Ivy Close

Ivy Close (15 June 1890 – 4 December 1968) was a British actress. She acted in 44 films between 1912 and 1929.

Personal life

Close was born 15 June 1890 in Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham and died 4 December 1968 in Goring, Oxfordshire. Her first husband was photographer and filmmaker Elwin Neame (1885–1923). Together they established Ivy Close Films in 1914, one of the first movie production companies founded by a film star. This marriage produced two sons: the director, cinematographer, producer and screenwriter Ronald Neame (1911–2010) and author and screenwriter Derek Neame (1915–1979). Her grandson, by Ronald, was producer and screenwriter Christopher Neame (1942–2011) and her great grandson, by Christopher, is producer Gareth Neame (1967– ). In 1938 she married Australian stuntman and make-up artist Curly Batson; this marriage lasted until his death in 1957.

In 1908, Ivy Close was named the World's Most Beautiful Woman by the British tabloid Daily Mirror, beating over 1,500 contestants. Besides acting, her other pursuits were motorcycling and golf. She also worked as a model in advertising campaigns and sang in English music halls. Her film career ended with the advent of talkies, as her English accent was deemed unsuitable for American audiences.