Olive Borden - Career

Career

Borden began her career as one of the Sennett Bathing Beauties in 1922 and was soon appearing as a vamp in Hal Roach comedy shorts. Producer Paul Bern chose her for a role in his film The Dressmaker In Paris. She was signed by Fox after being named a WAMPAS Baby Star in 1925 (along with cousin Natalie Joyce). Borden quickly became one of their most popular and highest paid stars earning a salary of $1,500 a week. She had starring roles in 11 films at Fox including 3 Bad Men and Fig Leaves both costarring her then-boyfriend George O'Brien. During this time she worked with some directors who would go on to achieve major fame, including John Ford, Howard Hawks and Leo McCarey.

When Fox cut her salary in 1927, she walked out on her contract. By this point she was a major star but she found it difficult to make the transition from silent films to "talkies". She worked to get rid of her Southern accent but could not overcome her reputation as being difficult. She was still in demand as an actress and continued to work for Columbia and RKO. Borden cut her trademark hair into a short bob and turned herself into a modern flapper. She made several movies in the early 1930s but her career stalled. Her last screen credit came in 1934 in the film Chloe, Love Is Calling You. She moved to New York where she had a brief stage career and made a living on the vaudeville circuit. By the late 1930s she had filed for bankruptcy and took a job at Macy's department store.