WAMPAS Baby Stars

The WAMPAS Baby Stars was a promotional campaign sponsored by the United States Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers, which honored 13 (15 in 1932) young actresses each year whom they believed to be on the threshold of movie stardom. The campaign ran from 1922 to 1934, except for 1930 and 1933.

The "WAMPAS Baby Stars" of 1932. Rear row: Toshia Mori, Boots Mallory, Ruth Hall, Gloria Stuart, Patricia Ellis, Ginger Rogers, Lilian Bond, Evalyn Knapp, Marian Shockley. Front row: Dorothy Wilson, Mary Carlisle, Lona Andre, Eleanor Holm, Dorothy Layton, (June Clyde is not pictured).

Most failed to live up to their promotion. However, a small number of the selections went on to become major movie stars: Clara Bow (1924), Janet Gaynor (1926), Fay Wray (1926), Dolores del Rio (1926), Mary Astor (1926), Joan Crawford (1926), Loretta Young (1929), Jean Arthur (1929), Joan Blondell (1931) and Ginger Rogers (1932). Gaynor, Astor, Crawford, Young and Rogers all were awarded the Academy Award for Best Actress during their careers, with Gaynor receiving the first one during the first year of its existence. Bow was a Silent era star known as The It Girl. She was Hollywood's greatest female draw at her peak, but her career predated the Academy Awards. Arthur and Blondell had long and fruitful careers in Hollywood, the former as a lead actress, the latter usually in supporting roles after the Pre-Code era.

Others with significant Hollywood careers included Evelyn Brent (1923), Joyce Compton (1926), Lupe Velez (1928), Constance Cummings (1931, who decamped to England), Frances Dee (1931), and Gloria Stuart (1932, whose career revived in the 1990s and she received a nomination as Best Supporting Actress for her role in Titanic).

Overview
WAMPAS Baby Stars of 1925.

The WAMPAS Baby Stars campaign began in 1922. Every year, publicists chose a group of young actresses who were under contract at major studios that they felt were on the threshold of stardom. Awardees were honored at a party called the "WAMPAS Frolic" and were given extensive media coverage. The awards were not given in 1930 and 1933 due to objections from independent film studios.[1] When the campaign was revived in 1934, freelance actresses, along with studio contract players, were included as the chosen "Baby Stars".[2]

The campaign was discarded in 1935, after which the Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers disbanded.[2] In 1956, a group of veteran stars, among them 1932 WAMPAS Baby Star Ginger Rogers, chose a group of young actresses supposed to be known as The Wampas Baby Stars. However, since the Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers no longer existed, the idea fizzled. The selection took place nevertheless, and 15 "babies" were chosen: Phyllis Applegate, Roxanne Arlen, Jolene Brand, Donna Cooke, Barbara Huffman (later known as Barbara Eden), Jewell Lain, Barbara Marx, Lita Milan, Norma Nilsson, Ina Poindexter, Violet Rensin, Dawn Richard, and Delfin Thursday.[3]

The last surviving original WAMPAS Baby Star, Mary Carlisle, died at the age of 104 on August 1, 2018.[4]

List
Key
Denotes international star from outside the United States

1922
Actress Lifespan Birthplace Image Ref.
Marion Aye1903–1951Chicago, Illinois, U.S.[5]
Helen Ferguson1901–1977Decatur, Illinois, U.S.[6]
Lila Lee1905–1973Union Hill, New Jersey, U.S.[7]
Jacqueline Logan1904–1983Corsicana, Texas, U.S.[8]
Louise Lorraine1904–1981San Francisco, California, U.S.[9]
Bessie Love1898–1986Midland, Texas, U.S.[10]
Kathryn McGuire1903–1978Peoria, Illinois, U.S.[11]
Patsy Ruth Miller1904–1995St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.[12]
Colleen Moore1899–1988Port Huron, Michigan, U.S.[13]
Mary Philbin1902–1993Chicago, Illinois, U.S.[14]
Pauline Starke1901–1977Joplin, Missouri, U.S.[15]
Lois Wilson1894–1988Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.[16]
Claire Windsor1892–1972Marvin, Kansas, U.S.[17]

1923
Actress Lifespan Birthplace Image Ref.
Eleanor Boardman1898–1991Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.[18]
Evelyn Brent1895–1975Tampa, Florida, U.S.[19]
Dorothy Devore1899–1976Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.[20]
Virginia Brown Faire1904–1980Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.[18]
Betty Francisco1900–1950Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S.[21]
Pauline Garon1900–1965Montreal, Quebec, Canada[17]
Kathleen Key1903–1954Buffalo, New York, U.S.[22]
Laura La Plante1904–1996St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.[18]
Margaret Leahy1902–1967London, England, U.K.[23]
Helen Lynch1900–1965Billings, Montana, U.S.[24]
Derelys Perdue1902–1989Los Angeles, California, U.S.[25]
Jobyna Ralston1899–1967South Pittsburg, Tennessee, U.S.[18]
Ethel Shannon1898–1951Denver, Colorado, U.S.[26]

1924
Actress Lifespan Birthplace Image Ref.
Clara Bow1905–1965Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.[27]
Elinor Fair1903–1957Richmond, Virginia, U.S.[7]
Carmelita Geraghty1901–1966Rushville, Indiana, U.S.[28]
Gloria Grey1909–1947Portland, Oregon, U.S.[29]
Ruth Hiatt1906–1994Cripple Creek, Colorado, U.S.[30]
Julanne Johnston1900–1988Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.[31]
Hazel Keener1904–1979Fairbury, Illinois, U.S.[31]
Dorothy Mackaill1903–1990Kingston upon Hull, England, U.K.[31]
Blanche Mehaffey1908–1968Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.[32]
Margaret Morris1898–1968Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.[33]
Marian Nixon1904–1983Superior, Wisconsin, U.S.[34]
Lucille Ricksen1910–1925Chicago, Illinois, U.S.[35]
Alberta Vaughn1904–1992Ashland, Kentucky, U.S.[36]

1925
Actress Lifespan Birthplace Image Ref.
Betty Arlen1909–1966Providence, Kentucky, U.S.[37]
Olive Borden1906–1947Richmond, Virginia, U.S.[38]
Anne Cornwall1897–1980Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.[39]
Ena Gregory 1906–1993Sydney, New South Wales, Australia[40]
Madeline Hurlock1899–1989Federalsburg, Maryland, U.S.[41]
Natalie Joyce1902–1992Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.[42]
Violet La Plante1908–1984St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.[43]
June Marlowe1903–1984St. Cloud, Minnesota, U.S.[44]
Joan Meredith1907–1980Hot Springs, Arkansas, U.S.[45]
Evelyn Peirce1908–1960Del Rio, Texas, U.S.[46]
Dorothy Revier1904–1993Oakland, California, U.S.[47]
Duane Thompson1903–1970Red Oak, Iowa, U.S.[48]
Lola Todd1904–1995New York City, U.S.[49]

1926
Actress Lifespan Birthplace Image Ref.
Mary Astor1906–1987Quincy, Illinois, U.S.[46]
Mary Brian1906–2002Corsicana, Texas, U.S.[31]
Joyce Compton1907–1997Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.[50]
Dolores Costello1903–1970Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.[51]
Joan Crawford1904–1977San Antonio, Texas, U.S.[31]
Marceline Day1908–2000Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S.[52]
Dolores del Río 1904–1983Durango, Mexico[20]
Janet Gaynor1906–1984Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.[31]
Sally Long1901–1987Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.[31]
Edna Marion1906–1957Chicago, Illinois, U.S.[53]
Sally O'Neil1908–1968Bayonne, New Jersey, U.S.[54]
Vera Reynolds1899–1962Richmond, Virginia, U.S.[55]
Fay Wray 1907–2004Cardston, Alberta, Canada[31]

1927
Actress Lifespan Birthplace Image Ref.
Patricia Avery1902–1973Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.[56]
Rita Carewe1909–1955New York City, U.S.[57]
Helene Costello1906–1957New York City, U.S.[17]
Barbara Kent 1907–2011Gadsby, Alberta, Canada[20]
Natalie Kingston1905–1991Vallejo, California, U.S.[58]
Frances Lee1906–2000Eagle Grove, Iowa, U.S.[59]
Mary McAllister1909–1991Los Angeles, California, U.S.[58]
Gladys McConnell1905–1979Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.[11]
Sally Phipps1911–1978Oakland, California, U.S.[60]
Sally Rand1904–1979New York City, U.S.[58]
Martha Sleeper1910–1983Lake Bluff, Illinois, U.S.[61]
Iris Stuart1903–1936New York City, U.S.[62]
Adamae Vaughn1905–1943Ashland, Kentucky, U.S.[63]

1928
Actress Lifespan Birthplace Image Ref.
Lina Basquette1907–1994San Mateo, California, U.S.[64]
Flora Bramley 1909–1993London, England, U.K.[65]
Sue Carol1906–1982Chicago, Illinois, U.S.[66]
Ann Christy1905–1987Logansport, Indiana, U.S.[67]
June Collyer1906–1968New York City, U.S.[68]
Alice Day1905–1995Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S.[58]
Sally Eilers1908–1978New York City, U.S.[58]
Audrey Ferris1909–1990Detroit, Michigan, U.S.[65]
Dorothy Gulliver1908–1997Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.[69]
Gwen Lee1904–1961Hastings, Nebraska, U.S.[70]
Molly O'Day1909–1998Bayonne, New Jersey, U.S.[58]
Ruth Taylor1905–1984Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.[71]
Lupe Vélez 1908–1944San Luis Potosí, Mexico[17]

1929
Actress Lifespan Birthplace Image Ref.
Jean Arthur1900–1991Plattsburgh, New York, U.S.[72]
Sally Blane1910–1997Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.[73]
Betty Boyd1908–1971Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.[74]
Ethlyne Clair1904–1996Talladega, Alabama, U.S.[46]
Doris Dawson1905–1986Goldfield, Nevada, U.S.[75]
Josephine Dunn1906–1983New York City, U.S.[76]
Helen Foster1906–1982Independence, Kansas, U.S.[77]
Doris Hill1905–1976Roswell, New Mexico, U.S.[78]
Caryl Lincoln1903–1983Oakland, California, U.S.[79]
Anita Page1910–2008Queens, New York City, U.S.[80]
Mona Rico 1907–1994Mexico City, Mexico[81]
Helen Twelvetrees1908–1958Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.[82]
Loretta Young1913–2000Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.[58]

1931
Actress Lifespan Birthplace Image Ref.
Joan Blondell1906–1979New York City, U.S.[46]
Constance Cummings1910–2005Seattle, Washington, U.S.[65]
Frances Dade1910–1968Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.[83]
Frances Dee1909–2004Los Angeles, California, U.S.[83]
Sidney Fox1907–1942New York City, U.S.[84]
Rochelle Hudson1916–1972Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.[85]
Anita Louise1915–1970New York City, U.S.[62]
Joan Marsh1913–2000Porterville, California, U.S.[65]
Marian Marsh 1913–2006Trinidad and Tobago[86]
Karen Morley1909–2003Ottumwa, Iowa, U.S.[65]
Marion Shilling1910–2004Denver, Colorado, U.S.[87]
Barbara Weeks1913–2003Somerville, Massachusetts, U.S.[88]
Judith Wood1906–2002New York City, U.S.[89]

1932
Actress Lifespan Birthplace Image Ref.
Lona Andre1915–1992Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.[90]
Lilian Bond 1908–1991London, England, U.K.[91]
Mary Carlisle1914–2018Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.[92]
June Clyde1909–1987St. Joseph, Missouri, U.S.[93]
Patricia Ellis1916–1970Birmingham, Michigan, U.S.[94]
Ruth Hall1910–2003Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.[95]
Eleanor Holm1913–2004Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.[96]
Evalyn Knapp1906–1981Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.[20]
Dorothy Layton1912–2009Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.[97]
Boots Mallory1913–1958New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.[98]
Toshia Mori 1912–1995Kyoto, Japan[99]
Ginger Rogers1911–1995Independence, Missouri, U.S.[100]
Marian Shockley1911–1981Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.[101]
Gloria Stuart1910–2010Santa Monica, California, U.S.[46]
Dorothy Wilson1909–1998Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.[101]

1934
Actress Lifespan Birthplace Image Ref.
Judith Arlen1914–1968Hollywood, Los Angeles, U.S.[102]
Betty Bryson1911–1984Los Angeles, California, U.S.[103]
Jean Carmen1913–1993Portland, Oregon, U.S.[104]
Helen Cohan1910–1996New York City, U.S.[105]
Dorothy Drake1916–2005Santa Monica, California, U.S.[106]
Jean Gale1912–1974San Francisco, California, U.S.[107]
Hazel Hayes1910–1974La Crosse, Kansas, U.S.[108]
Ann Hovey1911–2007Mount Vernon, Indiana, U.S.[109]
Neoma Judge1908–1978Mitchell, South Dakota, U.S.[102]
Lucille Lund1913–2002Buckley, Washington, U.S.[110]
Lu Ann Meredith1913–1998Dallas, Texas, U.S.[111]
Gigi Parrish1912–2006Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.[112]
Jacqueline Wells1914–2001Denver, Colorado, U.S.[113]
Katherine Williams1908–1982Seattle, Washington, U.S.[114]
WAMPAS Baby Stars 1934

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Works cited
  • Liebman, Roy (2000). The Wampas Baby Stars: A Biographical Dictionary, 1922–1934. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. ISBN 0-7864-0756-5.
  • Mank, Gregory William (2015). Women in Horror Films, 1930s. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-0954-6.
  • Slide, Anthony (2014). The New Historical Dictionary of the American Film Industry. New York: Routledge. ISBN 1-135-92554-2.
  • Vogel, Michelle (2010). Olive Borden: The Life and Films of Hollywood's Joy Girl. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. ISBN 0-7864-5836-4.
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