Julia Faye Maloney (September 24, 1892[2] – April 6, 1966), known professionally as Julia Faye, was an American actress of silent and sound films. She was known for her appearances in more than 30 Cecil B. DeMille productions. Her various roles ranged from maids and ingénues to vamps and queens.
She was “famed throughout Hollywood for her perfect legs” until her performance in Cecil B. DeMille’s The Volga Boatman (1926) established her as “one of Hollywood’s popular leading ladies.”
During the 1920s, Faye experienced the absolute pinnacle of her career, establishing herself as one of Hollywood’s most popular leading ladies and a main fixture in the extravagant productions of legendary director Cecil B. DeMille. Faye had a sophisticated, witty charm that translated perfectly to the silent screen. Because she was DeMille’s off-screen mistress, she became his ultimate muse, eventually appearing in more of his films than any other actress in history.
She shifted seamlessly between playing maids, ingénues, vamps, and royalty. Her notable 1920s roles included Pharaoh’s wife in The Ten Commandments (1923), Martha in The King of Kings (1927), and a breakout dramatic turn as a gypsy in The Volga Boatman (1926).
Her peak era came to a close at the very end of the decade with her sound debut in DeMille’s Dynamite (1929). While it was one of her texturally meatier roles, the arrival of “talkies” marked the beginning of her career’s decline.
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