Joan Crawford, Dolores del Río, Janet Gaynor and Fay Wray. Compton appeared in a long string of mostly B-movies from the 1920s through the 1950s. She was a comedy actress and protested at being stereotyped as a "dumb blonde". Among her over two hundred films were Imitation of Life, Magnificent Obsession, The Awful Truth, Mildred Pierce, and The Best Years of Our Lives. A devout Christian, on her gravestone, just beneath her dates of birth and death, is written "Christian Actress". She died from natural causes, aged 90, and was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills.
Acted in 134
1950s
- 1958
Girl in the Woods
Aunt Martha
- 1957
The Persuader
Julie
- 1956
- 1953
I Was a Burlesque Queen
Mrs. Nunnally LaVitte
- 1952
1940s
- 1949
Mighty Joe Young
Alice (uncredited)
Grand Canyon
Mabel
- 1948
Incident
Joan Manning
A Southern Yankee
Hortense Dobson
- 1947
Linda, Be Good
Mrs. LaVitte
- 1946
Rendezvous with Annie
Louise Grapa (uncredited)
Dark Alibi
Emily Evans
Behind the Mask
Lulu
- 1945
Danger Signal
Kate
Hitchhike to Happiness
Joan Randall
Pillow to Post
Gertrude Wilson (uncredited)
- 1943
Swing Out the Blues
Kitty Grogan
Silver Spurs
Millie Love
Let's Face It
Wiggin's Girl (uncredited), Wiggin's Girl
Silver Skates
Lucille
- 1942
Too Many Women
Barbara Cartwright
- 1941
Bedtime Story
Beulah
Blues in the Night
Blonde
Moon Over Her Shoulder
Cecilia
Scattergood Meets Broadway
Diana Deane
Manpower
Scarlett
Let's Make Music
Betty
- 1940
Who Killed Aunt Maggie?
Cynthia Lou
Sky Murder
Christine Cross / Her Twin Sister
Turnabout
Irene Clare
Honeymoon Deferred
Kitty Kerry
1930s
- 1939
Escape to Paradise
Penelope Carter
Balalaika
Masha
Reno
Bonnie Newcomb
Hotel for Women
Emeline Thomas
Rose of Washington Square
Peggy
Hollywood Hobbies
Tourist
- 1938
Going Places
Joan
Trade Winds
Mrs. Johnson
Artists and Models Abroad
Chickie
The Last Warning
Dawn Day aka Minnie Schultz
Spring Madness
Sally
How to Watch Football
Benchley's girlfriend
You and Me
Curly Blonde
Women Are Like That
Miss Hall
Love on a Budget
Millie Brown
- 1937
Small Town Boy
Molly Summers
Sea Racketeers
Blondie
The Toast of New York
Mary Lou (uncredited)
Born Reckless
Dora
Rhythm in the Clouds
Receptionist
Kid Galahad
Party Guest on Phone (uncredited)
Pick a Star
Newlywed
Wings Over Honolulu
Caroline
Top of the Town
Beulah
We Have Our Moments
Carrie
China Passage
Elaine Gentry
- 1936
Three Smart Girls
Evans' Secretary
Country Gentlemen
Gertie
Under Your Spell
Secretary (uncredited)
Murder with Pictures
Hester Boone
Sitting on the Moon
Blossom
Star for a Night
Ellen Romaine
Trapped by Television
Mae Collins
The Harvester
Thelma Biddle
Love Before Breakfast
Mary Lee
Valley of the Lawless
Joan Jenkins
- 1935
Public Ghost # 1
Miss Compton
Suicide Squad
Mary O'Connor
Manhattan Monkey Business
Joyce
College Scandal
Toby Carpenter
Let 'em Have It
Barbara
Go Into Your Dance
Café Showgirl
Rustlers of Red Dog
Mary Lee
- 1934
Caravan
Party Girl at Beer Garden (Uncredited)
Imitation of Life
Young Woman at Party (uncredited)
The White Parade
Una Mellon
Everything's Ducky
Jennie Taylor, Eddie's Wife
King Kelly of the U.S.A.
Maxine LaTour
Million Dollar Ransom
Millie, Hat Check Girl (Uncredited)
Affairs of a Gentleman
Foxey Dennison
- 1933
Only Yesterday
Margot (Uncredited)
Roadhouse Queen
Dorothy
Luxury Liner
Girl Overboard (uncredited)
The Wrestler's Bride
Mrs. Scissors Jackson
- 1932
Afraid to Talk
Alice - Party Girl
Madison Square Garden
Joyce
False Faces
Dottie Nation
Fighting for Justice
Amy Tracy
Lady and Gent
Betty
Unholy Love
Sheilla Bailey Gregory
Lena Rivers
Caroline Nichols
Under Eighteen
Sybil
- 1931
Good Sport
Fay
The Spider
Butch's Girl Friend (uncredited)
Annabelle's Affairs
Mabel
Women of All Nations
Kiki
Up Pops the Devil
Luella May Carroll
Three Girls Lost
Edna Best
Three Rogues
Ace's girl
- 1930
Lightnin'
Betty - Larry's Wife
Wild Company
Anita Grayson
The Three Sisters
Carlotta
High Society Blues
Pearl Granger
1920s
- 1929
Salute
Marian Wilson
Dangerous Curves
Jennie Silver
The Wild Party
Eva 'Evie' Tutt
The Sky Hawk
Peggy
- 1928
Soft Living
Billie Wilson
- 1927
The Border Cavalier
Madge Lawton
Ankles Preferred
Virginia
- 1926
Syncopating Sue
Marge Adams
- 1925
A Broadway Lady
Phyllis Westbrook
What Fools Men
Dorothy