Durable, gifted leading lady and character player of the 1920s, 30s and 40s, best remembered as the homicidal, but wide-eyed and seemingly sympathetic, Brigid O'Shaughnessy in "The Maltese Falcon" (1941). With her small face, brunette hair, and slightly uneven but lovely, cameo-like features, Astor began in silent films as a delicate romantic lead in such films as "Don Juan" (1926). With the coming of sound her image changed somewhat and she played more sophisticated roles, such as the neurotic wife who lusts after Clark Gable in "Red Dust" (1932), and, in an especially fine performance, as the sympathetic "other woman" in William Wyler's "Dodsworth" (1936).
Astor was at the center of a scandal in 1936, when her suit for custody of her daughter Marylyn led to the disclosure of a personal diary, allegedly documenting her liaisons with a number of prominent Hollywood figures. The controversy did not destroy her career, however; indeed, in many ways it peaked with a series of splendid and acclaimed second lead and occasional lead performances as passionate, driven women in such fine dramas and comedies as "The Prisoner of Zenda" (1937), "Midnight" (1939) and "The Palm Beach Story" (1942). She deservedly won a Supporting Actress Oscar as a bitchy pianist rival of Bette Davis for the affections of George Brent in "The Great Lie" (1941).
As middle age approached, Astor moved gracefully into a third stage of work in mother roles, usually sympathetic, most famously as Judy Garland's mom in the warm Technicolor musical, "Meet Me In St. Louis" (1944). Her striking supporting cameo as a prostitute in "Act of Violence" (1949) and her domineering mother in "Stranger in My Arms" (1959) were but two of the fine performances she was to give through the early 1960s. She also penned a number of novels and two well-received, intelligent memoirs.
- Also Credited As:
Lucille Vasconcellos Langhanke
- Born:
May 3, 1906 in Quincy, Illinois
- Died:
September 25, 1987.
-
Job Titles:
Actor, Photographer's model, Novelist
Significant Others
-
Companion: George S Kauffman. affair with Kauffman was made public when her diaries were read in court during divorce proceedings from Thorpe
-
Companion: John Barrymore. reportedly fell in love when they co-starred together in "Beau Brummel"
Milestones
-
1919 Submitted photograph to contest sponsored by Motion Picture magazine; moved to Chicago when placed among finalists but was deemed too young
-
1920 Family moved to NYC
-
1921 Film debut in a dream sequence of the film "Sentimental Journey"; cut from final print
-
1921 First screen appearance in title role of the short "The Beggar Maid"
-
1922 Feature acting debut in "John Smith"
-
1923 Moved to Hollywood
-
1924 Career boosted when she was reportedly requested by John Barrymore to play opposite him in "Beau Brummel" (produced at Warner Bros.) and "Don Juan"; they supposedly fell in love on the set
-
1925 Signed by Warner Bros.
-
1926 Named a Wampas Baby Star
-
1928 Loaned to Fox for "Dressed to Kill"; later signed contract with Fox
-
1930 Co-starred as Julia Seton in the first screen version of Philip Barry's play "Holiday"
-
1930 First sound feature "Ladies Love Brutes"
-
1932 Cast as an unfaithful wife in "Red Dust"
-
1933 Played a murder suspect in "The Kennel Murder Case", a Philo Vance mystery starring William Powell as the detective
-
1936 Delivered a memorable supporting turn as an American expatriate in "Dodsworth"
-
1936 Made headlines when her 1929-1934 diary was introduced in divorce proceedings; the journal reportedly contained passages of her lovers in explicit detail; Astor always maintained that the pages introduced in court were forgeries
-
1937 Co-starred in "The Prisoner of Zenda" and "The Hurricane"
-
1937 Returned to the stage as star of three one-acts by Noel Coward, "Tonight at 8:30", "The Astonished Heart" and "Still Life"
-
1938 Played Judy Garland's widowed mother in "Listen Darling"
-
1939 Reunited onscreen with John Barrymore in "Midnight"; was pregnant during filming
-
1941 Cast in what is arguably her best-known role, the shady Brigid O'Shaughnessy in "The Maltese Falcon" opposite Humphrey Bogart
-
1941 Won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for playing a concert pianist in "The Great Lie"; film starred Bette Davis
-
1942 Donned an ill-advised blonde wig as a much-married socialite in the comedy "The Palm Beach Story"
-
1942 Reteamed with Bogart in "Across the Pacific"
-
1943 Signed seven-year contract with MGM in part for the financial security; later came to regret decision as studio only seemed to cast her in matronly parts which she dubbed "The Metro Mothers"
-
1944 Broadway debut in the ill-fated "Many Happy Returns"
-
1944 Played the matriarch of the Smith family in the charming slice of Americana "Meet Me in St. Louis"
-
1946 Loaned to Fox to co-star in "Claudia and David"
-
1948 Portrayed a woman of questionable virtue in the noirish "Act of Violence"
-
1949 Cast as Marmee in remake of "Little Women"; Astor was so disillusioned with studio she asked to be released from her contract
-
1951 Struggling with alcoholism, attempted suicide; later joined Alcoholics Anonymous and converted to Catholicism
-
1952 Toured the USA in the stage play "The Time of the Cuckoo"
-
1954 TV acting debut in "The Missing Years" on "Kraft Television Theater" (ABC)
-
1956 Moved back to Los Angeles
-
1956 Returned to films after seven years to play Robert Wagner's mother in "A Kiss Before Dying"
-
1956 Toured in Shaw's "Don Juan in Hell", directed by Agnes Moorehead
-
1959 Published "My Story, An Autobiography"
-
1961 Portrayed the overpossessive mother of Brett Halsey in the sequel "Return to Peyton Place"
-
1964 Final film, "Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte"; made cameo appearance as a blackmailed murderer; co-starred with Bette Davis
-
1971 Wrote second memoir "A Life on Film"
-
1976 Moved to Motion Picture Country Home
-
1980 Profiled in cover story of Life magazine, "Whatever Became of Mary Astor and Other Lost Stars?"
-
Began appearing on radio programs such as "Lux Theatre", "Screen Actors Guild" and "Suspense"
-
Co-starred in the L.A. stage production "Among the Married" alongside Florence Eldridge and Edward Everett Horton
-
Had to turn down and opportunity to star in film version of "Blithe Spirit" as MGM would not loan her
-
Made frequent appearances on TV programs
-
Moved to NYC
-
Played Norma Desmond in TV version of "Sunset Boulevard"; also acted in "The Women" and two separate versions of "The Philadelphia Story"
-
Posed for a series of photographs titled "The Madonna Child" for Charles Albin; caught attention of talent scout who put her under six-month contract with Paramount; name changed to Mary Astor
-
Raised in Illinois
-
Re-signed by Paramount to a $500 a week contract
-
Released by Fox when she failed a sound test; the equipment distorted her voice and made her sound more masculine
-
Returned to Broadway opposite Eve LeGallienne in "The Starcross Story"