Gloria Grahame facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gloria Grahame
Grahame in the 1940s
Born	Gloria Grahame Hallward (1923-11-28)November 28, 1923 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Died	October 5, 1981(1981-10-05) (aged 57) New York City, U.S.
Resting place	Oakwood Memorial Park Cemetery
Education	Hollywood High School
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1944–1981
Known for	Oklahoma! It's a Wonderful Life The Bad and the Beautiful Crossfire
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Stanley Clements ​ ​ (m. 1945; div. 1948)​ Nicholas Ray ​ ​ (m. 1948; div. 1952)​ Cy Howard ​ ​ (m. 1954; div. 1957)​ Anthony Ray ​ ​ (m. 1960; div. 1974)​
Children	4

Gloria Grahame Hallward (November 28, 1923 – October 5, 1981) was a talented American actress. She started her acting journey in theater. In 1944, she made her first movie with MGM studios.

Gloria Grahame was known for her roles in many films. She was even nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her work in Crossfire (1947). Later, she won that award for her role in The Bad and the Beautiful (1952). She starred in popular movies like It's a Wonderful Life (1946), In a Lonely Place (1950), The Big Heat (1953), and Oklahoma!.

After her film career slowed down, Grahame returned to acting on stage. She also continued to appear in movies and TV shows, often in smaller roles.

In 1974, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. It got better for a while, and she went back to work. In 1980, the cancer returned. Grahame chose to keep working and traveled to the United Kingdom for a play. Her health quickly got worse. She returned to New York City, where she passed away in October 1981 at age 57.

Early Life and Acting Start

Gloria Grahame was born in Los Angeles, California. She was raised in the Methodist faith. Her father, Michael Hallward, was an architect and writer. Her mother, Jean Grahame, was a British stage actress and acting teacher. Gloria's mother taught her acting when she was young. Grahame went to Hollywood High School but left to become an actress.

Her first stage appearance was in a play called Good Night, Ladies in Chicago in 1942.

Grahame with Philip Reed in Song of the Thin Man, 1947

Grahame made her Broadway debut in New York City in 1943. She was signed by MGM Studios after a famous movie producer, Louis B. Mayer, saw her perform.

Film Career Highlights

Grahame's first movie was Blonde Fever (1944). She then played a memorable role as Violet Bick in It's a Wonderful Life (1946). MGM later sold her contract to RKO Studios in 1947.

She worked for several Hollywood studios during this time. She received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Crossfire (1947).

Grahame starred with Humphrey Bogart in the film In a Lonely Place (1950). This performance earned her much praise.

Grahame in her Academy Award-winning role in The Bad and the Beautiful (1952)

She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in MGM's The Bad and the Beautiful (1952). Even though she was on screen for only about nine minutes, her performance was powerful enough to win the Oscar.

Other famous roles included Irene Neves in Sudden Fear (1952) and Debby Marsh in The Big Heat (1953). She also played Vicki Buckley in Human Desire (1954). Grahame even did her own stunts as Angel the Elephant Girl in The Greatest Show on Earth (1952), which won the Oscar for best film.

Grahame's film career began to slow down after her role in the musical Oklahoma! (1955). Some critics felt she was not right for the role in a wholesome musical.

Grahame in 1947

She returned to the theater more often but still appeared in supporting roles in films and television shows. She guest-starred in TV series like The Outer Limits and The Fugitive.

Personal Life and Family

Gloria Grahame was married four times and had four children. Her first marriage was to actor Stanley Clements from 1945 to 1948.

The day after her first divorce, Grahame married director Nicholas Ray. They had a son named Timothy. They divorced in 1952.

Grahame's third marriage was to writer and TV producer Cy Howard. They married in 1954 and had a daughter, Marianna Paulette. They divorced in 1957.

Her fourth marriage was to actor Anthony "Tony" Ray, who was the son of her second husband, Nicholas Ray. They married in 1960 and had two sons, Anthony Jr. and James. News of this marriage became public in 1962. This situation caused challenges for Grahame's career. Despite this, her marriage to Anthony Ray lasted the longest, ending in 1974.

From 1979 to 1981, Grahame had a relationship with British actor Peter Turner. Turner later wrote a book about their time together called Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool. This book was later made into a movie.

Later Years and Passing

In March 1974, Grahame was diagnosed with breast cancer. She received treatment, changed her diet, and stopped smoking. The cancer went into remission (meaning it got better) within a year.

However, the cancer returned in 1980. Grahame chose to continue working. While performing in England in 1981, she became very ill. Her children brought her back to the United States. She was admitted to St. Vincent's Hospital in New York City on October 5, 1981, where she passed away a few hours later at age 57.

Gloria Grahame was buried at Oakwood Memorial Park Cemetery in Chatsworth, Los Angeles.

Legacy and Recognition

Gloria Grahame has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6522 Hollywood Boulevard. This honors her important contributions to the movie industry.

The movie Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool, based on Peter Turner's book about Grahame's final years, was released in 2017. In the film, actress Annette Bening played Gloria Grahame.

A community room at the Manhattan Plaza residential complex, where Grahame used to live, is dedicated to her memory. Her portrait hangs there.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Gloria Grahame para niños