Norma Shearer was one of the most popular and influential actresses of Hollywood’s golden age. She starred in many classic films, won an Oscar, and married the powerful producer Irving Thalberg. She was known for her glamour, charm, sophistication, and versatility. But how did she die and what was her legacy?
Early Life and Career
Norma Shearer was born Edith Norma Shearer on August 11, 1902, in Montreal, Canada. She was of Scottish, English, and Irish descent. Her father was a successful construction businessman, but his company collapsed in 1918, plunging the family into poverty. Norma had a passion for acting since she was a child and won a beauty contest at age 14. In 1920, her mother took her and her sister Athole to New York to pursue show business careers.
Norma Shearer faced many challenges in her quest for stardom. She had a slight cast in her left eye that made her appear cross-eyed. She also had a dumpy figure and a plain face that did not fit the conventional standards of beauty at the time. However, she was determined to overcome her flaws with talent, charm, and hard work. She got some work as an extra in movies and on Broadway, but she did not get any major roles.
Her luck changed when she met Irving Thalberg, a young and ambitious executive at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). He saw potential in her and gave her a five-year contract in 1923. He also became romantically interested in her and they married in 1927. Thalberg was known as the “boy wonder” of Hollywood and had a great influence on the production and quality of MGM’s films. He helped Shearer choose the best scripts, directors, and co-stars for her career.
Shearer made the transition from silent films to talkies with ease. She proved herself to be a versatile actress who could play a variety of roles, from innocent heroines to sophisticated women to historical figures. She also showed her independence and courage by challenging the moral codes and social norms of the time. She played sexually liberated women who divorced, had affairs, or remained single on screen. She also insisted on having creative control over her image and wardrobe.
Shearer became one of the biggest stars of MGM and Hollywood. She was nominated for five Academy Awards for Best Actress and won one for The Divorcee (1930). Some of her other notable films include The Women (1939), Marie Antoinette (1938), Romeo and Juliet (1936), The Barretts of Wimpole Street (1934), A Free Soul (1931), and The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg (1927). She was dubbed the “First Lady of MGM” by the studio because of her marriage to Thalberg and her status as a star.
Personal Life and Retirement
Norma Shearer had a happy marriage with Irving Thalberg until his untimely death in 1936. He suffered from a congenital heart condition that caused him to have two heart attacks, one in 1932 and another in 1936. He died at the age of 37, leaving Shearer devastated and heartbroken. They had two children together: Irving Jr., born in 1930, and Katherine, born in 1935.
Shearer wanted to retire from acting after Thalberg’s death, but MGM persuaded her to continue working under a six-picture contract. She made some more films, but none of them matched the success or quality of her previous ones. She also turned down some offers that could have revived her career, such as the role of Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind (1939). Her last film was Her Cardboard Lover (1942), which was a flop.
Shearer remarried in 1942 to Martin Arrougé, a ski instructor who was 11 years younger than her. He waived his community property rights before their marriage. They moved to a ranch in California and lived a quiet life away from the spotlight. Shearer rarely made any public appearances or gave any interviews after her retirement. She maintained her interest in the film industry and helped some young actors launch their careers, such as Janet Leigh.
Death and Legacy
Norma Shearer died on June 12, 1983, at the age of 80. The cause of death was bronchial pneumonia complicated by Alzheimer’s disease. She had been suffering from dementia for several years before her death. She was buried next to Thalberg at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale. Arrougé died in 1985.
Norma Shearer is remembered as one of the greatest actresses of Hollywood’s golden age. She was a pioneer of feminism and modern womanhood on screen. She was also a trailblazer of fashion and style. She influenced many actresses who came after her, such as Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Katharine Hepburn, and Marilyn Monroe. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was inducted into the Canadian Walk of Fame in 2008.
Norma Shearer was a woman who defied the odds and achieved her dreams. She was a woman who lived by her own rules and expressed her own voice. She was a woman who left a lasting mark on the history of cinema and culture. She was Norma Shearer, the First Lady of MGM.
