Marceline Day (American, 1908-2000)

Day was a prominent actress whose career in silent films began at seventeen. In 1926, she was chosen as a Baby Star by the Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers, which highlighted the women who were seen as Hollywood’s upcoming movie stars. Some of her most prominent films include roles in The Beloved Rogue (1927), London After Midnight (1927), and The Cameraman (1928). She performed alongside leading actors like John Barrymore, Lon Cheney, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Buster Keaton, and John Wayne. As her career waned, Day starred in “B” Westerns before retiring from acting and never speaking of her profession or granting interviews.

Day looked the part of a glamorous Hollywood star, portrayed as if in the moonlight looking directly at the camera with luxurious fur around her shoulders. Ruth Harriet Louise’s photograph captures an allure on camera that speaks to styles of the 1920s, as well as highlights Day’s femininity.