Nita Naldi

Nita Naldi (November 13, 1894 – February 17, 1961) was an American silent film actress. She was usually cast in the role of the "femme fatale"/"vamp", a persona first popularized by actress Theda Bara.

Early life

Nita Naldi was born Mary Dooley in New York City into a working class Irish family in 1894 (she was the daughter of Julia (Cronin) and Patrick Dooley). She was named for her great aunt, Mary Nonna Dunphy, who founded Academy of the Holy Angels in Fort Lee, New Jersey, which young Mary Dooley attended in 1910. Her father left the family in 1910, and her mother died in 1915. The latter event left her to care for her two teenage siblings, which forced Naldi to seek work. She took several odd jobs, including artists' model and cloak model. Eventually she entered vaudeville with her brother Frank. By 1918 she debuted on Broadway as a chorus girl at the Winter Garden in "The Passing Show of 1918."

Her appearance in "The Passing Show of 1918" led to more stage jobs, and soon Naldi found herself in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1918 and 1919. At this time she changed her name to "Nita Naldi," which was an homage to a childhood friend named Florence Rinaldi. She continued working on Broadway, and after a well received performance in "The Bonehead," Naldi was offered a stint with well-known producer William A. Brady. Brady cast her in his play Opportunity in 1920.