Iris Stuart, born Frances McCann on February 2, 1903, in Brooklyn, New York, was a stunning brunette with a remarkable career as an artist's model and actress.
Born to Irish parents, Thomas and Mary McCann, Iris briefly attended secretarial college after graduating from high school, but her passion for art led her to drop out and pursue a career as an artist's model.
Her modeling career flourished, and she soon became a household name, appearing in advertisements and on magazine covers, earning her the nickname "the girl with a million faces."
In an interview, Iris candidly shared her thoughts on being a model, stating, "To be a model is pleasant enough, but it isn't any good for a girl who is ambitious."
Her talent and beauty caught the attention of B.P. Schulberg, who offered her a film contract at Paramount in 1926. She made her film debut in the drama Stranded In Paris and went on to appear in Children Of Divorce alongside Clara Bow.
Iris was selected as one of the 1927 WAMPAS Baby Stars, joining the ranks of Helen Costello and Sally Rand. However, her promising career was cut short when she contracted tuberculosis in the spring of 1927 and was hospitalized.
Despite her health issues, Iris continued to act, but her fragile health made it impossible for her to continue. Her final film was the comedy Wedding Bills.
On January 3, 1928, Iris married publisher Bert MacKinnon, and the couple lived a quiet life in Mt. Vernon, New York.
Tragically, Iris's tuberculosis returned in 1936, and she passed away on December 21, 1936, at the young age of thirty-three. She was laid to rest at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne, New York.
