Agnes Ayres (April 4, 1892 – December 25, 1940) was an American actress who rose to fame during the
silent film era. She was best known for her role as Lady Diana Mayo in
The Sheik and
The Son of the Sheik opposite
Rudolph Valentino.
Early life and career
Born as
Agnes Eyre Henkel in
Carbondale, Illinois to Solon and Emma Slack Henkel on April 4, 1892. She also had an older brother named Solon William Henkel born in 1888. She began her career in 1914 when she was noticed by an
Essanay Studios staff director and cast as an
extra in a crowd scene. After moving to
New York City with her mother to pursue a career in acting, Ayres was spotted by actress
Alice Joyce. Joyce noticed the physical resemblance the two shared which eventually led to Ayres being cast in
Richard the Brazen (1917), as Joyce's character's sister. Ayres' career began to gain momentum when
Paramount Pictures founder
Jesse Laksy began to take an interest in her. Lasky gave her a starring role in the
Civil War drama
Held by the Enemy (1920), and also lobbied for parts for her in several
Cecil B. DeMille productions. It was during this time that Ayres married, and quickly divorced, Captain Frank P. Schuker, an army officer whom she had wed during
World War I. She also began a romance with Lasky.
In 1921, Ayres shot to stardom when she was cast as Lady Diana Mayo, an English heiress opposite "Latin lover"
Rudolph Valentino in
The Sheik. Ayres later...
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