Having first aspired to become a teacher, wavy-haired, blonde Mary Doran attended the respected Ned Wayburn Dancing Academy - like countless other hopeful actresses - to learn tap dancing. She first appeared on stage in 'Betsy' (1926), a rare flop by Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. (and Rodgers & Hart), then in the hit 'Rio Rita'. Her film career lasted just eight years, 1928 (contract with MGM) to 1936. Her brief moment as leading lady can be summarised by her first major film, The Broadway Melody (1929). After that, her name descended to the lower depths of the cast list, though she did have a funny bit in the Harold Lloyd comedy Movie Crazy (1932). From the mid-30's, Mary was relegated to bit parts and 'quota quickies' and called it a day.