Reply #6

I'm a huge fan of the era and I had the honor of talking to her and getting her autobiography signed about 10 years ago (she wrote it at 98 - I highly recommend it.)

There's a tiny handful of people from silents still with us:

Carla Laemmle, who turns 103 this year. She was the granddaughter of Universal founder Carl Laemmle. She wasn't a star (and she'd be the first to tell you that), but grew up at the studio and had bit parts in films like the 1925 version of Phantom of the Opera, which starred Lon Chaney.
She's still quite active, recently wrote a book and is currently touring film festivals to help promote a short documentary on her life. A really sweet lady when I interviewed her a few years ago.
Here's a recent appearance at a 'Dracula' event:


Lupita Tovar, who is also 102. She's best known for starring in the Spanish version of Dracula that filmed on the same sets as Lugosi's version. They came in and worked at nights when the English-speaking crew left. She starred in a handful of silents, including one with Lugosi.


former silent child actress Baby Peggy (Diana Serra Cary), who is 93.


and, of course there's also Mickey Rooney, who started as a kid in silents.

The last actual star of the era was probably Anita Page, who died in 2008 at 98. And the last that I know of who received top billing in a film was the Barbara Kent, who died a few months ago at 103.