Actress. She is best-remembered for playing shrewish wives and haughty society ladies in Laurel and Hardy comedies. Armed with a withering sneer and sometimes with a shotgun, she was an incomparable foil for Stan and Ollie in such films as "The Battle of the Century" (1927), "From Soup To Nuts" (1928), "Blotto" (1930), and "Be Big!" (1931). Garvin was born in New York City, and moved to Southern California as a child. She claimed Mack Sennett cast her as one of his famous "Bathing Beauties" when she was 12 and from 1924 she was regularly seen in two-reel comedies for producers Hal Roach, Al Christie, and Educational Pictures. In 1928 Garvin had her own short-lived comedy series at Roach, paired with petite Marion Byron. Apart from the nine films she made with Laurel and Hardy between 1927 and 1931, she played opposite Charley Chase, James Finlayson, and Max Davidson. Garvin made only sporadic screen appearances after marrying bandleader Clifford "Red" Stanley in 1930, though Stan Laurel continued to request her talents and she returned for cameos in the L & H features "Swiss Miss" (1938) and "A Chump at Oxford" (1940). She retired altogether in 1940 to raise a family. Long a cult figure among Laurel and Hardy buffs, Garvin later became a favorite fixture at gatherings of the team's fan club, The Sons of the Desert.
Actress. She is best-remembered for playing shrewish wives and haughty society ladies in Laurel and Hardy comedies. Armed with a withering sneer and sometimes with a shotgun, she was an incomparable foil for Stan and Ollie in such films as "The Battle of the Century" (1927), "From Soup To Nuts" (1928), "Blotto" (1930), and "Be Big!" (1931). Garvin was born in New York City, and moved to Southern California as a child. She claimed Mack Sennett cast her as one of his famous "Bathing Beauties" when she was 12 and from 1924 she was regularly seen in two-reel comedies for producers Hal Roach, Al Christie, and Educational Pictures. In 1928 Garvin had her own short-lived comedy series at Roach, paired with petite Marion Byron. Apart from the nine films she made with Laurel and Hardy between 1927 and 1931, she played opposite Charley Chase, James Finlayson, and Max Davidson. Garvin made only sporadic screen appearances after marrying bandleader Clifford "Red" Stanley in 1930, though Stan Laurel continued to request her talents and she returned for cameos in the L & H features "Swiss Miss" (1938) and "A Chump at Oxford" (1940). She retired altogether in 1940 to raise a family. Long a cult figure among Laurel and Hardy buffs, Garvin later became a favorite fixture at gatherings of the team's fan club, The Sons of the Desert.
Bio by: Bobb Edwards
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