Mary Philbin

Mary Philbin was a notable film actress of the silent film era, who is best known for playing the roles of Christine Daa in the 1925 film The Phantom of the Opera opposite screen legend Lon Chaney and as Dea in The Man Who Laughs. Both roles cast her as the beauty in Beauty and the Beasttype stories.

Born in Chicago, Illinois into a middleclass Irish American Catholic family, she began her acting career after winning a beauty contest sponsored by Universal Pictures. Her father John Philbin was born in Ballinrobe, County Mayo, Ireland.

Source: Wikipedia