Borden began her career as one of the Sennett Bathing Beauties in 1922 and was soon appearing as a vamp in Hal Roach comedy shorts.
Producer Paul Bern chose her for an uncredited role in his film The Dressmaker from Paris (1925).
She was signed by Fox after being named a WAMPAS Baby Star in 1925 (along with her cousin, Natalie Joyce).
Borden quickly became one of their most popular and highest paid stars earning a salary of $1,500 a week.
She had starring roles in eleven films at Fox, including 3 Bad Men and Fig Leaves, both of which costarred her then-boyfriend George O'Brien.
3 Bad Men has also been featured at the Museum of Modern Art.
During this time she worked with some directors who would go on to achieve major fame, including John Ford, Howard Hawks, and Leo McCarey.

Paramount Studios began a policy of 10% paycuts on any salary over $50 to recoup production costs, when Fox tried the same and cut her salary in 1927, Borden left the studio.
By this point she was a major silent film star.
In making the transition to "talkies" she worked with a voice coach (to suppress her Southern accent).
She was less successful, but still remained in demand as an actress, continuing to work for Columbia and RKO.
She had cut her trademark hair into a short bob, and turned herself into a modern flapper.
But Borden had trouble with the new look, losing her identity; she couldn't find her audience and this confused her waning public.

She made few movies in the early 1930s and her once promising career stalled, producing but one picture in 1932 (The Divorce Racket), and three in 1933 (Leave it to Me, Hotel Variety, and The Mild West  ).
Her last screen credit came in 1934 in the film Chloe, Love Is Calling You, where she played a woman kidnapped at birth and raised as a child of mixed race.
Some say that this once-lost film "is so bad it should've stayed lost."
A pre-code movie made under Will Hays, it had little box office success and in some states (mostly southern) it was banned at the time of its release.
Borden then moved to New York, where she had a brief stage career, and made a living on the waning vaudeville circuit.
Borden began her career as one of the Sennett Bathing Beauties in 1922 and was soon appearing as a vamp in Hal Roach comedy shorts. Producer Paul Bern chose her for an uncredited role in his film The Dressmaker from Paris (1925). She was signed by Fox after being named a WAMPAS Baby Star in 1925 (along with her cousin, Natalie Joyce). Borden quickly became one of their most popular and highest paid stars earning a salary of $1,500 a week. She had starring roles in eleven films at Fox, including 3 Bad Men and Fig Leaves, both of which costarred her then-boyfriend George O'Brien. 3 Bad Men has also been featured at the Museum of Modern Art. During this time she worked with some directors who would go on to achieve major fame, including John Ford, Howard Hawks, and Leo McCarey. 
Paramount Studios began a policy of 10% paycuts on any salary over $50 to recoup production costs, when Fox tried the same and cut her salary in 1927, Borden left the studio. By this point she was a major silent film star. In making the transition to "talkies" she worked with a voice coach (to suppress her Southern accent). She was less successful, but still remained in demand as an actress, continuing to work for Columbia and RKO. She had cut her trademark hair into a short bob, and turned herself into a modern flapper. But Borden had trouble with the new look, losing her identity; she couldn't find her audience and this confused her waning public. 
She made few movies in the early 1930s and her once promising career stalled, producing but one picture in 1932 (The Divorce Racket), and three in 1933 (Leave it to Me, Hotel Variety, and The Mild West  ). Her last screen credit came in 1934 in the film Chloe, Love Is Calling You, where she played a woman kidnapped at birth and raised as a child of mixed race. Some say that this once-lost film "is so bad it should've stayed lost." A pre-code movie made under Will Hays, it had little box office success and in some states (mostly southern) it was banned at the time of its release. Borden then moved to New York, where she had a brief stage career, and made a living on the waning vaudeville circuit.
Olive Borden