Mary Astor

Lovely Mary Astor as she appeared in the 1933 film JENNIE GERHARDT. She was born Lucile Vasconcellos Langhanke, on May 3, 1906 in Quincy, Illinois. Her German immigrant father pushed her into a beauty contest at 14 and her first movie "Sentimental Tommy" (1921) at 15. After a number of minor parts she starred in John Barrymore's "Beau Brummel" (1924), and appeared with him again in the classic "Don Juan" (1926). This launched her career to stardom virtually overnight. Mary was, now, the new cinematic darling with each film packing the theatres. By the end of the twenties, the sound revolution had taken a strong hold on the industry and Mary was one of those lucky actresses who made the successful transition to "talkies" because of her voice and strong screen presence. Her career took off to greater heights. Films such as "Red Dust" (1932), "Convention City" (1933), "Man of Iron" (1935), and "The Prisoner of Zenda" (1937), kept her star at the top. In 1941, she won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role of Sandra Kovac in "The Great Lie" (1941). That same year she appeared in the celebrated film "The Maltese Falcon" (1941), but her star soon began to fall. Because of her three divorces, the death of her first husband, Kenneth Hawks who died in a plane crash, alcoholism, a suicide attempt, and a persistent heart condition, Mary got smaller roles in movies. In the whole of the 1950s she appeared in only five productions. Her final fling with the silver screen was as Jewell Mayhew in "Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte" (1964). Mary lived out her remaining days confined to the Motion Picture Country Home where she died of a heart attack on September 25, 1987 at the age of 81.

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