Actress. Born Lucile Vasconcellos Langhanke, in Quincy, Illinois to a German immigrant father and an American mother from Illinois of Portuguese and Irish ancestry, her parents were very ambitious for her, and they began with placing her into various beauty contests. In one contest she came to the attention of Hollywood motion picture executives, and she was signed to a movie contract at the age of 14. Her first movie was a bit part in "The Scarecrow" in 1920, and throughout 1921 to 1923 she continued her career with bit or minor roles in a number of motion pictures. In 1924, she landed a prominent part with a role as 'Lady Margery Alvaney' opposite the established and popular actor John Barrymore in the film "Beau Brummel" in 1924. He would become her mentor and lover. By the end of the 1920s, the sound revolution had taken a strong hold on the industry and Mary Astor was one of a handful of actresses who made the successful transition to "talkies" because of her voice and strong screen presence. Her career then grew with great success. In 1941, she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role of 'Sandra Kovac' in film "The Great Lie". That same year she appeared in the celebrated film "The Maltese Falcon" with Humphrey Bogart. Because of her three divorces, the death of her first husband, Kenneth Hawks who died in a plane crash, the divorce of her second husband Franklin Thorpe, whom she had a daughter with, and her third husband Manuel del Campo, and her final husband Thomas Gordon Wheelock, her alcoholism, a suicide attempt, and a persistent heart condition, Mary Astor then got smaller roles in movies. Her final silver screen was as 'Jewell Mayhew' in "Hush Hush, Sweet Charlotte" in 1964. Throughout her career she had appeared in 123 motion pictures. Mary Astor lived out her remaining days confined to the Motion Picture Country Home.
Actress. Born Lucile Vasconcellos Langhanke, in Quincy, Illinois to a German immigrant father and an American mother from Illinois of Portuguese and Irish ancestry, her parents were very ambitious for her, and they began with placing her into various beauty contests. In one contest she came to the attention of Hollywood motion picture executives, and she was signed to a movie contract at the age of 14. Her first movie was a bit part in "The Scarecrow" in 1920, and throughout 1921 to 1923 she continued her career with bit or minor roles in a number of motion pictures. In 1924, she landed a prominent part with a role as 'Lady Margery Alvaney' opposite the established and popular actor John Barrymore in the film "Beau Brummel" in 1924. He would become her mentor and lover. By the end of the 1920s, the sound revolution had taken a strong hold on the industry and Mary Astor was one of a handful of actresses who made the successful transition to "talkies" because of her voice and strong screen presence. Her career then grew with great success. In 1941, she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role of 'Sandra Kovac' in film "The Great Lie". That same year she appeared in the celebrated film "The Maltese Falcon" with Humphrey Bogart. Because of her three divorces, the death of her first husband, Kenneth Hawks who died in a plane crash, the divorce of her second husband Franklin Thorpe, whom she had a daughter with, and her third husband Manuel del Campo, and her final husband Thomas Gordon Wheelock, her alcoholism, a suicide attempt, and a persistent heart condition, Mary Astor then got smaller roles in movies. Her final silver screen was as 'Jewell Mayhew' in "Hush Hush, Sweet Charlotte" in 1964. Throughout her career she had appeared in 123 motion pictures. Mary Astor lived out her remaining days confined to the Motion Picture Country Home.
Bio by: Shock
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MARY ASTOR
1906 † 1987
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