Considered one of the most beautiful actresses of the silent era, Borden was a 'Mack Sennet' bathing beauty at 15 and reached the peak of her career in 1926 when she made 11 films for Fox Studios and was earning $1,500 a week. Refusing to take a salary cut, Borden abruptly left Fox in 1928 and made only a few pictures for other studios before retiring from films in 1938. In 1943 she joined the WACS and after her discharge returned to Hollywood in a failed attempt to revive her career. At the time she was quoted as saying, "Since I got out of the Army I've gone from job to job. Something always goes wrong." By 1946 she was found scrubbing floors for a living and in 1947, at the age of 40, died of a "stomach ailment" at the Sunshine Mission - a home for destitute women on Los Angeles' Skid Row.
Cousin of actress Natalie Joyce.
Entered films with Mack Sennett , as a Sennett bathing beauty in 1922.
One of the thirteen WAMPAS Baby Stars of 1925.
Olive never took off her lucky pansy ring. It was made out of a stickpin that had belonged to her late father. The ring and a scrapbook from her career were the only possessions Olive had when she died.
Olive was engaged to actor George OBrien in 1929. She was also romantically involved with director Marshall Neilan.
Olive was a distant cousin of the notorious Lizzie Borden.
While volunteering as a Wac during World War 2 she received an army citation for bravery in turning over an enemy ammunition truck.
As a struggling actress she was discovered twice, first by Mack Sennett who made her a bathing beauty and later by producer Paul Bern who became her boyfriend.
Her first marriage to Theodore Spector was annulled when she discovered he was married to another woman. A few years later the wife of actor Ralph Emerson accused Olive of having an affair with him.
Her mother Sibbie was a conservative Christian who never drank and didnt want Olive to be an actress. Towards the end of her life Olive claimed she had also "found religion".
Olive played the piano and spoke French. She was afraid of the water because she could not swim.
Before she became a star, Olive worked as a telephone operator and opened a candy store with her mother.
By 1942 Olive had filed for bankruptcy and was working at Macys department store. She joined the WAACs but was honorably discharged after suffering a severe foot injury.
Almost any girl taken from obscurity and spot-lighted, highly paid and,catered to, would go haywire. Precious few have escaped the stage of,distorted viewpoint, unless they had very wise management.
