Title supplied by cataloger.; Original photograph has creases. 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. Photograph caption dated December 5, 1940 reads "Smartly-dressed, film star Norma Shearer is shown at right with her mother, Mrs. Edith Shearer, today when they appeared in divorce court and gave testimony which enabled Miss Shearer's sister, Mrs. Howard Hawks, to get a decree from the film director. Mrs. Hawks, who is ill, was not present in the court."
Type
Image
Format
1 photographic print :b&w ;26 x 21 cm. Photographic prints
Shearer, Norma,--1902-1983 Shearer, Norma,--1902-1983--Family--Trials, litigation, etc Shearer, Norma,--1902-1983--Family--Divorce Hawks, Howard,--1896-1977--Divorce Hawks, Howard,--1896-1977--Trials, litigation, etc Mothers and daughters--California--Los Angeles Motion picture actors and actresses--United States Trials (Divorce)--California--Los Angeles Women--California--Los Angeles Downtown Los Angeles (Los Angeles, Calif.) Group portraits Portrait photographs Los Angeles Evening Herald and Express photographs Herald-Examiner Collection photographs
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