Lola May

{{short description|American actress}} {{Infobox person | name = Lola May | image = File:LolaMay1916.tif | caption = May in 1916 publication | birth_name = May Purman | birth_date = March 15, 1889 | birth_place = North Dakota, U.S. | death_date = February 4, 1971 (aged 81) | death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S. | other_names = | occupation = Actress | years_active = 1914–1918 (film) }}

'''Lola May''' (born '''May Purman''';<ref name="wt112113">{{cite news |title=Hat for actress brings big suit |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/73374391/lola-may/ |access-date=March 13, 2021 |work=The Washington Times |date=November 21, 1913 |location=D.C., Washington |page=4|via = Newspapers.com}}</ref> 1889–1971) was an American silent film and stage actress.

==Life== May was born in North Dakota. She was a stage actress and appeared in seven films during the silent era including the historical drama ''The Beggar of Cawnpore''.<ref>Katchmer p.184</ref> She appeared in the 1908-1909 Broadway hit ''A Gentleman from Mississippi''.{{Citation needed |date=March 2021}} Her other Broadway plays included ''The Lure'' (1913), ''Just Like John'' (1912), and ''An Old New Yorker'' (1911).<ref>{{cite web |title=Lola May |url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/lola-may-51969 |website=Internet Broadway Database |publisher=The Broadway League |access-date=March 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210313202919/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/lola-may-51969 |archive-date=March 13, 2021}}</ref>

Beginning in November 1913, May faced a lawsuit from Marie Crandell, who said that her estranged husband, Derby Crandell, had bought gifts for May and had dined with her. Mrs. Crandell said "My husband was a model husband and we were very happy until this other woman came between us." The suit asked for $50,000 damages.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lost a 'Model Husband', Woman Sues an Actress In 'The Lure' for $50,000 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/73375512/lola-may/ |access-date=March 13, 2021 |work=Pittsburgh Daily Post |date=November 23, 1913 |page=1|via = Newspapers.com}}</ref> The suit was dismissed on March 21, 1914, after Mrs. Crandell "failed to file a bill of particulars".<ref>{{cite news |title=Pursued by Banker, Lola May Declares |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/73374077/lola-may/ |access-date=March 13, 2021 |work=The Washington Times |date=March 22, 1914 |location=D.C., Washington |page=1|via = Newspapers.com}}</ref>

In 1916 she appeared in Thomas H. Ince's anti-war film ''Civilization'' as Queen Eugenie.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=HktIVRB7TGIC&pg=PA697 "The Stage"] ''Munsey's Magazine'' (September 1916): 697.</ref> The film reputedly cost $1 million to make.

==Partial filmography== * ''The Lure'' (1914) * ''The Beggar of Cawnpore'' (1916) * ''The Heart of Nora Flynn'' (1916) * ''The Green Swamp'' (1916) * ''Civilization'' (1916)

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Bibliography== * George A. Katchmer. ''A Biographical Dictionary of Silent Film Western Actors and Actresses''. McFarland, 2002.

==External links== *{{IMDb name|0562039}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:May, Lola}} Category:1889 births Category:1971 deaths Category:American film actresses Category:American stage actresses Category:People from North Dakota Category:20th-century American actresses