After the rigors of a convent education interrupted her nascent career (she had broken into film as a bit player at the age of three), Loretta Young resurfaced at age 14 to play a supporting role in "Naughty But Nice" (1927), netting herself a contract with First National (the precursor of Warner Brothers).
By the mid-30s Young, having made a strategic switch to the Fox lot, had blossomed into one of Hollywood's more prominent leading ladies, capably adorning dozens of (mostly mediocre) productions. With her prominent cheekbones, limpid-pool eyes and Joan Crawford-style mouth, Young was often utilized for her stylish beauty and ladylike screen personality rather than the acting talent suggested by "Platinum Blonde" (1931), "Midnight Mary", "Man's Castle" and "Zoo in Budapest" (all 1933, and an excellent showcase triple bill for Young). Young, however, did enjoy the very occasional meaty, charming, or relatively offbeat role, as in "The Story of Alexander Graham Bell" (1939) and Orson Welles' "The Stranger" (1946).
Young's career reached its peak during the late 40s in such carefully mounted and entertaining vehicles as the fantasy "The Bishop's Wife" (1947), "The Farmer's Daughter" (1947), which unexpectedly won her an Oscar, the surprisingly gritty "Rachel and the Stranger" (1948) and the syrupy but likable "Come to the Stable" (1949), for which she netted a second Best Actress Academy Award nomination. Her subsequent vehicles, however, did not sustain the momentum; "Cause for Alarm" (1951) was a very interesting film noir, but films like "Half Angel" (1952) were too flimsy to be very entertaining.
By 1954 Young had abandoned the screen in favor of a successful second career as the centerpiece of TV's long-running anthology series "The Loretta Young Show" (1954-63). Clad in expensive floor-length gowns, Young would sweep grandly onto the set to introduce each installment of her series, many of which she also acted in. Reflecting her childhood training, she would close each episode with a quotation from the Bible which commented on the drama which had just transpired. After the show went off the air, Young completely retired from performing, not returning to the spotlight until her roles a quarter of a century later in two NBC TV-movies, "Christmas Eve" (1986) and "Lady in a Corner" (1989).
Her first husband was actor Grant Withers, her second was producer-writer Thomas Lewis and her third was fashion designer Jean Louis. In 1994 Young's daughter Judy Lewis wrote a book in which she revealed she had been fathered outside of wedlock by Clark Gable and that for years she had been led to believe that she had been adopted by Young.
Family
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Brother: John Lindley. born on October 7, 1914 died on December 2, 1997
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Daughter: Judy Lewis. born c. 1936; father, Clark Gable; was led to believe that she was adopted by Young until she was an adult; reportedly Young refused to confirm the story even to her daughter
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Half-sister: Georgiana Young. born on September 30, 1923; married actor Ricardo Montalban
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Sister: Polly Ann Young. born on October 25, 1908; died on January 21, 1997
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Sister: Sally Blane. born on July 11, 1910; died on August 27, 1997
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Son: Christopher Lewis. born on August 1, 1944; father, Thomas Lewis
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Son: Peter Charles Lewis. born on July 15, 1945; father, Thomas Lewis
Significant Others
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Companion: Clark Gable. worked together in The Call of the Wild (1935); Young became pregnant with daughter Judy Lewis, gave birth to child and later claimed she was adopted
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Companion: Spencer Tracy. worked with Young in Frank Borzage s Man s Castle (1933); couple fell in love but both were Catholic and Tracy was unable to divorce his wife
Education
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Ramona Convent, Alhambra, California
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Immaculate Heart College, Los Angeles, California
Milestones
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1927 Film acting debut at age 14, in Naughty But Nice ; director Mervyn LeRoy originally wanted sister Polly Ann but she was unavailable; Gretchen (later dubbed Loretta), asked for, and got, the job
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1929 Made singing debut in The Show of Shows
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1931 Was featured in Platinum Blonde , directed by Frank Capra
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1934 Signed with Fox when Daryl F Zanuck moved from Warner Bros.
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1935 Starred opposite Clark Gable in The Call of the Wild ; the stars engaged in a love affair that resulted in Young s pregnancy and the birth of daughter Judy
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1938 Appeared in Kentucky
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1939 Acted alongside her three sisters in the biopic The Story of Alexander Graham Bell
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1940 When contract with Fox expired, worked freelance
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1941 Played an actress who wants to retire but whose playwright husband doesn t want her to in Bedtime Story
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1946 Cast as the unsuspecting newlywed wife of a refugee Nazi war criminal in The Stranger , directed by and starring Orson Welles
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1947 Had perhaps best-known screen role as a Swedish woman who runs for Congress in The Farmer s Daughter ; won Best Actress Academy Award
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1947 Starred in the title role of the fantasy The Bishop s Wife
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1948 Offered fine turn as the indentured servant wife of a farmer in Rachel and the Stranger , co-starring Robert Mitchum and William Holden
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1949 Earned second Oscar nomination for Come to the Stable , playing a nun out to establish a children s hospital
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1953 Last feature film, It Happens Every Thursday
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1954 Began starring in own TV show; The Loretta Young Show ended its run on NBC in 1961, and for its last season (1962-1963) aired on CBS; awarded three Emmy Awards
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1963 Retired from acting; devoted time and energies to Catholic charities
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1972 Won suit against NBC for unlawful syndication of her TV shows; award $600,000
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1986 Returned to acting after a 23-year retirement to perform the leading role in the TV-movie, Christmas Eve (NBC)
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1989 Final acting role, the NBC TV-movie Lady in a Corner
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Between ages three and eight, made uncredited appearances in several silent films
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Had dispute with Zanuck and was briefly blacklisted until Harry Cohn signed her with Columbia Pictures; eventually made peace with Zanuck
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Moved to Hollywood at age three; began to appear in films as an extra and in bit roles
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Naughty But Nice led to contract with First National; changed name to Loretta Young
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While attending convent school, was not allowed to appear in films