Derelys Perdue
Encyclopedia
Derelys Perdue was an American silent-film actress and popular dancer during the 1920s. Her height was 5' 2.5".
She was born in either Illinois
or Kansas City, Missouri
. Following high school, she attended a private school for girls.
She began her career as a dancer (she had been dancing since the age of six), gaining much popularity. She first received attention in Hollywood during a stage production entitled Attila and the Huns, with Ramón Novarro
playing Attila and Perdue playing one of the Huns.
Perdue went on to appear as a dancer with Navorro in the 1921 film A Small Town Idol. Her first film credit was the 1923 film Daytime Wives. She was named one of the WAMPAS Baby Stars
that year.
Perdue reportedly had a bad professional relationship with fellow actress Grace Darmond
, with whom she starred with in A Dangerous Adventure (1922). It was later told that the two women were actually fighting it out for real in several scenes, nearling pulling each other's hair out.
However, she still went on to appear in many more films, including the 1924 film The Last Man on Earth
. She later played Mrs. Newlywed in the Newlyweds film series of short comedies 1928 and 1929. Soon enough, though, Perdue's career was beginning to fall apart. Her boss, future presidential father Joseph P. Kennedy, insisted that she change her name to Ann Perdue, a more sensible name compared to Derelys. She sued him, but lost, and her film career ended in 1929. The suit was brought against Film Booking Inc. Distributing Agency for Robertson-Cole Photoplays in April 1923. Movie distibutors had conducted a contest in a picture magazine asking fans to suggest a name for Miss Perdue.
Her last film was The Smiling Terror (1929), a low-budget serial
.
Throughout her career, she was especially noted for her great talent for dancing in her films. She even organized dancing episodes in several films. She also performed solo or in group at a variety of locations in Los Angeles.
Miss Perdue's romances earned her much publicity in newspapers. She was divorced from Louis M. Feldman in Los Angeles, California
in November 1926. In 1923 she was linked romantically with both Craig Biddle Jr. (son of the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
millionaire) and golfer Gene Sarazen
. She made an appearance at the greater movie ball in the Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles, in 1924 with journalist Swing Ricker. She wore a white velvet dress, beaded in a Persian design.
Derelys Perdue died in 1989 in Los Angeles, California, aged 87.
She was born in either Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
or Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
. Following high school, she attended a private school for girls.
She began her career as a dancer (she had been dancing since the age of six), gaining much popularity. She first received attention in Hollywood during a stage production entitled Attila and the Huns, with Ramón Novarro
Ramón Novarro
Ramón Novarro was a Mexican leading man actor in Hollywood in the early 20th century. He was the next male "Sex Symbol" after the death of Rudolph Valentino...
playing Attila and Perdue playing one of the Huns.
Perdue went on to appear as a dancer with Navorro in the 1921 film A Small Town Idol. Her first film credit was the 1923 film Daytime Wives. She was named one of the WAMPAS Baby Stars
WAMPAS Baby Stars
The WAMPAS Baby Stars was a promotional campaign sponsored by the Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers in the United States which honored thirteen young women each year whom they believed to be on the threshold of movie stardom. They were selected from 1922 to 1934, and annual...
that year.
Perdue reportedly had a bad professional relationship with fellow actress Grace Darmond
Grace Darmond
Grace Darmond was an American actress from the early 20th century.-Early life:Grace Darmond was born Grace Glionna in Toronto on November 20, 1893. Her parents were James Glionna, a U.S.-born musician who had lived in Canada since 1877, and Alice Glionna, an Ontario native.-Career:Darmond was...
, with whom she starred with in A Dangerous Adventure (1922). It was later told that the two women were actually fighting it out for real in several scenes, nearling pulling each other's hair out.
However, she still went on to appear in many more films, including the 1924 film The Last Man on Earth
The Last Man on Earth (1924 film)
The Last Man on Earth is a silent comedy produced by Fox Film Corporation and loosely based on Mary Shelley's 1826 novel The Last Man. The film was remade as the semi-musical comedy It's Great to Be Alive , and influenced the sci-fi novel Mr...
. She later played Mrs. Newlywed in the Newlyweds film series of short comedies 1928 and 1929. Soon enough, though, Perdue's career was beginning to fall apart. Her boss, future presidential father Joseph P. Kennedy, insisted that she change her name to Ann Perdue, a more sensible name compared to Derelys. She sued him, but lost, and her film career ended in 1929. The suit was brought against Film Booking Inc. Distributing Agency for Robertson-Cole Photoplays in April 1923. Movie distibutors had conducted a contest in a picture magazine asking fans to suggest a name for Miss Perdue.
Her last film was The Smiling Terror (1929), a low-budget serial
Serial (film)
Serials, more specifically known as Movie serials, Film serials or Chapter plays, were short subjects originally shown in theaters in conjunction with a feature film. They were related to pulp magazine serialized fiction...
.
Throughout her career, she was especially noted for her great talent for dancing in her films. She even organized dancing episodes in several films. She also performed solo or in group at a variety of locations in Los Angeles.
Miss Perdue's romances earned her much publicity in newspapers. She was divorced from Louis M. Feldman in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
in November 1926. In 1923 she was linked romantically with both Craig Biddle Jr. (son of the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
millionaire) and golfer Gene Sarazen
Gene Sarazen
Gene Sarazen was an American professional golfer, one of the world's top players in the 1920s and 1930s. He is one of five golfers to win all the current major championships in his career, the Career Grand Slam:U.S...
. She made an appearance at the greater movie ball in the Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles, in 1924 with journalist Swing Ricker. She wore a white velvet dress, beaded in a Persian design.
Derelys Perdue died in 1989 in Los Angeles, California, aged 87.