WAMPAS Baby Stars

The WAMPAS Baby Stars was a promotional campaign sponsored by the United States Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers, which honored 13 (15 in 1932) young actresses each year whom they believed to be on the threshold of movie stardom. The campaign ran from 1922 to 1934, except for 1930 and 1933.

Most failed to live up to their promotion. However, a number of the selections went on to become stars of the first magnitude, including Clara Bow (1924), Mary Astor, Joan Crawford (1926), Loretta Young (1929), and Ginger Rogers (1932). All but Bow, a Silent Era star known as The It Girl and Hollywood's greatest female draw at her peak, which predated the honor, won an Academy Award during their careers.

Others with significant Hollywood careers included Evelyn Brent (1923), Joyce Compton (1926), Delores del Rio (1926), Janet Gaynor (1926), Lupe Velez (1928), Jean Arthur (1929), Joan Blondell (1931), Constance Cummings (1931), and Frances Dee (1931).

Gaynor and Arthur were also Academy Award winners.

Perhaps the Talkies first scream queen, Fay Wray, was a 1926 WAMPAS honoree.

Overview

The WAMPAS Baby Stars campaign began in 1922. Every year, publicists chose a group of young actresses who were under contract at major studios that they felt were on the threshold of stardom. Awardees were honored at a party called the "WAMPAS Frolic" and were given extensive media coverage. The awards were not given in 1930 and 1933 due to objections from independent film studios.[1] When the campaign was revived in 1934, freelance actresses, along with studio contract players, were included as the chosen "Baby Stars".[2]

The campaign was discarded in 1935, after which the Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers disbanded.[2] In 1956, a group of veteran stars, among them 1932 WAMPAS Baby Star Ginger Rogers, chose a group of young actresses supposed to be known as The Wampas Baby Stars. However, since the Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers no longer existed, the idea fizzled. The selection took place nevertheless, and 15 "babies" were chosen: Phyllis Applegate, Roxanne Arlen, Jolene Brand, Donna Cooke, Barbara Huffman (later known as Barbara Eden), Jewell Lain, Barbara Marx, Lita Milan, Norma Nilsson, Ina Poindexter, Violet Rensin, Dawn Richard, and Delfin Thursday.[3]

The last surviving original WAMPAS Baby Star, Mary Carlisle, died at the age of 104 on August 1, 2018.[4]

List

Key
Denotes international star from outside the United States

1922

Actress Lifespan Birthplace Image Ref.
Marion Aye19031951Chicago, Illinois, U.S.[5]
Helen Ferguson19011977Decatur, Illinois, U.S.[6]
Lila Lee19051973Union Hill, New Jersey, U.S.[7]
Jacqueline Logan19041983Corsicana, Texas, U.S.[8]
Louise Lorraine19041981San Francisco, California, U.S.[9]
Bessie Love18981986Midland, Texas, U.S.[10]
Kathryn McGuire19031978Peoria, Illinois, U.S.[11]
Patsy Ruth Miller19041995St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.[12]
Colleen Moore18991988Port Huron, Michigan, U.S.[13]
Mary Philbin19021993Chicago, Illinois, U.S.[14]
Pauline Starke19011977Joplin, Missouri, U.S.[15]
Lois Wilson18941988Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.[16]
Claire Windsor18921972Marvin, Kansas, U.S.[17]

1923

Actress Lifespan Birthplace Image Ref.
Eleanor Boardman18981991Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.[18]
Evelyn Brent18951975Tampa, Florida, U.S.[19]
Dorothy Devore18991976Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.[20]
Virginia Brown Faire19041980Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.[18]
Betty Francisco19001950Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S.[21]
Pauline Garon19001965Montreal, Quebec, Canada[17]
Kathleen Key19031954Buffalo, New York, U.S.[22]
Laura La Plante19041996St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.[18]
Margaret Leahy19021967London, England, U.K.[23]
Helen Lynch19001965Billings, Montana, U.S.[24]
Derelys Perdue19021989Los Angeles, California, U.S.[25]
Jobyna Ralston18991967South Pittsburg, Tennessee, U.S.[18]
Ethel Shannon18981951Denver, Colorado, U.S.[26]

1924

Actress Lifespan Birthplace Image Ref.
Clara Bow19051965Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.[27]
Elinor Fair19031957Richmond, Virginia, U.S.[7]
Carmelita Geraghty19011966Rushville, Indiana, U.S.[28]
Gloria Grey19091947Portland, Oregon, U.S.[29]
Ruth Hiatt19061994Cripple Creek, Colorado, U.S.[30]
Julanne Johnston19001988Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.[31]
Hazel Keener19041979Fairbury, Illinois, U.S.[31]
Dorothy Mackaill19031990Kingston upon Hull, England, U.K.[31]
Blanche Mehaffey19081968Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.[32]
Margaret Morris18981968Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.[33]
Marian Nixon19041983Superior, Wisconsin, U.S.[34]
Lucille Ricksen19101925Chicago, Illinois, U.S.[35]
Alberta Vaughn19041992Ashland, Kentucky, U.S.[36]

1925

Actress Lifespan Birthplace Image Ref.
Betty Arlen19091966Providence, Kentucky, U.S.[37]
Olive Borden19061947Richmond, Virginia, U.S.[38]
Anne Cornwall18971980Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.[39]
Ena Gregory 19061993Sydney, New South Wales, Australia[40]
Madeline Hurlock18991989Federalsburg, Maryland, U.S.[41]
Natalie Joyce19021992Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.[42]
Violet La Plante19081984St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.[43]
June Marlowe19031984St. Cloud, Minnesota, U.S.[44]
Joan Meredith19071980Hot Springs, Arkansas, U.S.[45]
Evelyn Peirce19081960Del Rio, Texas, U.S.[46]
Dorothy Revier19041993Oakland, California, U.S.[47]
Duane Thompson19031970Red Oak, Iowa, U.S.[48]
Lola Todd19041995New York City, U.S.[49]

1926

Actress Lifespan Birthplace Image Ref.
Mary Astor19061987Quincy, Illinois, U.S.[46]
Mary Brian19062002Corsicana, Texas, U.S.[31]
Joyce Compton19071997Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.[50]
Dolores Costello19031970Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.[51]
Joan Crawford19041977San Antonio, Texas, U.S.[31]
Marceline Day19082000Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S.[52]
Dolores del Río 19041983Durango, Mexico[20]
Janet Gaynor19061984Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.[31]
Sally Long19011987Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.[31]
Edna Marion19061957Chicago, Illinois, U.S.[53]
Sally O'Neil19081968Bayonne, New Jersey, U.S.[54]
Vera Reynolds18991962Richmond, Virginia, U.S.[55]
Fay Wray 19072004Cardston, Alberta, Canada[31]

1927

Actress Lifespan Birthplace Image Ref.
Patricia Avery19021973Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.[56]
Rita Carewe19091955New York City, U.S.[57]
Helene Costello19061957New York City, U.S.[17]
Barbara Kent 19072011Gadsby, Alberta, Canada[20]
Natalie Kingston19051991Vallejo, California, U.S.[58]
Frances Lee19062000Eagle Grove, Iowa, U.S.[59]
Mary McAllister19091991Los Angeles, California, U.S.[58]
Gladys McConnell19051979Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.[11]
Sally Phipps19111978Oakland, California, U.S.[60]
Sally Rand19041979New York City, U.S.[58]
Martha Sleeper19101983Lake Bluff, Illinois, U.S.[61]
Iris Stuart19031936New York City, U.S.[62]
Adamae Vaughn19051943Ashland, Kentucky, U.S.[63]

1928

Actress Lifespan Birthplace Image Ref.
Lina Basquette19071994San Mateo, California, U.S.[64]
Flora Bramley 19091993London, England, U.K.[65]
Sue Carol19061982Chicago, Illinois, U.S.[66]
Ann Christy19051987Logansport, Indiana, U.S.[67]
June Collyer19061968New York City, U.S.[68]
Alice Day19051995Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S.[58]
Sally Eilers19081978New York City, U.S.[58]
Audrey Ferris19091990Detroit, Michigan, U.S.[65]
Dorothy Gulliver19081997Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.[69]
Gwen Lee19041961Hastings, Nebraska, U.S.[70]
Molly O'Day19091998Bayonne, New Jersey, U.S.[58]
Ruth Taylor19051984Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.[71]
Lupe Vélez 19081944San Luis Potosí, Mexico[17]

1929

Actress Lifespan Birthplace Image Ref.
Jean Arthur19001991Plattsburgh, New York, U.S.[72]
Sally Blane19101997Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.[73]
Betty Boyd19081971Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.[74]
Ethlyne Clair19041996Talladega, Alabama, U.S.[46]
Doris Dawson19051986Goldfield, Nevada, U.S.[75]
Josephine Dunn19061983New York City, U.S.[76]
Helen Foster19061982Independence, Kansas, U.S.[77]
Doris Hill19051976Roswell, New Mexico, U.S.[78]
Caryl Lincoln19031983Oakland, California, U.S.[79]
Anita Page19102008Queens, New York City, U.S.[80]
Mona Rico 19071994Mexico City, Mexico[81]
Helen Twelvetrees19081958Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.[82]
Loretta Young19132000Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.[58]

1931

Actress Lifespan Birthplace Image Ref.
Joan Blondell19061979New York City, U.S.[46]
Constance Cummings19102005Seattle, Washington, U.S.[65]
Frances Dade19101968Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.[83]
Frances Dee19092004Los Angeles, California, U.S.[83]
Sidney Fox19071942New York City, U.S.[84]
Rochelle Hudson19161972Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.[85]
Anita Louise19151970New York City, U.S.[62]
Joan Marsh19132000Porterville, California, U.S.[65]
Marian Marsh 19132006Trinidad and Tobago[86]
Karen Morley19092003Ottumwa, Iowa, U.S.[65]
Marion Shilling19102004Denver, Colorado, U.S.[87]
Barbara Weeks19132003Somerville, Massachusetts, U.S.[88]
Judith Wood19062002New York City, U.S.[89]

1932

Actress Lifespan Birthplace Image Ref.
Lona Andre19151992Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.[90]
Lilian Bond 19081991London, England, U.K.[91]
Mary Carlisle19142018Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.[92]
June Clyde19091987St. Joseph, Missouri, U.S.[93]
Patricia Ellis19161970Birmingham, Michigan, U.S.[94]
Ruth Hall19102003Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.[95]
Eleanor Holm19132004Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.[96]
Evalyn Knapp19061981Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.[20]
Dorothy Layton19122009Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.[97]
Boots Mallory19131958New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.[98]
Toshia Mori 19121995Kyoto, Japan[99]
Ginger Rogers19111995Independence, Missouri, U.S.[100]
Marian Shockley19111981Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.[101]
Gloria Stuart19102010Santa Monica, California, U.S.[46]
Dorothy Wilson19091998Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.[101]

1934

Actress Lifespan Birthplace Image Ref.
Judith Arlen19141968Hollywood, Los Angeles, U.S.[102]
Betty Bryson19111984Los Angeles, California, U.S.[103]
Jean Carmen19131993Portland, Oregon, U.S.[104]
Helen Cohan19101996New York City, U.S.[105]
Dorothy Drake19162005Santa Monica, California, U.S.[106]
Jean Gale19121974San Francisco, California, U.S.[107]
Hazel Hayes19101974La Crosse, Kansas, U.S.[108]
Ann Hovey19112007Mount Vernon, Indiana, U.S.[109]
Neoma Judge19081978Mitchell, South Dakota, U.S.[102]
Lucille Lund19132002Buckley, Washington, U.S.[110]
Lu Ann Meredith19131998Dallas, Texas, U.S.[111]
Gigi Parrish19122006Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.[112]
Jacqueline Wells19142001Denver, Colorado, U.S.[113]
Katherine Williams19081982Seattle, Washington, U.S.[114]

References

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Works cited

  • Liebman, Roy (2000). The Wampas Baby Stars: A Biographical Dictionary, 1922–1934. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. ISBN 0-7864-0756-5.
  • Mank, Gregory William (2015). Women in Horror Films, 1930s. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-0954-6.
  • Slide, Anthony (2014). The New Historical Dictionary of the American Film Industry. New York: Routledge. ISBN 1-135-92554-2.
  • Vogel, Michelle (2010). Olive Borden: The Life and Films of Hollywood's Joy Girl. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. ISBN 0-7864-5836-4.
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