Nita Naldi
| Nita Naldi | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
Mary Dooley November 13, 1894 New York City, US |
| Died | February 17, 1961 (aged 66) New York City, US |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1920–1929 |
| Spouse(s) | J. Searle Barclay (1929–1945) |
Nita Naldi (November 13, 1894 – February 17, 1961) was an American silent film actress. She was usually cast in the role of the "femme fatale"/"vamp", a first popularized by actress Theda Bara.
Nita Naldi was born Mary Dooley in New York City into a working class Irish family in 1894 (she was the daughter of Julia (Cronin) and Patrick Dooley). She was named for her great aunt, Mary Nonna Dunphy, who founded Academy of the Holy Angels in Fort Lee, New Jersey, which young Mary Dooley attended in 1910. Her father left the family in 1910, and her mother died in 1915. The latter event left her to care for her two teenage siblings, which forced Naldi to seek work. She took several odd jobs, including artists' model and cloak model. Eventually she entered vaudeville with her brother Frank. By 1918 she debuted on Broadway as a chorus girl at the Winter Garden in "The Passing Show of 1918."
Her appearance in "The Passing Show of 1918" led to more stage jobs, and soon Naldi found herself in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1918 and 1919. At this time she changed her name to "Nita Naldi," which was an homage to a childhood friend named Florence Rinaldi. She continued working on Broadway, and after a well received performance in "The Bonehead," Naldi was offered a stint with well-known producer William A. Brady. Brady cast her in his play Opportunity in 1920.
Naldi was asked to perform in a short film with Scottish comedian Johnny Dooley (no relation). She quit the film after realizing that Dooley had romantic intentions with another woman. She was then offered a role in A Divorce of Convenience with Owen Moore. After those two films, she had small roles in several independent films before being selected for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde with John Barrymore. The role in the film would give Naldi much prestige. During the production of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Barrymore and Naldi became friends, and stayed friends for many years, with Barrymore lovingly calling her the "Dumb Duse".
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