Trivia of Greer Garson

Trivia of Greer Garson (29 September 1904 - 6 April 1996)

*Educated at the University of London intending to become a teacher, she opted instead to take a job at an advertising agency. During her off hours she appeared in local theatrical productions, gaining a reputation as an extremely talented and charismatic performer. During a stage production of "Old Music," Garson was offered a studio contract by MGM Vice President of Production Louis B. Mayer while he was on a visit to London looking for new talent.

*In 1938 she suffered malnutrition from embarking on a crash diet to achieve the standard Hollywood slimline figure.Lana Turner remembered that in the MGM wardrobe department, Garson's fitting mannequin had the largest hips, "but she is a tall woman."

*Greer Garson's performance in "Goodbye,Mr Chips (1939) " runs a little under 25 minutes, yet she received an Oscar nomination in the Best Actress category, one of the shortest performances to have been so nominated.

*While at MGM, she said that she would liked to have been cast in more comedies rather than dramas, and was jealous that those roles were given to another redhead who recently signed with the studio, Lucille Ball. Ironically, Ball was dissatisfied at being overlooked for dramatic roles.

*After receiving her 1943 Academy Award for Mrs. Miniver (1942). Her acceptance speech was actually 5-1/2 minutes in length. This still makes it the longest acceptance speech ever.Later a fire at her home destroyed the that Oscar she had won for best actress. The Academy of Motion Pictures later sent her a replacement.

*Played the wife of Walter Pidgeon a total of eight times; in Blossoms in the Dust (1941), Mrs. Miniver (1942), Madame Curie (1943), Mrs. Parkington (1944), Julia Misbehaves (1948), The Miniver Story (1950), Scandal at Scourie (1953) and That Forsyte Woman (1949).

*She married with her-co star, actor Richard Ney who played as her son in "Mrs Miniver".The relationship was under constant scrutiny owing to their 12-year age difference. MGM claimed that Garson was merely three years older than Ney and tried to portray them as a happy couple, but the marriage was troubled. They divorced after several attempts at reconciliation.