Agnes Ayres (born Agnes Eyre Henkel; April 4, 1891 – December 25, 1940) was an American actress who rose to fame during the silent film era. She was known for her role as Lady Diana Mayo in The Sheik opposite Rudolph Valentino.
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Wednesday, April 13, 2022. 10:00
Agnes Ayres -Actress
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Profile :
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Born Agnes Eyre Henkel, April 4, 1891, Carbondale, Illinois, U.S.
Died December 25, 1940 (aged 49), Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting place Hollywood Forever Cemetery
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Other names Agnes Eyre, Agnes Rendleman
Occupation Actress
Years active 1914–1929, & 1936–1937
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Spouse(s)
1.Frank Schuker - (m. 1918; div. 1921)
2.S. Manuel Reachi - (m. 1924; div. 1927)
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Children 1
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Introduction :
Agnes Ayres (born Agnes Eyre Henkel; April 4, 1891 – December 25, 1940) was an American actress who rose to fame during the silent film era. She was known for her role as Lady Diana Mayo in The Sheik opposite Rudolph Valentino.
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Early life and career :
Agnes Eyre Henkel was born on April 4, 1891, in Carbondale, Illinois, the second child to Solon Augustus Henkel and Emma Slack Rendleman. She had an older brother, Solon William Henkel. After her father's death, her mother remarried to Franklin "Frank" Rendleman, a farmer, in 1895.[citation needed] She left school after completing the 8th grade,[citation needed] and the family moved to Chicago when Ayres was a teenager. She had ambitions to study law, and in 1910 she was working as a bookkeeper.
She began her career in 1914 when she was noticed by an Essanay Studios staff director and cast as an extra in a crowd scene. After moving to Manhattan, New York City with her mother to pursue a career in acting, Ayres was spotted by actress Alice Joyce. Joyce noticed the physical resemblance the two shared which eventually led to Ayres being cast in Richard the Brazen (1917), as Joyce's character's sister. Ayres' career began to gain momentum when Paramount Pictures founder Jesse Lasky began to take an interest in her. Lasky gave her a starring role in the Civil War drama Held by the Enemy (1920), and also lobbied for parts for her in several Cecil B. DeMille productions. During this period Ayres divorced Franklin "Frank" Schucker, an army officer whom she had wed during World War I. She also began a romance with Lasky.
In 1921, Ayres shot to stardom when she was cast as Lady Diana Mayo, an English heiress, opposite "Latin lover" Rudolph Valentino in The Sheik. Ayres later reprised her role as Lady Diana in the 1926 sequel The Son of the Sheik. Following the release of The Sheik, she went on to have major roles in many other films including The Affairs of Anatol (1921) starring Wallace Reid, Forbidden Fruit (1921), and Cecil B. DeMille's The Ten Commandments (1923).
By 1923, Ayres' career began to wane following the end of her relationship with Jesse Lasky. She married Mexican diplomat S. Manuel Reachi in 1924. The couple had a daughter, before divorcing in 1927.
Ayres lost her fortune and real estate holdings in the Wall Street Crash of 1929. That same year, she also appeared in her last major role in The Donovan Affair, starring Jack Holt. To earn money, she left acting and played the vaudeville circuit. She returned to acting in 1936, confident that she could make a comeback — but, unable to secure starring roles, and somewhat overweight, Ayres appeared in mostly uncredited bit parts and finally retired from acting for good in 1937.
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Later years and death :
with her daughter Reachi.
After her retirement, Ayres became despondent and was eventually committed to a sanatorium. In 1939, she also lost custody of her daughter to Reachi.
She died from a cerebral hemorrhage on December 25, 1940, at her home in Hollywood, California, at the age of 49; she had been ill for several weeks. She is interred at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. In 1960, Ayres was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame with a motion pictures star at 6504 Hollywood Boulevard for her contributions to the film industry.
Her daughter Maria Reachi had a small part in the movie East Side, West Side (1949).
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Selected filmography :
Year Title Role Notes
1914 The Masked Wrestler Uncredited
1915 His New Job Extra, Secretary Alternative title: Charlie's New Job
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1917
Motherhood The Mother Credited as Agnes Eyre
Lost film
The Debt Countess Ann Credited as Agnes Eyre
Lost film
Mrs. Balfame Alys Crumley Credited as Agnes Eyre
Hedda Gabler Credited as Agnes Eyre
The Mirror undetermined Credited as Agnes Eyre
Lost film
The Dazzling Miss Davison Lillian, Miss Davison's sister Credited as Agnes Eyre
Lost film
The Defeat of the City Alicia Van Der Pool Credited as Agnes Eyre
The Bottom of the Well Alice Buckingham
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1918
The Purple Dress Maida
The Enchanted Profile Ida Bates
Sisters of the Golden Circle Mrs. James Williams
One Thousand Dollars Margarett Hayden
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1919
The Girl Problem Helen Reeves
A Stitch in Time Lela Trevor
In Honor's Web Carson
Sacred Silence
The Gamblers Isabel Merson
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1920
A Modern Salome Helen Torrence Lost film
The Inner Voice Barbara
Go and Get It Helen Allen
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1921
The Love Special Laura Gage
Forbidden Fruit Mary Maddock
Too Much Speed Virginia MacMurran Unknown/presumably lost
Cappy Ricks Florrie Ricks Incomplete film
The Affairs of Anatol Annie Elliott
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1922
The Lane That Had No Turning Madelinette Lost film
1922 -*Bought and Paid For Virginia Blaine Lost film
The Ordeal Sybil Bruce Lost film
1922 - *A Daughter of Luxury Mary Fenton
Clarence Violet Pinney Lost film
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1923
The Heart Raider Muriel Gray (a speed girl)
Racing Hearts Virginia Kent Lost film
The Ten Commandments The Outcast
The Marriage Maker Alexandra Vancy Lost film
Don't Call It Love Alice Meldrum
Hollywood Herself (cameo) Lost film
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1924
When a Girl Loves Sasha Boroff
Bluff Betty Hallowell
Detained Short film
The Story Without a Name Mary Walsworth Lost film
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1925
Tomorrow's Love Judith Stanley
Her Market Value Nancy Dumont
The Awful Truth Lucy Satterlee
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1926
The Son of the Sheik Lady Diana
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1927
Eve's Love Letters The Wife
1928
Into the Night Billie Mardon
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1929
The Donovan Affair Lydia Rankin
Bye, Bye, Buddy Glad O'Brien
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Small Town Girl Catherine Uncredited
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1937
Maid of Salem Bit Part Uncredited
Midnight Taxi Society woman Uncredited
Souls at Sea Bit Role Uncredited
Morning Judge Mrs. Kennedy
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