Agnes Ayres

From Wikipedia Agnes Ayres April 4 1892 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 and The Son of the Sheik opposite Rudolph Valentino She was born Agnes Eyre Henkel in Carbondale Illinois to Solon and Emma Slack Henkel on April 4 1898 She had an older brother named Solon William Henkel born in 1888 Ayres 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 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 Joyces characters 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 It was during this time that Ayres married and quickly divorced Captain Frank P Schuker 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 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 DeMilles epic 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 In 1929 Ayres lost her fortune and real estate holdings in the Crash of 29 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 Unable to secure starring roles and somewhat overweight Ayres appeared in mostly uncredited bit parts and finally retired from acting for good in 1937 After her retirement Ayres became despondent and was eventually committed to a sanatorium She also lost custody of her daughter to Reachi in 1939 She died from a cerebral hemorrhage on December 25 1940 at her home at the age of 42 She is interred in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery For her contribution to motion pictures Agnes Ayres has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6504 Hollywood Boulevard