Mary Philbin as Christine
Chaney's version of this story is the most famous and rightly so. The big scenes - the falling chandelier, the underground lake, the masked ball, the final chase and of course the unmasking - are still terrific. Lon plays an acid-scarred madman living beneath the Paris Opear House who frightens the soproanos out of their tenors. Bases on a Gaston LeRoux novel, this Universal classic has marvelous makeup and imagery that would inspire filmakers for decades.
Biography for Mary Philbin
Date of birth
16 July 1903
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Date of death
7 May 1993
Huntington Beach California, USA.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mary got her chance to go to Hollywood when she won a beauty contest sponsored by Universal Pictures. Signed by Universal to a film contract, Mary made her first screen appearance in 'The Blazing Trail (1921)'. Perhaps her most famous film was the one in which she had the role of Christine in the horror classic 'The Phantom of the Opera (1925)', which starred Lon Chaney, Sr. Other important films in her career included the remake of the Mary Pickfair film 'Stella Maris (1925)', 'Merry-Go-Round (1922)' and 'The Man Who Laughs (1928)'. D.W. Griffith would direct Mary in his film 'Drums of Love (1928)'. When sound came to film, Mary would appear in only a handful of films. She would also dub her own voice when 'The Phantom of the Opera was re-released as a talkie. But by 1930, her career was over and she would never return to film.
Opera Ghost: A Phantom Unmasked, The (2000) (V) (archive footage)
After the Fog (1929) .... Faith Barker
Shannons of Broadway, The (1929) .... Tessie Swanzey
Last Performance, The (1929) .... Julie
... aka Last Call, The (1929) (UK)
Port of Dreams (1929) .... Joan
... aka Girl Overboard (1929)
... aka Salvage (1929)
Man Who Laughs, The (1928) .... Dea
Love Me and the World Is Mine (1928) .... Hannerl
Drums of Love (1928) .... Princess Emanuella
... aka Sentimental Tommy (1928) (USA)
Surrender (1927) .... Lea Lyon
Stella Maris (1925) .... Stella Maris/Unity Blake
Phantom of the Opera, The (1925) .... Christine Daa�
Fifth Avenue Models (1925) .... Isoel Ludant
Fools' Highway (1924) .... Mamie Rose
Rose of Paris, The (1924) .... Mitsi
Gaiety Girl, The (1924) .... Irene Tudor
Age of Desire, The (1923) .... Margy (age 18)
Thrill Chaser, The (1923)
Temple of Venus, The (1923) .... Moira
Where Is This West? (1923) .... Sallie Summrs
Penrod and Sam (1923) .... Margaret Schofield
Human Hearts (1922) .... Ruth
Merry-Go-Round (1922) .... Agnes Urban
Trouper, The (1922) .... Mary Lee
Blazing Trail, The (1921) .... Talithy Millicuddy
False Kisses (1921) .... Mary
Sure Fire (1921)
Red Courage (1921) .... Eliza Fay
Danger Ahead (1921) .... Tressie Harloow