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Title
Norma Shearer with Louis B. Mayer
Alternative Title
Los Angeles Herald Examiner Photo Collection
Date Created and/or Issued
1936
Contributing Institution
Los Angeles Public Library
Collection
Los Angeles Public Library Photo Collection
Rights Information
Images available for reproduction and use. Please see the Ordering & Use page at http://tessa.lapl.org/OrderingUse.html for additional information.
Description
Title supplied by cataloger.; Photograph was edited for publication purposes.
Edith Norma Shearer was born on August 10, 1902 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. She was one of the most popular actresses in the 1920s and 30s. Moving with her mother and sister to New York in 1920, she started out modeling and appeared in several silent films. She caught the eye of producer Hal Roach and in 1923 moved to Hollywood with a contract for $250 a week from Louis B. Mayer Pictures. MGM was formed the next year and Shearer was given starring roles. She became one of their biggest attractions and by 1925 was earning $1000 a week, rising to $5000 a week over the next five years. While at MGM, she met film producer Irving Thalberg, nicknamed "The Boy Wonder" for his youth and uncanny ability to produce very profitable films. They married in 1927 and had two children. In 1930 she won the Academy Award for Best Actress for the film "The Divorcee." After Thalberg's death in 1936, she continued to act, finally retiring in 1942. That same year, she married Martin Arrouge, a former ski instructor. She remained active in the Hollywood social scene until 1960 when she desired more privacy. She died on June 12, 1983.; Louis Burt Mayer was born Lazar Meir on July 12, 1884, in Minsk, Russia. He was a film producer and co-founder of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios. Mayer had a reputation for developing actors, including child actors, and placing them in consistently slick productions. MGM became famous for its musicals and comedies. Under his leadership, MGM accumulated the largest concentration of leading writers, directors and stars in Hollywood. He died on October 29, 1957. Johannes Poulsen, born on November 17, 1881, was a Danish actor and director. He died on October 14, 1938.
Actress Norma Shearer is pictured with MGM producer Louis B. Mayer, left, and Danish director Johannes Poulsen. Photograph dated September 5, 1936.
Type
image
Format
1 photographic print :b&w ;21 x 26 cm.
Photographic prints
Identifier
00115422
Herald Examiner Collection
HE box 1763
CARL0005372716
http://173.196.26.125/cdm/ref/collection/photos/id/32844
Subject
Shearer, Norma,--1902-1983
Mayer, Louis B.--(Louis Burt),--1885-1957
Poulsen, Johannes,--1881-1938
Motion picture actors and actresses--United States
Motion picture producers and directors--United States
Motion picture producers and directors--Denmark
Eating & drinking--California--Los Angeles
Women--California--Los Angeles
Men--California--Los Angeles
Los Angeles Evening Herald and Express photographs
Herald-Examiner Collection photographs

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