About Margaret Shelby
Lived 1900 – 1939 (aged 39). Margaret Shelby was an American actor and stage actor.
Alma Margaret Reilly (June 16, 1900 – December 21, 1939), known professionally as Margaret Shelby, was an American stage and motion picture actress, daughter of actress Charlotte Shelby, older sister of silent film star Mary Miles Minter, and one of many public figures noted in the scandals which followed the murder of William Desmond Taylor in 1922.
Film career Born Alma Margaret Reilly (and later also known as Alma M. Fillmore), Shelby was a child actress. Her first Broadway appearance was in Grace Livingston Furniss's play, The Fibber. In 1916 Margaret and Mary, both in their teens, acted together on film in director James Kirkwood's picture Faith.
Although she was seen as pretty and noted for having some talent as an actress, her film career was limited to supporting roles in some of her sister's films. By 1916, both sisters were quite famous and established a widely-publicized "hotel" for stray dogs on the ample grounds of their Santa Barbara, California home.
Her sister left the film industry in 1924, and Margaret took small bit parts in sundry productions.
Personal life She was briefly married to Hugh Fillmore, but they divorced in 1927.
Filmography
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Important facts
People in Margaret Shelby's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Margaret Shelby's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Margaret Shelby?
American actress (1900-1939)
When was Margaret Shelby born?
Margaret Shelby was born on 16 June 1900 in San Antonio.
When did Margaret Shelby die?
Margaret Shelby died on 21 December 1939 in Los Angeles.
What was Margaret Shelby's occupation?
Margaret Shelby was an actor and stage actor.
What nationality was Margaret Shelby?
Margaret Shelby was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Margaret Shelby. https://biography.guide/margaret-shelby/
MLA: "Margaret Shelby." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/margaret-shelby/.
Chicago: "Margaret Shelby." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/margaret-shelby/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence
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