I came across this video on YouTube where an amateur archivist rescued a roll of film that was almost gone to nitrate decomposition. It is a screen test directed by Jack Conway (of M-G-M), but the actress is unidentified. Does anybody recognize her? You can skip ahead to 10:50 if you just want to view the final project.
It looks like Lenore Bushman, a daughter of Francis X. Bushman. Her sister Virginia can't be ruled out as she looked quite like her, was briefly placed under contract by MGM in late 1925, and married Jack Conway the following year. Conway did not move to MGM until 1925, so this screen test could not be any earlier than that.
Lenore and Virginia in 1926:
Lenore, Jack and Virginia (in costume, obviously) the same year:
The AFI Catalog gives them only a few credits, including Marion Davies' The Lights of Old Broadway, but other sources show they played a number of other uncredited bits for MGM in the mid-to-late 20s, including in Lon Chaney's Road to Mandalay (1926) and Conway's own Brown of Harvard (1926). Lenore was also one of the Floradora Girls alongside Davies in The Floradora Girl (1930).
Re: Screen test of an unknown actress
Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2021 2:54 pm
by Brooksie
Back over at YouTube, the original poster has accepted the identification. It seems it is indeed Lenore Bushman, and he has documentary evidence to back it up. Mystery (hopefully) solved!
Re: Screen test of an unknown actress
Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2021 3:00 pm
by Hamilton's Grandson
Thanks Brooksie. Makes much more sense based on Conway's involvement and the dates he directed films.
