Actresses

[C*i*g*a*rTheJoe]

Anybody think of any actresses who had a better career pre code than after?

[Swithin]

Ruth Chatterton

[Dargo]

Sylvia Sidney

Fay Wray

Joan Blondell

[KayFrancis]

Una Merkel

[CinemaInternational]

Jean Harlow's most interesting films came before the code, but she did remain a big star until her untimely death.

[Fedya]

Marie Dressler?

/ducking

[Detective Jim McLeod]

Nancy Carroll, someone mentioned her film Hot Saturday (1932) on another thread, it is one of my favorite pre codes.

[Cinemaspeak59]

Interesting topic. I like it. Two actresses I enjoyed come to mind:
Constance Bennett
Madge Evans

[jamesjazzguitar]

Out of all the actresses mentioned here, I view Dorothy Mackaill as the best choice. This is because she was only in one film after the Code was strictly enforced in July 1934, a British film, no less, Bulldog Drummond at Bay (1937). Mackaill's pre-code films, especially those for Warner Bros\Frist National are some of the finish examples of what makes a pre-code a pre-code. E.g. Safe in Hell (1931).

Hey, a lot of those mentioned did their best work during the pre-code era, but they also were in many films after July 1934, with some going on into the 40s and 50s. I know my buddy Dargo mentioned Joan Blondell, and while her pre-code work with Cagney, and the pre-code WB musicals, are legendary, one could say her best performances were in the 40s: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945) and Nightmare Alley (1947).

[Dargo]

Out of all the actresses mentioned here, I view Dorothy Mackaill as the best choice. This is because she was only in one film after the Code was strictly enforced in July 1934, a British film, no less, Bulldog Drummond at Bay (1937). Mackaill's pre-code films, especially those for Warner Bros\Frist National are some of the finish examples of what makes a pre-code a pre-code. E.g. Safe in Hell (1931).

Hey, a lot of those mentioned did their best work during the pre-code era, but they also were in many films after July 1934, with some going on into the 40s and 50s. I know my buddy Dargo mentioned Joan Blondell, and while her pre-code work with Cagney, and the pre-code WB musicals, are legendary, one could say her best performances were in the 40s: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945) and Nightmare Alley (1947).

Good point, James.

(...yep, I have to admit that I did have some reservations when I earlier mentioned Blondell's name in CJ's thread here)