Alma Taylor

• Born — 3 January 1895 • Birthplace — London, England • Place of death — London, England • Birth Name — Alma Louise Taylor • Spouse — Leonard Avery • Years Active — 1907–1958

Taylor was born in London. She made her first screen appearance as a child actor in the 1907 film His Daughter's Voice. She went on to appear in more than 150 film roles, appearing in a number of larger-budget films such as Shadow of Egypt which was shot on location in Egypt in 1924. Taylor was one of the major British stars of the 1910s and early 1920s. Most of her films were produced by Cecil Hepworth. She is best remembered for her role as Tilly in the long-running Tilly the Tomboy series (1910-1915). In 1915 she was voted the most popular British performer by readers of Pictures and the Picturegoers, comfortably beating Charlie Chaplin into second place. She acted only occasionally after 1932, appearing in films such as Lilacs in the Spring, Blue Murder at St Trinian's and A Night to Remember during the 1950s. On television, she appeared twice in Armchair Theatre, in 1957: she played Mrs. Castor and Greta Stenbourg. She died in London at the age of 79.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1907 — His Daughter's Voice — Short • 1910 — The Burglar and Little Phyllis — Phyllis — Short • 1911 — Tilly at the Election — Tilly — Short • 1912 — Oliver Twist — Nancy • 1913 — Adrift on Life's Tide — Edna Wilson — Short • David Copperfield — Dora Spenlow • The Cloister and the Hearth — Margaret • 1914 — Justice — Nan Prescott • The Heart of Midlothian — Madge Wildfire • The Old Curiosity Shop — Mrs. Quilp • 1915 — The Baby on the Barge — Nelly Janis — Short • The Golden Pavement — Brenda Crayle • The Man Who Stayed at Home — Molly Preston • Sweet Lavender — Ruth Rolfe • The Bottle • 1916 — Molly Bawn — Eleanor Massareene • The Marriage of William Ashe — Lady Kitty Bristol • Trelawny of the Wells — Rose Trelawny • Sowing the Wind — Rosamond • The Grand Babylon Hotel — Princess Anna • Annie Laurie — Annie Laurie — Short • 1917 — The American Heiress — Bessie — Short • Nearer My God to Thee — Joan • 1918 — The Touch of a Child — Barbara Dell • The Leopard's Spots — The Woman — Short • A New Version — The Woman — Short • Boundary House — Jenny Gay • 1919 — The Forest on the Hill — Drusilla Whyddon • Broken in the Wars — Lady Dorothea Hamlyn — Short • Sunken Rocks — Evelyn Farrar • Sheba — Sheba • The Nature of the Beast — Anna de Berghem • 1920 — Alf's Button — Liz • Helen of Four Gates — Helen • Mrs. Erricker's Reputation — Georgiana Erricker • 1921 — The Narrow Valley — Victoria • Tansy — Tansy Firle • The Tinted Venus — Matilda Collum • Dollars in Surrey • 1923 — The Pipes of Pan — Polly Bunning • Comin' Thro the Rye — Helen Adair • Mist in the Valley — Margaret Yeoland • Strangling Threads — Irma Brian • 1924 — Shadow of Egypt — Lilian Westcott • 1926 — The House of Marney — Beatrice Maxon • 1927 — Quinneys — Susan Quinney • 1928 — Two Little Drummer Boys — Alma Carsdale • A South Sea Bubble — Mary Ottery • 1929 — The Night of Terror • The Hound of the Baskervilles — Eliza Barrymore • 1931 — Deadlock — Mrs. Tring • 1932 — Bachelor's Baby — Aunt Mary • 1935 — Things Are Looking Up — Schoolmistress — Uncredited • 1936 — Everybody Dance — Rosemary Spurgeon • 1954 — Lilacs in the Spring — 1st Woman • 1955 — Stock Car — Nurse Sprott • 1956 — Lost — Mrs. Bellamy — Uncredited • The Man Who Knew Too Much — Embassy Guest — Uncredited • 1957 — Blue Murder at St Trinian's — Prince Bruno's Mother • 1958 — A Night to Remember — Old Lady — Final film role