Margaret Tallichet facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Margaret Tallichet
Tallichet in 1937
Born	(1914-03-13)March 13, 1914 Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Died	May 3, 1991(1991-05-03) (aged 77) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Alma mater	Southern Methodist University
Occupation	Actress
Spouse(s)	William Wyler ​ ​ (m. 1938; died 1981)​
Children	5
Relatives	David Tallichet Jr. (brother)

Margaret "Talli" Tallichet (born March 13, 1914 – died May 3, 1991) was an American actress. She was also the wife of famous movie director William Wyler for many years. Her most well-known main role was in the movie Stranger on the Third Floor (1940). This film is a type of movie called film noir, which often has a dark and mysterious style.

Discovering Margaret Tallichet's Early Life

Margaret Tallichet was born in Dallas, Texas. Her family had moved there from Alabama before she was born. She was the great-granddaughter of Albert Tallichet, who came from Switzerland. He settled in Demopolis, Alabama, and ran a grocery store there.

Margaret went to Southern Methodist University. While there, she was an active member of the Alpha Omicron Pi sorority. She followed the Methodist religion and was a registered member of the Republican Party. This means she supported the ideas of that political group.

Margaret Tallichet's Movie Career

Tallichet (center) in A Star Is Born (1937)

In 1936, Margaret Tallichet moved from Texas to California. She hoped to start a career in the movie business. She began working in the publicity department at Paramount Pictures. There, she became friends with the famous actress Carole Lombard.

Carole Lombard introduced Margaret to a movie producer named David O. Selznick. He gave Margaret a "screen test." This is like an audition where an actor performs for the camera to see if they are right for a role. Margaret tried out for the part of Scarlett O'Hara in the classic movie Gone with the Wind. She was first chosen to play Scarlett's sister, Careen O'Hara. However, that role later went to another actress, Ann Rutherford. Selznick did give Margaret a small, uncredited role in the movie A Star is Born (1937).

Margaret also appeared in a few other movies early in her acting career. These included A Desperate Adventure (1938) and Girls' School (1938).

Marriage and Family Life

Tallichet, around 1940

In 1938, Margaret met William Wyler, a director for Goldwyn Pictures. They were introduced by an agent. William Wyler had been divorced from his first wife since 1936. Just three weeks after they met, Margaret and William got married. Their wedding took place on October 23, 1938, at the lakeside home of actor Walter Huston.

Before the United States joined World War II, both Margaret and William continued to work in movies. Margaret appeared in several films during this time. These included Stand Up and Fight (1939), Stranger on the Third Floor (1940), It Started with Eve (1941), and The Devil Pays Off (1941). Her last film, The Devil Pays Off, was released when she was expecting her second child. After this, she stopped acting in movies.

William Wyler, Margaret's husband, was a strong supporter of Great Britain before the U.S. entered the war. He directed Mrs. Miniver (1942), which showed an English family dealing with the Battle of Britain. This movie won him his first Academy Award for Best Director. After finishing the film, he joined the United States Army Air Corps. He flew on missions over Europe to make documentaries about the war. At the 1943 Academy Awards ceremony, Margaret accepted the Oscar for Best Director on behalf of her husband, who was away serving in the military.

Margaret and William Wyler had five children together. Their names were Catherine (born 1939), Judy (born 1942), William Jr. (born 1946), Melanie Ann (born 1950), and David (born 1952). They stayed married for 43 years until William Wyler passed away. Margaret was also the sister of David Tallichet Jr., who was a pilot and ran restaurants.

Later Years and Passing

Margaret Tallichet passed away on May 3, 1991. She was 77 years old. The cause of her death was cancer.

Margaret Tallichet's Filmography