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12 unusual facts about WAMPAS Baby Stars


Anita Louise

As her stature in Hollywood grew, she was named as a WAMPAS Baby Star, and was frequently described as one of cinema's most fashionable and stylish women.

Annie Kevans

During Summer 2009, the gallery presented a selection of Kevans' work taken from a new series inspired by the WAMPAS Baby Stars.

Flora Bramley

In 1928, she was selected to be a WAMPAS Baby Star (sometimes mis-credited as Flora Bromley), receiving a good amount of publicity.

Hazel Keener

She was a 1924 Wampas baby star, chosen among young actresses destined for stardom.

Helene Costello

Although she had been appearing on screen since her early childhood, Costello was selected as a WAMPAS Baby Star in 1927, a promotional campaign sponsored by the Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers in the United States, which honored thirteen young women each year who they believed to be on the threshold of movie stardom.

Judith Arlen

She would have another uncredited role in 1933, but received two credited roles in 1934, and that year she was one of thirteen girls selected as "WAMPAS Baby Stars" (at the time, baby star was common slang for starlet), the last year that the "WAMPAS" titles were awarded.

Judith Wood

In 1931, she was selected as one of thirteen girls to be "WAMPAS Baby Stars", along with actresses Marian Marsh, Karen Morley, Marion Shilling, and Barbara Weeks, among others.

Kathryn McGuire

Selected one of the WAMPAS Baby Stars in 1922, she came from a family who had never had a member partake in the acting profession before.

Margaret Leahy

Leahy was selected as one of thirteen WAMPAS Baby Stars in 1923, probably due to the help of producer Joseph Schenck, Norma Talmadge's husband, who had signed a three-year contract with the girl.

Mary McAllister

In 1927 she was one of thirteen girls selected as "WAMPAS Baby Stars", alongside Sally Phipps, Martha Sleeper and Frances Lee, among others.

Patricia Ellis

That same year she was one of fourteen girls chosen as WAMPAS Baby Stars; Ellis, at 16, was the youngest.

Toshia Mori

In 1932, Toshia became the only Asian and non-Caucasian actress to be selected as a WAMPAS Baby Star, an annual list of young and promising film actresses.


Duane Thompson

In 1925, she was one of thirteen girls selected as "WAMPAS Baby Stars" alongside future Hollywood legend June Marlowe.

Joyce Compton

Compton first made a name for herself when she was named one of the WAMPAS Baby Stars in 1926, alongside: Mary Brian, Dolores Costello, Joan Crawford, Dolores del Río, Janet Gaynor and Fay Wray.