CineScope
Marion Davies picture

Marion Davies

Acting
Known For

64 Years Old

From Wikipedia Marion Davies (January 3, 1897 – September 22, 1961) was an American film actress, producer, screenwriter, and philanthropist. Davies was already building a solid reputation as a film comedienne when newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst, with whom she had begun a romantic relationship, took over management of her career. Hearst financed Davies' pictures, promoted her heavily through his newspapers and Hearst Newsreels, and pressured studios to cast her in historical dramas for which she was ill-suited. For this reason, Davies is better remembered today as Hearst's mistress and the hostess of many lavish events for the Hollywood elite. In particular, her name is linked with the 1924 scandal aboard Hearst's yacht where one of his guests, film producer Thomas Ince, became ill. Despite the legend surrounding Ince's death, likely from alcohol consumption, he did not die on the Hearst yacht. The producer died a few days later in the arms of his wife. In the film Citizen Kane (1941), the title character's wife—an untalented singer whom he tries to promote—was widely assumed to be based on Davies. But many commentators, including Citizen Kane writer/director Orson Welles himself, have defended Davies' record as a gifted actress, to whom Hearst's patronage did more harm than good. She retired from the screen in 1937, choosing to devote herself to Hearst and charitable work. In Hearst's declining years, Davies provided financial as well as emotional support until his death in 1951. She married for the first time eleven weeks after his death, a marriage which lasted until Davies died of stomach cancer in 1961 at the age of 64.

Born

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA on 3rd January 1897

Died

22nd September 1961

All Credits

Operator 13 Image
Operator 13
Gail Loveless
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ Image
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
That's Entertainment! III Image
That's Entertainment! III
(archive footage)
The Pilgrim Image
The Pilgrim
Congregation Member (uncredited)
The Big Parade of Comedy Image
The Big Parade of Comedy
Tina in 'The Red Mill' (archive footage)
Show People Image
Show People
Peggy Pepper
Hollywood: The Dream Factory Image
Hollywood: The Dream Factory
Self (archive footage)
Ever Since Eve Image
Ever Since Eve
Marge Winton
The Red Mill Image
The Red Mill
Tina
The Hollywood Revue of 1929 Image
The Hollywood Revue of 1929
Self
Cain and Mabel Image
Cain and Mabel
Mabel O'Dare
A Dream Comes True Image
A Dream Comes True
Herself (uncredited)
Captured on Film: The True Story of Marion Davies Image
Captured on Film: The True Story of Marion Davies
(archive footage)
Page Miss Glory Image
Page Miss Glory
Loretta
Lights of Old Broadway Image
Lights of Old Broadway
Fely / Anne
Hedda Hopper's Hollywood Image
Hedda Hopper's Hollywood
Self
Polly of the Circus Image
Polly of the Circus
Polly Fisher
The Patsy Image
The Patsy
Patricia Harrington
Blondie of the Follies Image
Blondie of the Follies
Blondie McClune
April Folly Image
April Folly
April Poole
It's a Wise Child Image
It's a Wise Child
Joyce Stanton
Five and Ten Image
Five and Ten
Jennifer Rarick
Yolanda Image
Yolanda
Princess Mary / Yolanda
Going Hollywood Image
Going Hollywood
Sylvia Bruce
Beverly of Graustark Image
Beverly of Graustark
Beverly Calhoun
When Knighthood Was in Flower Image
When Knighthood Was in Flower
Mary Tudor
Little Old New York Image
Little Old New York
Patricia O'Day
Behind the Scenes of Cain and Mabel Image
Behind the Scenes of Cain and Mabel
Herself
The Florodora Girl Image
The Florodora Girl
Daisy Dell
The Cardboard Lover Image
The Cardboard Lover
Sally
Beauty's Worth Image
Beauty's Worth
Prudence Cole
The Fair Co-Ed Image
The Fair Co-Ed
Marion
No Image
Checking Out: Grand Hotel
(archive footage)
The Cinema Murder Image
The Cinema Murder
Elizabeth Dalston
The Wife of the Centaur Image
The Wife of the Centaur
Cameo in chorus line
Screen Snapshots, Series 3, No. 12 Image
Screen Snapshots, Series 3, No. 12
Self
The Christmas Party Image
The Christmas Party
Herself
Getting Mary Married Image
Getting Mary Married
Mary Bussard
Zander the Great Image
Zander the Great
Mamie Smith
Janice Meredith Image
Janice Meredith
Janice Meredith
The Bachelor Father Image
The Bachelor Father
Antoinette "Tony" Flagg
Not So Dumb Image
Not So Dumb
Dulcy
Marianne Image
Marianne
Marianne
Adam and Eva Image
Adam and Eva
Eva King
Tillie the Toiler Image
Tillie the Toiler
Tillie Jones
Peg o' My Heart Image
Peg o' My Heart
Margaret 'Peg' O'Connell
The Battle Over Citizen Kane Image
The Battle Over Citizen Kane
Self (archive footage)
A Trip to Paramountown Image
A Trip to Paramountown
Self
Cecilia of the Pink Roses Image
Cecilia of the Pink Roses
Cecilia
Hearts Divided Image
Hearts Divided
Betsy Patterson
Pirate Party on Catalina Isle Image
Pirate Party on Catalina Isle
Marion Davies
The Restless Sex Image
The Restless Sex
Stephanie
Runaway Romany Image
Runaway Romany
Romany
The Young Diana Image
The Young Diana
Diana May
The Dark Star Image
The Dark Star
Rue Carew
Quality Street Image
Quality Street
Phoebe Throssel
Enchantment Image
Enchantment
Ethel Hoyt
The Burden of Proof Image
The Burden of Proof
Elaine Brooks
Buried Treasure Image
Buried Treasure
Pauline Vandermuellen
The Bride's Play Image
The Bride's Play
Enid of Cashell / Aileen Barrett
The Belle of New York Image
The Belle of New York
Violet Gray
Citizen Hearst Image
Citizen Hearst
Self (archival footage)