During the time of glamorous stars like Greta Garbo, Jean Harlow, and Joan Crawford, a Canadian-born actress named Marie Dressler was actually one of Hollywood’s biggest stars.
Marie started acting on Broadway in the late 1880s. Later, she moved into movies and starred in the very first full-length comedy film in 1914. She became well-known for her funny, expressive face and her great improv skills, which made her a natural in comedy.
She acted alongside Marion Davies in The Patsy and was also friends with newspaper giant William Randolph Hearst and his partner.
In the 1920s, Marie’s career began to slow down. But screenwriter Frances Marion believed in her and helped bring her back to the big screen. That comeback, in her 60s, led to some of the biggest roles of her life. In fact, she won an Academy Award for Best Actress in 1931 for Min and Bill.
Sadly, at the peak of her return to fame, she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She passed away in 1934 at the age of 65.
Marie once said, “By the time we hit fifty, we have learned our hardest lessons. We have found out that only a few things are really important. We have learned to take life seriously, but never ourselves.”
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