Jetta Goudal

Silent film star Jetta Goudal as photographed by Eugene Richee for THE COMING OF AMOS (1925). Goudal (pronounced Zhett-eh Goo-doll) was born on July 12, 1891 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. She first appeared on Broadway in 1921. After meeting director Sidney Olcott, who encouraged her venture into film acting, she accepted a bit part in his 1922 film production "Timothy's Quest". Her first role in motion pictures came in "The Bright Shawl" (1923) and she quickly earned praise for her film work, especially for her performance in "Salome of the Tenements" (1925). Goudal eventually caught the eye of legendary producer/director Cecil B. DeMille, who hired her for what turned out to be some of her (and his) greatest critical successes, including "The Coming of Amos" (1925), "The Road to Yesterday" (1925), "White Gold" (1927) and "The Forbidden Woman" (1927). Unfortunately, the exotic allure and element of mystery that made Goudal so popular on-screen came with a price. She was an unrepentant theatrical "grand dame" and possessed a fierce temper well known to the film community. DeMille later claimed that she was so difficult to work with that he eventually fired her and cancelled their contract. Goudal filed a lawsuit for breach of contract against him and DeMille Pictures Corporation. Although DeMille claimed her conduct had caused numerous and costly production delays, in a landmark ruling, Goudal won the suit when DeMille was unwilling to provide his studio's financial records to support his claim of financial losses. The damage to her career and reputation, however, was sealed and she never recaptured her former glory. In 1932, at age forty-one, Goudal made her last screen appearance in the Fox Film "Business and Pleasure". When her film career ended, she joined her husband Harold Grieve in running a successful interior design business. They remained married until her death in 1985 in Los Angeles.

(www.hollywoodpinups.com)