Sally Eilers

'Sally Eilers' (qv) enjoyed lunch with a classmate from drama school, Jane Peters (who would later become known as 'Carole Lombard' (qv)), at the Sennett Studios cafeteria. There she was spotted by 'Mack Sennett' (qv) and instantly became one of his "discoveries". Having already appeared in several bit parts, beginning with _The Red Mill (1927)_ (qv) in 1927, she was offered a role in _The Good-Bye Kiss (1928)_ (qv), a rare dramatic feature for the studio. Either Sennett or 'Florenz Ziegfeld Jr.' (qv) (depending on which version of the story is to be believed) tagged Sally with the publicity line "the most beautiful girl in movies".The vivacious former brunette (quickly transformed by Hollywood into a blonde) spent her apprenticeship as a leading actress co-starring in westerns with her future husband 'Hoot Gibson' (qv) and with 'Buster Keaton' (qv) in _Doughboys (1930)_ (qv). In 1931 director 'Frank Borzage' (qv) cast her (instead of established star 'Janet Gaynor' (qv)) in the depression-era film _Bad Girl (1931)_ (qv). What could have been maudlin melodrama was enlivened by excellent direction and some snappy dialogue (winning Academy 'Awards' (qv) for both direction and screenplay) and elicited from Sally in the title role (as "Dot Haley") the best performance of her career. There were to be other films of note: _Reducing (1931)_ (qv) with 'Marie Dressler' (qv), the original _State Fair (1933)_ (qv) with 'Will Rogers' (qv) (with Sally playing a "carny") and _Sailor's Luck (1933)_ (qv), with her _Bad Girl (1931)_ (qv) co-star 'James Dunn' (qv), in which a reviewer described her performance as "highly satisfactory".Alas, most of her subsequent parts were in lesser features and she never made the grade as a top star. Sally continued to act in films, eventually reduced to supporting roles, until the late 1940s. She was married four times.::I.S.Mowis