Olive Borden

Acting · Born 1906-07-14 · age 41 at death · Richmond - Virginia - USA

Olive Borden was beautiful and talented but she became one of Hollywood's most tragic tales. She came to Hollywood in 1922 with her widowed mother. Olive started her career as a Mack Sennett bathing beauty and was named a Wampas baby star in 1925. She made eleven films at Fox studios where she earned $1,500 a week. Olive became a popular on screen vamp and her jet black hair was her trademark. She hired Jimmie Fiddler as her agent and was nicknamed "The Joy Girl". Olive lived a lavish lifestyle with limos, mansions, servants, and a dozen fur coats. In 1927 she left Fox after a salary dispute. She later worked for Columbia and RKO studios. Like many other silent stars she had a hard time making the transition to talkies. Her last film was made in 1934. There were two failed marriages and a broken engagement to actor George O'Brien. During World War 2 she worked as a nurse. By the age of 41 she was a penniless alcoholic. Her final years were spent in a Los Angeles mission. Sadly many of Olive Borden's silent films have been lost and this lovely star has been forgotten. Date of Death 1 October 1947, Los Angeles, California  (stomach ailment)