Anita Stewart

Brooklyn born on February 7, 1895, Anna May (Anita) Stewart began her acting career in 1911 in bit parts for Brooklyn based Vitagraph Studios while still attending Erasmus High School. Anita was one of the earliest film actresses and the public immediately took to her. She first appeared in a small role in the enormous box office hit adaptation of A Tale of Two Cities, directed by William J.Humphrey, and including an all-star cast of Mabel Normand, Dorothy Kelly, Norma Talmadge and Maurice Costello, great-grandfather of Drew Barrymore. She then rapidly rose in the ranks to lead actress. Anita made an incredible 63 films for Vitagraph between 1911 and 1917.

However, in 1918, she left Vitagraph Studios to accept a contract with Louis B. Mayer. Mayer lured her away with a lucrative sum and promised her that she would head her own production company. In fact, during the next two years she produced seven films, starring in all of them. Vitagraph then sued Mayer for illegally stealing her away from them. Vitagraph won, and Anita went back to fulfill the terms of her contract. She then continued to make films throughout the 1920s, though at a slower pace and for a number of companies. Unfortunately, like so many of her silent film contemporaries, Stewart found the transition to sound film extremely difficult. After making just one musical short in 1932, Anita retired from the screen after 100 screen appearances, the majority as the female lead. Sadly, almost no footage of her performances remain.

Anita died of a heart attack in Beverly Hills, California in 1961. For her contribution to the motion picture industry, she was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6724 Hollywood Boulevard.

Anita's popularity can be seen by the number of magazines that featured her on the cover.
Click on the images for a larger view.

Motion Picture - May, 1917

Picture Play - September, 1918

Motion Picture - April, 1919

Photoplay - December, 1920


Publicity still from A Question of Honor (1922)

Portrait 1925

Stars of the Photoplay - 1924

Anita Stewart - What do you think - Allure?