Volume III: Biographies

BEAUTIFUL, Miss *

(Adele Rey)

Actress (1913-1914)

Thanhouser Career Synopsis: "Miss Beautiful," whose name was set in quotation marks in publicity notices, appeared in several Thanhouser releases in the first several months of 1914. She was featured as a mysterious girl who did not want to have her picture appear in print (but only in films). The June 27, 1914 issue of Reel Life revealed her identity as Adele Rey (to whom refer). In turn, "Adele Rey" was a pseudonym for Evelyn Prevost.

Biographical Notes: An article, "Won't Have Photo Printed," in Reel Life, January 24, 1914, told of the mysterious beauty: "The Thanhouser studio has a demure young lady who won't have her picture printed in the papers - she's so shy! This unusual actress is said to be a society girl who 'has reasons' for keeping her face out of the printed page, although many persons would consider photoplaying in itself a publicity medium of the most pronounced kind. But the particular photoplayer will not have her photo published or her name, either - they call her 'Miss Beautiful' in the Thanhouser casts and let it go at that. 'Miss Beautiful's' first film appearance come late in the month. The release is called Her Love Letters, and Harry Benham and the Thanhouser Kidlet appear, too."

More pressagentry was evident in an article in Reel Life, March 28, 1914: "There is a mystery lady at the Thanhouser studios who goes by the name of 'Miss Beautiful' - a tribute to her abundant dark auburn hair, her clear coloring and graceful figure. She prefers to keep her identity a secret, because she is really a prominent society girl, and appears in pictures only for the excitement. When she consented to join the Thanhouser company, it was only on condition that neither her real name nor her photograph was ever to be published. But the papers have clamored for her likeness - and at last she has accepted the dare. 'Let them print it,' she told Mr. Hite, 'and we'll see if I am recognized.' This mysterious actress must be a real society girl - for what professional would demand to be kept out of print?"

An article in The Moving Picture World, April 11, 1914, gave more on the same subject: "The Thanhouser press department received some panning for the recent stories on 'Miss Beautiful,' a member of the stock company whom they claim is a bonafide society girl and whose real name can't, therefore, be divulged. A Chicago editor wrote: 'Think of pulling the story of 'Miss Beautiful,' the lady who won't let the trade papers publish her photograph because she is afraid someone will recognize her as a prominent society girl, and then of announcing that she is to be featured in Thanhouser pictures.' The item was shown to the 'society girl' by Mr. Hite. 'I'll dare them,' she said - 'go ahead and print my photo in the trade papers and see if I am recognized.' So the leading trade papers have been supplied with likenesses, and the worst is yet to come. The general conjecture is that 'Miss Beautiful' is really a society girl as alleged. It is not believed that a professional actress would ask anyone to keep her name out of print!

"Here is a chance for the 'identifiers' to get busy. The engraving printed herewith is a particularly good likeness of the young lady we are told. If she can get by the lynx-eyed enthusiasts who frequent the photoplay theatres she will have accomplished something that few good-looking young women on the screen have yet succeeded in doing, at least for any considerable length of time. There is just a possibility, to be sure, that the young incognito is not so great a society lady as she pretends; there is just the possibility that she is trying to make us believe that she belongs to the 'charmed circle' when she is only hanging on the precarious edge. She will have to prove her title to the position claimed, eventually, we fear, but in the meantime we will take her at her own estimate and urge the professional guessers to get busy."

Still more about the actress was printed in Reel Life, June 27, 1914: "The mysterious 'Miss Beautiful,' who appears in Thanhouser society plays, is Adele Rey in real life. She is a tall, striking girl of the Harrison Fisher type, with grey eyes and an abundance of dark, titian hair. Formerly she played in musical comedy, but she eagerly deserted to pictures, where the freedom of the life strongly attracted her. She has been called 'the girl of the air' because of her passion for aviation. Miss Rey has made numerous flights, and now is seriously entertaining a project for making a trans-Atlantic trip by aeroplane. Besides being a fearless young woman and a charming actress, she has a delightful singing voice and is an accomplished classical dancer. Asked to suggest possible improvements for motion picture theatres, she replied: 'They would be far more attractive to many people, I believe, if the films were accompanied by the best music to be produced.'"

Note: Refer to the biographical listing for Adele Rey for additional films in which the same actress appeared.

Thanhouser Filmography (as "Miss Beautiful"):

1914: Her Love Letters (1-20-1914), The Success of Selfishness (2-6-1914), The Skating Master (2-15-1914), The Miner's Reversion (3-24-1914), Repentance (3-31-1914)

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