Miss Eva May

Lets keep discussing beautiful European silent film actresses shall we?

Eva May was born Eva Maria Mandl on May 29, 1902 in Vienna, Austria. She was the daughter of her film director father, Joe Mandl (stage name May) and his wife, Mia May who was a well known actress. I am pretty sure that Eva was an only child. 

Considering her parents and her upbringing, it is no surprise that Eva became interested in show business at an early age. She on the set of her father's movies a lot of the time and in 1914, she made her acting debut in his film, The Black Triangle (the film also featured her mother). 

It soon became apparent that Eva didn't need her parents to help her make a name for herself in the business. She seemed to be doing just fine by herself, appearing in 10 films in 1919 alone! She soon earned the nickname, "Jedermanns Liebling" (Everyone's Darling).

All together Eva appeared in around 30 films and shared the screen with European stars like Conrad Veidt, Lya De Putti, and of course, her mother, Mia. She made her last film, Der Geheime Agent in 1924.

Eva May passed away on September 10, 1924 after shooting herself. She was only 22 years old.

Sadly, this was not the first time that Eva had tried to kill herself. She had tried a year before by cutting her wrists but was given medical treatment in time to save her life. She had been having troubles with her father and the other men and her life and just couldn't take it anymore it seems.

In her short life, Eva certainly did pack a lot of action. She was married three times, all to movie directors. Her first husband was director Manfred Liebenau who she wed around 1917/1918. Her second husband was director Lothar Mendes, and her third husband was director Manfred Noa. 

At the time of her death, she was engaged to yet another director, Rudolf Sieber. Unfortunately, Sieber left Eva for Marlene Dietrich in 1924 and they remained married (but lived apart) until he died in 1976. 

After her daughter's death, Mia May never acted on the screen again.  Joe May retired from directing in 1944.