Laurette Taylor Movies
During the 1910s and '20s, actress Laurette Taylor (born Helen Laurette Magdalene Cooney in New York) was one of the brightest stars on Broadway. She appeared in three films in the early '20s, including Peg O' My Heart (1922). ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide- 1924
Although she was well over forty when Happiness was filmed, Laurette Taylor was still specializing in girlish charm. Director King Vidor helped translate this charm to film when he helmed the motion picture version of Peg O' My Heart. It came out so well that Taylor and Vidor teamed up again for this film, another of the star's stage vehicles. Although the playwright, J. Hartley Manners, wrote the screenplay adaptation himself, this drama just didn't work well on screen. Jenny Wreay (Taylor) is a Brooklyn errand girl with an especially lively and cheerful demeanor. A wealthy young widow, Chrystal Pole (Hedda Hopper), finds Jenny's attitude appealing, and invites her and her mother (Edith Yorke) to live with her. Philip Candos (Cyril Chadwick), a jaded and world-weary friend of Chrystal's, brings Fermoy MacDonough (Pat O'Malley) into Jenny's life. MacDonough is an electrician and an inventor, and Jenny falls in love with him. Chrystal and Candos offer to use their wealth to help Jenny and MacDonough get a start, but the young couple prefer to do it on their own. Although it's a struggle, they manage to attain success and happiness. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Laurette Taylor, Pat O'Malley, (more)
- 1924
Although Laurette Taylor starred in this drama on Broadway and reprised her role for the screen, she seems miscast. Taylor was much more effective as the Irish lass of Peg O' My Heart than she is here as an Italian duchess. Duke Danaili (Alan Hale) is accused of treachery to Italy, and to cover up his wrongdoing, he kills himself and leaves a note claiming that the unfaithfulness of his wife (Taylor) is to blame. His father, Prince Danaili (Joseph J. Dowling) denounces the duchess and vows vengeance. She escapes from Italy and reappears several years later disguised as Madame L'Enigme, a fortune teller. She becomes the rage of London society, and is finally recognized by Randall (Tom Moore), who had met her in Rome. Randall declares his love for her, but she tries to discourage him. Finally the prince shows up with proof of the duchess' innocence and she is returned to her former status in society. This enables her to marry Randall. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- 1922
Laurette Taylor played the orphan Peg for so long on stage that by the time she starred in the motion picture, she was undoubtedly too old for the part. But then, when Marion Davies starred in the 1933 talkie version, she was 36. The performances of both women in their respective pictures were surprisingly good, considering that in those days film was considered a medium tailor-made for dewy-eyed youth. When her mother dies, Margaret O'Connell, better known as Peg, has to leave her father (Russell Simpson) in Ireland to live with her snooty English relatives so that she can inherit a lot of money. But her relatives -- Mrs. Chichester (Vera Lewis), Ethel Chichester (Ethel Grey Terry), and Alaric Chichester (D.R.O. Hatswell) abuse her and her dog Mike. Only the presence of their neighbor, Sir Gerald Adair (Mahlon Hamilton) -- whom she calls Jerry -- makes things even remotely tolerable. But Peg finally decides she can't stand the Chichesters any longer and returns to Ireland. Jerry goes after her to declare his love and they marry. King Vidor directed -- it was an unusual type of picture for him, but critics singled his work out for praise. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Laurette Taylor, Mahlon Hamilton, (more)
