Olive Borden
Olive Borden | |
|---|---|
Olive Borden in 1929 | |
| Born | July 14, 1907 Richmond, Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | October 1, 1947 (aged 40) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California |
| Other names | The Joy Girl |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1924–1934 |
| Spouses | Theodore Spector
(m. 1931; ann. 1932)John Moeller
(m. 1934; div. 1941) |
| Relatives | Natalie Joyce (cousin) |
Olive Mary Borden (July 14, 1907 – October 1, 1947) was an American film and stage actress who began her career during the silent film era. She was nicknamed "the Joy Girl", after playing the lead in the 1927 film of that same title. Borden was known for her jet-black hair and stunning overall beauty.
At the peak of her career in the mid-1920s, Borden was earning $1,500 a week. In 1927, she walked out on her contract with Fox after refusing to take a pay cut. By 1929, her career began to wane due to her rumored reputation for being temperamental and her difficulty transitioning to sound films. She made her last film, Chloe, Love Is Calling You, in 1934 and moved on to stage work for a time. By the late 1930s, she had declared bankruptcy and stopped acting. During World War II, she joined the Women's Army Corps. She was later honorably discharged with distinction after sustaining a foot injury during service. Borden attempted a comeback in films, however, she was hindered by her alcoholism and health problems.
In 1945, she began working at the Sunshine Mission, a home for impoverished women located in a formerly skidrow section of Los Angeles. She died there in October 1947 of a stomach ailment and pneumonia at the age of 40.