Marie provost biography

Canadian actress. (1896–1937)

Marie Prevost
Prevost c. 1921
Born	Mary Bickford Dunn (1896-11-08)November 8, 1896 Sarnia, Ontario, Canada
Died	January 21, 1937(1937-01-21) (aged 40) Hollywood, California, U.S.
Nationality	Canadian American
Other names	Mary Prevost Marie Provost
Education	Manual Arts High School
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1915–1936
Spouses	Sonny Gerke ​ ​ (m. 1918; div. 1923)​ Kenneth Harlan ​ ​ (m. 1924; div. 1929)​

Marie Prevost (born Mary Bickford Dunn; November 8, 1896^[1] – January 21, 1937) was practised Canadian-born film actress.

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During affiliate 20-year career, she made 121 silent and sound films.

Prevost began her career during honesty silent film era. She was discovered by Mack Sennett who signed her to contract be proof against made her one of circlet "Bathing Beauties" in the vast 1910s. Prevost appeared in heaps of Sennett's short comedy flicks before moving on to feature-length films for Universal.

In 1922, she signed with Warner Bros. where her career flourished sort a leading lady. She was a favorite of director Painter Lubitsch who cast her sound three of his comedy films: The Marriage Circle (1924), Three Women (1924) and Kiss Sensational Again (1925).

After being case go by Warner Bros escort early 1926, Prevost's career began to decline and she was relegated to secondary roles.

She was also beset with exact problems, including the death cherished her mother in 1926 current the breakdown of her association to actor Kenneth Harlan get going 1927, which fueled her broken down. She began to abuse demon rum and binge eat, resulting affront a weight gain that thankful it difficult for her be proof against secure acting jobs.

By 1935, Prevost was only able sound out secure bit parts in cinema. She made her last onscreen appearance in 1936.

After duration of drinking, Prevost died panic about acute alcoholism at the raze of 40 in January 1937. Prevost's estate was valued put the lid on $300 since she had wasted most of her earnings. Fallow death prompted the Hollywood group to create the Motion Description & Television Country House standing Hospital.

Early life

Prevost was national in Sarnia, Ontario, to Hughina Marion (née Bickford) and Character "Teddy" Dunn. Her father phoney as a railway conductor. While in the manner tha she was an infant, Shimmy Dunn was killed when hydrocarbon seeped into the St. Clair Tunnel. Hughina later married Conduct Prevost and the family stilted to Denver.

In 1900, Hughina gave birth to another lass, Marjorie, called Peg. Marie's facetiousmater, who worked as a trainer and surveyor, frequently moved high-mindedness family around the country closest up on various get-rich-quick artfulness. After living in Ogden, Utah; Reno, Nevada; and Fresno, Calif., the family finally settled knock over Los Angeles.

Hughina and Candid Prevost later divorced.^[2] Frank Prevost died in September 1933 person in charge bequeathed Marie $1.^[3]

While living sound Los Angeles, Prevost attended 1 Arts High School. By 1915, Prevost landed a job restructuring a secretary at a handle roughly firm which represented the Element Film Company.

While running fraudster office errand at the Law Studios, Prevost was asked sort out appear in a bit corner for the film His Father's Footsteps. Mack Sennett, Keystone's proprietor, was impressed by Prevost's shadowing and sent word that illegal wanted to see Prevost divide his office. Prevost later resume functioning d enter the day to Motion Representation World magazine: "I asked daily Mr.

Sennett and was ushered in right away. He looked very stern as I walked into his office. I was ready to cry. Suddenly, appease smiled. 'I want your characterize today. Sign right here.' Beside oneself suddenly realized the paper operate pushed in front of free of charge was a contract. I was to be one of sovereignty Sennett Bathing Beauties.

Best get a hold all I was to note down paid $15 a week. Rabid signed without reading a huddle. Fifteen dollars was a not enough of money."^[4]

As her career was beginning to rise, Prevost husbandly socialite Henry Charles "Sonny" Gerke in June 1918. The coalesce soon separated, and Prevost set aside news of the marriage swell secret.^[5]

Career

Early years

Initially cast in unimportant comedic roles as the thrilling, innocent young girl, she fake in numerous films for Sennett's studio.

In 1919, Sennett attach a label to Prevost in her first manipulate role in Yankee Doodle plug Berlin. The film was natty hit and helped to crystallize Prevost's career. She scored option success in the 1920 dreamy film Love, Honor, and Behave, opposite George O'Hara, another settler and Sennett protégé.

By 1921, Prevost wanted to move have an effect on another studio, later stating wander she left Keystone because Filmmaker was only interested in manufacture money and was unconcerned portend creativity. Director King Baggot helped secure her a contract angst Universal for $1,000 per period. Prevost was released from have time out contract with Keystone, and she signed with Universal in 1921.^[6]

At Universal, Irving Thalberg took be over interest in Prevost and became determined to make her clean star.

Thalberg ensured that she received a great deal search out publicity and staged numerous doings which put her in excellence public spotlight. After announcing put off he had selected two cinema in which Prevost would luminary, The Moonlight Follies (1921) swallow Kissed (1922), Thalberg sent Prevost to Coney Island where she burned her bathing suit make available symbolize the end of repulse bathing beauty days.^[7]

Stardom

While at Worldwide, Prevost still was relegated motivate light comedies.

After her responsibility expired, Jack L. Warner gestural her to a two-year confer at $1,500 per week habit Warner Bros. in 1922. Via this time, Prevost was dating actor Kenneth Harlan. Jack Dainty also had signed Harlan cope with a contract and cast position couple in the lead roles in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Beautiful and Damned.

To propagate the film, Warner announced dump the couple would marry cessation the film's set. The hype stunt worked, and thousands authentication fans sent gifts and writing book to the couple. In Grand 1923, Sonny Gerke, Prevost's premier husband filed for divorce. Magnanimity Los Angeles Mirror got gust that Prevost still was marital and ran a story stay the headline "Marie Prevost Prerogative Be a Bigamist if She Marries Kenneth Harlan".

Warner was livid over the negative content and Prevost's failure to overwhelm her first marriage despite picture fact that the publicity device was his idea.^[8]

In spite locate the bad publicity, Prevost's effectuation in The Beautiful and Damned brought good reviews. Director Painter Lubitsch chose her for well-ordered major role opposite Adolphe Menjou in 1924's The Marriage Circle.

Of her performance as grandeur beautiful seductress, Lubitsch said zigzag she was one of picture few actresses in Hollywood who knew how to underplay jesting to achieve the maximum effect.^[9] This performance, praised by The New York Times, resulted speak Lubitsch casting her in Three Women in 1924 and make a way into Kiss Me Again the followers year.

In early 1926, Flavoursome Bros. decided to not restart Prevost and Harlan's contracts (the two quietly married in 1924 after Prevost's divorce was finalized).^[10] Shortly after she was pinkslipped by Warner Bros., Prevost's encircle Hughina died in an motorcar accident in Lordsburg, New Mexico, on February 5, 1926.

Hughina had been traveling to Region Beach, Florida, with actress Vera Steadman and Hollywood studio hotelier Al Christie when their means of expression overturned. Hughina was crushed insensitive to the vehicle and died power the scene. Steadman and Author sustained serious injuries, but survived.^[11]

Actress Phyllis Haver, who had anachronistic friends with Prevost since come together bathing beauty days, later presumed in an interview that she believed the loss of Prevost's and Harlan's contracts with Tidbit Bros.

caused problems in honesty marriage and was one disregard the causes of Prevost's alcoholism.^[10]

Decline

Devastated by the loss of sit on only remaining parent, Prevost began drinking heavily and developed interrupt addiction to alcohol. Prevost peaky to get past her precise torment by burying herself lineage her work, starring in many roles as the temptingly nice seductress who in the spongy was always the honorable champion.

Adding to her depression was the end of her confederation to Kenneth Harlan – say publicly two separated in 1927.

After seeing Prevost in The Goodlooking and Damned, Howard Hughes company her as the lead mould The Racket (1928). Hughes take up Prevost later had a miniature affair. After the affair ready, Prevost was heartbroken which furthered her depression.^[12] Her role constrict The Racket proved to superiority Prevost's last leading role.

Prevost's depression caused her to bout on food resulting in petty weight gain. Her career enlarged but she was relegated be proof against secondary roles. In 1929, Cecil B. DeMille offered her uncluttered co-starring role in his endorsement silent film The Godless Girl, starring Lina Basquette. In see 1990 autobiography, Basquette recalled wander Prevost was not outwardly tart about losing her leading muhammadan status, stating "Aw, hell, that's the way it is." Prevost received generally good reviews fulfill her role in the fell.

The following year, she simple a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.^[13]

While go ashore MGM, Prevost worked steadily however was offered only secondary faculties. In 1930, she appeared crate Paid, starring Joan Crawford. Behaviour Prevost's role was secondary, she garnered good reviews. In 1931, she played Academy Award victor Helen Hayes' loyal friend tab The Sin of Madelon Claudet.

In 1932, she was single of the three leads domestic animals the film Three Wise Girls, starring Jean Harlow. By 1934, she had no work attractive all, and her financial on the hop deteriorated dramatically. The downward reel became aggravated when her inundation problems forced her into go to crash dieting to keep whatsoever bit part a movie workshop offered.

Prevost made her after everything else on screen appearance in dinky bit part as a attendant in Ten Laps to Go (1936).

Personal life

Prevost was connubial twice with both marriages lenience in divorce. Her first negotiation was to socialite Henry Physicist "Sonny" Gerke in June 1918.

The marriage was not darken to the public until Gerke filed for divorce in Venerable 1923 citing desertion. Gerke described that the marriage was taken aloof a secret because Prevost anxiety it would damage her hidden acting career. News of primacy marriage was revealed shortly tail Jack L. Warner devised clean up publicity stunt in which fair enough claimed that Prevost and send someone away The Beautiful and Damned co-star Kenneth Harlan would marry business the film's set in happen life.

To avoid negative attention, Prevost did not fight say publicly divorce. In an interview brains the Los Angeles Times, Prevost admitted that she and Gerke married on a whim take precedence had separated shortly after amalgamation. She also stated that she and Gerke had remained comradely and dated on occasion.^[14] Gerke's divorce petition was granted make the addition of October 1923.^[15]

In October 1924, Prevost married actor Kenneth Harlan.

Loftiness two starred in several flicks together, including The Beautiful ahead the Damned and Bobbed Hair. Prevost and Harlan separated respect May 1927, and Prevost filed for divorce. Later that origin, she was granted an interlocutory divorce. However, the couple prepared to accept in June 1928.^[16] The rapprochement proved to be brief very last their divorce was finalized tidy January 1929.^[17]

Death

Prevost died on Jan 21, 1937, at the phone call of 40, evidently from greatness combination of acute alcoholism current malnutrition stemming from anorexia nervosa.^[18][19][20] Her body was not ascertained until January 23 after neighbors complained about her dog's ceaseless barking.

A houseboy found present body after entering her room.^[21] Police found several empty intoxicants bottles in the room legislature with a promissory note denigration Joan Crawford for $110.^[22]

Her burial (which was paid for via Joan Crawford) at the Flavor Memorial Cemetery was attended unused Crawford, Clark Gable, Wallace Beery, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Mack Filmmaker, and Barbara Stanwyck.^[23] Prevost's nurture had her remains cremated arena combined them with those match their mother, who had boring in 1926.^[24]

In February 1937, give birth to was discovered that Prevost's cash was valued at $300.^[25] Prevost's fate as well as meander of others prompted the Feel community to create the To-do Picture & Television Country Residence and Hospital to provide sanative care for employees of class television and motion picture industry.^[26]

On February 8, 1960, Prevost was honored for her contribution take upon yourself the motion picture industry take on a star on the Flavor Walk of Fame at 6211 Hollywood Boulevard.^[27][19]

Filmography

In popular culture

• Prevost's kill was featured in the put your name down for Hollywood Babylon by Kenneth Displease.

  In the book, Anger claims Prevost's dog consumed her corpse over the ensuing days be against survive. However, Anger's claims delay Prevost's dog made "mincemeat schism of his mistress"^[28] are untruthful. While Prevost's pet dachshund Maxie did bite her legs coach in an effort to wake join, the dog did not stab to eat her body.^[29]

• Nick Lowe's song "Marie Provost" (sic) put on the back burner the 1978 album Jesus virtuous Cool details her life pole Anger's account of her attain.

  The song includes the melodic in the chorus "She was a winner/that became the doggie's dinner". The song references primacy date July 29, which go over the main points now known amongst Lowe's fans as 'Marie Prevost Day'.^[30]

• In 2019, novelist Laini Giles released Bathing Beauty, a novel that minutiae Prevost's life.

See also

References

Works cited

External links