Alice White
Publicity photo of White, 1934
Born
Alva White

(1904-08-25)August 25, 1904
Paterson, New Jersey, U.S.
DiedFebruary 19, 1983(1983-02-19) (aged 78)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting placeValhalla Memorial Park Cemetery
OccupationActress
Years active1927–1950
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1933; div. 1937)​
    Jack Roberts
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1941; div. 1949)​

    Alice White (born Alva White; August 25, 1904[1][2] – February 19, 1983) was an American film actress. Her career spanned late silent films and early sound films.[2]

    Early years

    Alice White was raised by her maternal grandparents in Paterson, New Jersey, and she attended schools in Paterson and East Orange, New Jersey. Her grandfather owned a fruit business.[3]

    Film

    Publicity photo of White from Stars of the Photoplay (1930)
    Alice White in 1933

    After leaving school, White became a secretary and "script girl" for director Josef von Sternberg.[2] She also worked as a switchboard operator at the Hollywood Writers' Club.[4] After clashing with von Sternberg, White left to work for Charlie Chaplin, who decided before long to place her in front of the camera.

    Her bubbly and vivacious persona led to comparisons with Clara Bow, but White's career was slow to progress. In his book Silent Films, 1877-1996: A Critical Guide to 646 Movies, Robert K. Klepper wrote: "Some critics have said that Ms. White was a second-string Clara Bow. In actuality, Ms. White had her own type of charm, and was a delightful actress in her own, unique way. Whereas Clara Bow played the quintessential, flaming redheaded flapper, Alice White was more of a bubbly, vivacious blonde."[5]

    After playing a succession of flappers and gold diggers, she attracted the attention of director and producer Mervyn LeRoy, who saw potential in her. Her screen debut was in The Sea Tiger (1927).[2] Her early films included Show Girl (1928), which had Vitaphone musical accompaniment but no dialog, and its musical sequel Show Girl in Hollywood (1930), both released by Warner Brothers and both based on novels by J.P. McEvoy. In these two films, White appeared as Dixie Dugan. In October 1929, McAvoy started the comic strip Dixie Dugan with the character Dixie having a "helmet" hairstyle and appearance similar to actress Louise Brooks. White also used the services of Hollywood 'beauty sculptor' Sylvia of Hollywood to stay in shape.[6]

    White was featured in The Girl from Woolworth's (1929), having the role of a singing clerk in the music department of a Woolworth's store. Karen Plunkett-Powell wrote in her book Remembering Woolworth's: A Nostalgic History of the World's Most Famous Five-and-Dime: "First National Pictures produced this 60-minute musical as a showcase for up-and-coming actress Alice White."[7]

    Later career

    White left films in 1931 to improve her acting abilities, returning in 1933 only to have her career hurt by a scandal that erupted over her involvement with boyfriend actor Jack Warburton and future husband Sy Bartlett. Although she later married Bartlett, her reputation was tarnished and she appeared only in supporting roles after this, including Jimmy the Gent (1934) with James Cagney and Bette Davis. By 1937 and 1938, her name was at the bottom of the cast lists. She made her final film appearance in Flamingo Road (1949) and eventually resumed working as a secretary.[2]

    Personal life

    Sy Bartlett and Alice White, 1931

    In 1933, White and her fiancé, American screenwriter Sidney "Sy" Bartlett, were accused of arranging the beating of British actor John Warburton. White and Warburton had reportedly had a love affair that ended when he beat her so badly she required cosmetic surgery. A grand jury in Los Angeles decided not to charge Bartlett or White; however, the bad publicity hurt White’s career.

    White married Bartlett on December 3, 1933, in Magdalena, Mexico.[8] She filed for divorce in 1937, claiming he "stayed away from home" and was awarded $65 per week in alimony.

    White remarried, to film writer John Roberts, on August 24, 1940.[9] They divorced on April 18, 1949, in Los Angeles. The following year, she sued him over unpaid alimony.[10]

    Death

    White died of complications from a stroke on February 19, 1983, at age 78. She was buried at Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery in North Hollywood.[11]

    Award

    White has a star at 1511 Vine Street in the Motion Pictures section of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It was dedicated on February 8, 1960.[12]

    Filmography

    Film
    Year Film Role Notes
    1927 The Sea TigerManuellaLost film
    The Satin WomanJean Taylor Jr.
    American BeautyClaire O'RileyLost film
    Breakfast at SunriseLoulou
    The Private Life of Helen of TroyAdrasteIncomplete
    The DoveBit partUncredited
    Incomplete
    1928 Gentlemen Prefer BlondesDorothy ShawLost film
    Mad HourAimeeLost film
    LingerieAngele Ree ('Lingerie')
    The Big NoiseSophie SlovalLost film
    Harold TeenGiggles Dewberry
    Three-Ring MarriageTrapeze PerformerLost film
    Show GirlDixie Dugan
    Naughty BabyRosalind McGill
    1929 Hot StuffBarbara Allen
    Broadway BabiesDelight "Dee" Foster
    The Girl from Woolworth'sPat KingLost film
    The Show of ShowsHerself
    1930 Playing AroundSheba Miller
    Showgirl in HollywoodDixie Dugan
    Sweet MamaGoldie
    Sweethearts on ParadeHelen
    The Widow from ChicagoPolly
    1931 The Naughty FlirtKatherine Constance "Kay" Elliott
    Murder at MidnightEsme Kennedy
    1933 Employees' EntrancePolly Dale
    Luxury LinerMilli Lensch
    Picture SnatcherAllison
    King for a NightEvelyn
    1934 Cross Country CruiseMay
    Jimmy the GentMabel
    A Very Honorable GuyHortense Hathaway
    Gift of GabMargot
    Secret of the ChateauDidi Bonfee
    1935 Sweet MusicLulu Betts Malone
    CoronadoViolet Wray Hornbostel
    1937 Big CityPeggy Delvin
    Telephone OperatorDottie Stengal
    1938 King of the NewsboysDolly
    Annabel Takes a TourMarcella, Hotel Manicurist
    1941The Night of January 16thUncredited
    1942Girls' TownNicky
    1949Flamingo RoadGracie
    1950International Burlesque [13]
    Short subjects
    Year Title Role Notes
    1933Hollywood on Parade No. A-12
    1934 Hollywood on Parade No. B-6
    The Hollywood Gad-About
    1935 A Trip Thru a Hollywood Studio
    Broadway Highlights No. 2

    References

    1. ↑ The Film Encyclopedia: The Most Comprehensive Encyclopedia of World Cinema in a Single Volume incorrectly lists White's date of birth as August 28, 1907.
    2. 1 2 3 4 5 Katz, Ephraim (1979). The Film Encyclopedia: The Most Comprehensive Encyclopedia of World Cinema in a Single Volume. Perigee Books. ISBN 0-399-50601-2, pg. 1228.
    3. ↑ "(photo caption)". The New Movie Magazine: 38. December 1929. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
    4. ↑ Waterbury, Ruth (December 1929). "The Girl Who Licked Hollywood". The New Movie Magazine: 39–40, 123. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
    5. ↑ Klepper, Robert K. (1999). Silent Films, 1877-1996: A Critical Guide to 646 Movies. McFarland. p. 540. ISBN 9781476604848. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
    6. ↑ Hollywood Undressed: Observations of Sylvia As Noted by Her Secretary (1931).
    7. ↑ Plunkett-Powell, Karen (2001). Remembering Woolworth's: A Nostalgic History of the World's Most Famous Five-and-Dime. Macmillan. p. 191. ISBN 9780312277048. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
    8. ↑ "Alice White Weds". The Brownsville Herald. Texas, Brownsville. Associated Press. December 4, 1933. p. 7.
    9. ↑ "Alice White, 76, Flapper Movie Star in '30s". Chicago Tribune. February 27, 1983. p. 38.
    10. ↑ "Divorces". Billboard. April 30, 1949. p. 51. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
    11. ↑ Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14000 Famous Persons by Scott Wilson
    12. ↑ "Alice White". Hollywood Walk of Fame. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
    13. ↑ "International Burlesque (1950) - Turner Classic Movies".
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