Actress. Eva May was an Austrian actress, who appeared in more than thirty European films. She was the beautiful and talented daughter of silent film director Joe May and actress Mia May. Born Eva Maria Mandl, an only child, she was married three times: Erik Lund, Lothar Mendes, and Manfred Noa. All her husbands were her film directors. Tragically, she committed suicide at age 22 by a self-inflicted gunshot wound to her head. She was divorced at the time of her death. She debuted in her father's film, "The Secret-Filled Villa" or "Die geheimnisvolle Villa," a 1914 silent German detective film. From the age of sixteen years old, she was under contract with Ring-Film GmbH, where Erik Lund was director. While working with Lund, the two wrote a series of films for her. By 1919 she had appeared in ten films and earned the nickname of "Everyone's Darling." After leaving Lund, she worked with her father for a short time before working with her second husband, Lothar Mendes. By 1923, she was divorced and attempted suicide by cutting her wrist when a romance ended. She made her last film, "Der Geheime Agent" in 1924. She married Noa for a short time before becoming involved with another man, Rudolf Sieber, who broke their engagement to marry actress Marlene Dietrich. At that point, she committed suicide. Most historians agree that her notoriety comes from the events in her short-lived life than her acting.
Actress. Eva May was an Austrian actress, who appeared in more than thirty European films. She was the beautiful and talented daughter of silent film director Joe May and actress Mia May. Born Eva Maria Mandl, an only child, she was married three times: Erik Lund, Lothar Mendes, and Manfred Noa. All her husbands were her film directors. Tragically, she committed suicide at age 22 by a self-inflicted gunshot wound to her head. She was divorced at the time of her death. She debuted in her father's film, "The Secret-Filled Villa" or "Die geheimnisvolle Villa," a 1914 silent German detective film. From the age of sixteen years old, she was under contract with Ring-Film GmbH, where Erik Lund was director. While working with Lund, the two wrote a series of films for her. By 1919 she had appeared in ten films and earned the nickname of "Everyone's Darling." After leaving Lund, she worked with her father for a short time before working with her second husband, Lothar Mendes. By 1923, she was divorced and attempted suicide by cutting her wrist when a romance ended. She made her last film, "Der Geheime Agent" in 1924. She married Noa for a short time before becoming involved with another man, Rudolf Sieber, who broke their engagement to marry actress Marlene Dietrich. At that point, she committed suicide. Most historians agree that her notoriety comes from the events in her short-lived life than her acting.
Bio by: Linda Davis
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
