Original print has visible fold on upper right corner.; Title supplied by cataloger. Marion Davies (1897-1961), born Marion Cecilia Douras, was an American film actress who is best remembered for her relationship with newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst. Davies was signed on as a Ziegfeld girl in 1916 and later that year made her screen debut modeling gowns in a fashion newsreel. In 1917 she appeared in her first feature film, and starred in three more the following year playing light comedic roles. The first of her numerous films financed by Hearst was in 1918. During the next 10 years she appeared in 29 films - an average of three per year, and though she was considered an astute woman, Hearst's involvement in her film roles hampererd her career. He insisted she play dramatic parts, instead of the comedic roles that were her forte. Hearst and Davies lived as a couple for three and a half decades but were never able to marry since Hearst's wife refused to give him a divorce. Hearst died on August 14, 1951, and surprisingly, just 11 weeks and one day after his death, Davies married Horace Brown on October 31, 1951 in Las Vegas, though it was not a happy marriage. She filed for divorce twice, but never finalized either. In her later years, Davies became heavily involved with charity work, donating $1.9 million in 1952 to establish a children's clinic at UCLA and establishing the Marion Davies Foundation to help fight childhood diseases. In 1956 Davis suffered a minor stroke and was diagnosed with cancer of the jaw, which was successfully operated on. Davis' health continued to decline during that time, and on September 22, 1961 she succumbed to cancer. She left an estate estimated at more than $30 million. Curious side note: Patricia Lake (nee Van Cleeve) was always introduced as the niece of Marion Davies. After Patricia's death, her will revealed she was instead the child of Davies and her long-time love, Hearst. Photograph caption dated December 21, 1953 reads, "Some of more than 500 underprivileged children who were treated to an early Christmas at the Marion Davies UCLA Children's Clinic are pictured during the party. Adults are Actress Marion Davies (right), Mrs. Arthur (Dagwood) Lake and Santa Clause (Capt. Horace Brown, husband of Miss Davies)." In 1998, the hospital was renamed the Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA in recognition of the gift made to the hospital by Mattel, Inc.
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1 photographic print :b&w ;19 x 25 cm. on sheet 21 x 26 cm. Photographic prints
Santa Claus Davies, Marion,--1897-1961 Marion Davies Children's Health Center (Los Angeles, Calif.) Motion picture actors and actresses--United States Christmas--California--Los Angeles Socialites--United States Children--California--Los Angeles Hospitals--California--Westwood (Los Angeles) Children--Hospitals--California--Los Angeles Westwood (Los Angeles, Calif.) Los Angeles Evening Herald Express photographs Herald-Examiner Collection photographs
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