Alice White

Alice White
Publicity photo of White from Stars of the Photoplay (1930)
Born	Alva White August 24, 1904/August 28, 1907 Paterson, New Jersey, U.S.
Died	February 19, 1983 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1927–1949
Spouse(s)	William Hinshaw Sy Bartlett (1933–1937) Jack Roberts (1941–1949)

Alice White (August 24, 1904/August 28, 1907, Paterson, New Jersey – February 19, 1983, Los Angeles, California) was an American film actress. (The Film Encyclopedia: The Most Comprehensive Encyclopedia of World Cinema in a Single Volume lists White's date of birth as August 28, 1907.) Her career spanned late silent films and early sound films.

She was born Alva White of French and Italian parents. Her mother, a former chorus girl, died when Alice was only three years old. Raised by her grandparents, she attended schools in Paterson and East Orange, New Jersey. She also attended Roanoke College in Virginia and then took a secretarial course at Hollywood High School, also attended by future actors Joel McCrea and Mary Brian.

After leaving school, White became a secretary and "script girl" for director Josef Von Sternberg. She also worked as a switchboard operator at the Hollywood Writers' Club. 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 bubbbly, vivacious blonde."

After playing a succession of flappers and gold diggers, she attracted the attention of director and producer Mervyn LeRoy, who saw potential in her.

White's screen debut was in The Sea Tiger (1927). Her early films included Show Girl (1928), which had Vitaphone musical accompaniment but no dialog, and its "talkie" 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.