A famous beauty in her day was Philadelphia-born Ethelind Terry, who
made a successful career for herself as temperamental prima donna on
the New York musical stage during the
1920's. She first came to notice in "Music Box Revue" and then scored with the
Florenz Ziegfeld Jr.-produced
"Kid Boots" in 1923. Her biggest Broadway hit was "Rio Rita" (1929),
but it was
Bebe Daniels who got to sing in
the screen version that same year. Nonetheless, she was noticed by
Hollywood and launched amidst a big publicity campaign for the screen
operetta
Lord Byron of Broadway (1930).
Though touted as the great star from the theatre and attired for fan
magazines in rose velvet and lace pyjamas designed by
David Cox , it was all to little
avail. While the picture was technically competent, Ethelind and
fellow-Broadway co-star
Charles Kaley went
into what Douglas Eames ("The MGM Story",p.61) aptly called a
'camera coma' from which neither of their careers ever recovered. After scathing reviews, Ethelind was reduced to an uncredited bit-part as one of
Tex Ritter's
minstrel singers in the C-grade western
Arizona Days (1937)- and then
appeared on screen no more.
Arizona Days(1937)as Ida McGill
Lord Byron of Broadway(1930)as Ardis
Nertsery Rhymes(1933)
