Dane met a Swedish immigrant named Helen Benson. He then quit acting and moved with Benson to Van Nuys, California, where they opened a chicken farm. They married on 15 June 1921. On 9 August 1923, Benson died in childbirth as did the couple's daughter. In December 1923, Dane ran into his old friend Charles Hutchison who convinced him to appear in a serial he was then producing. Stardom In December 1924, MGM casting director Robert McIntyre — who had previously hired Dane back at Vitagraph — recommended the actor for a role in King Vidor's latest project, The Big Parade. Dane was selected to play the part of Slim, alongside John Gilbert and Renée Adorée. The movie was a major success, both critically and financially, becoming the second highest grossing silent film of all time, making almost $6.5 million (approximately $ today). As a consequence, Dane's career blossomed. In 1926, he co-starred with Rudolph Valentino and Vilma Bánky in The Son of the Sheik. The film was a released after Valentino's death in August 1926 and became a massive success. It was re-released several more times well into the late 1930s. After working on The Son of the Sheik, Dane signed a contract with MGM in June 1926. He began to appear in comic relief roles in several films including The Scarlet Letter (directed by Victor Sjöström and starring Lillian Gish), La Bohème (again directed by Vidor, and starring Gish, Gilbert and Adorée), and Alias Jimmy Valentine with William Haines and Leila Hyams. Dane & Arthur Soon after signing his MGM contract, Dane began work on the Vidor film, Bardelys the Magnificent. It was on this film that MGM executive Harry Rapf decided to pair the burly Dane with the slight English actor George K. Arthur. The new comedy team was dubbed Dane & Arthur. In May 1927, the duo's first film, Rookies, opened and was an instant success. In June 1927, MGM signed Dane to a long-term contract. He co-starred in the Dane & Arthur comedies and played character roles in dramatic films like The Trail of '98. In April 1928, Dane broke his shoulder on the set. He developed a serious case of bronchial pneumonia but eventually recovered and went back to work. At the peak of his success and popularity, Dane earned $1500 a week. Talkies and decline By 1929, sound films were rising in popularity