Marjorie Main facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marjorie Main
Main in 1940
Born	Mary Tomlinson (1890-02-24)February 24, 1890 Acton, Indiana, U.S.
Died	April 10, 1975(1975-04-10) (aged 85) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting place	Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills, California
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1916–1959
Spouse(s)	Stanley LeFevre Krebs ​ ​ (m. 1921; died 1935)​

Mary Tomlinson (born February 24, 1890 – died April 10, 1975), known professionally as Marjorie Main, was an American actress and singer. She was famous for playing strong, tough characters in movies. Many people remember her best as Ma Kettle in 10 Ma and Pa Kettle films.

Marjorie Main started her acting journey in vaudeville shows and on stage. Later, she appeared in many classic movies. Some of these include Dead End (1937), The Women (1939), Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), and Friendly Persuasion (1956).

Early Life and Education

Mary Tomlinson was born on February 24, 1890, near Acton, Indiana. Her father, Samuel J. Tomlinson, was a minister. Her mother was Jennie L. (McGaughey) Tomlinson. Mary was the second daughter in her family.

When she was three, her family moved to Indianapolis, Indiana. They later moved to other towns like Goshen and Elkhart, Indiana. In the early 1900s, her family settled on a farm near Fairland, Indiana.

Mary went to public schools in Fairland and Shelbyville. She then studied at Franklin College for a year. After that, she went to the Hamilton School of Dramatic Expression in Lexington, Kentucky. She finished her studies there in 1909 when she was 19.

After graduating, Mary worked as a drama teacher at Bourbon College in Paris, Kentucky. She only stayed for a year, saying she was fired for asking for more money. She then moved to Chicago and New York City to study acting. She chose the stage name Marjorie Main to avoid embarrassing her family, as her father did not approve of her acting career.

Marriage and Family

Marjorie Main married Stanley LeFevre Krebs on November 2, 1921. He was a psychologist and speaker. They met when she was performing on the Chautauqua circuit, which was like a traveling show with lectures and entertainment.

Marjorie often traveled with Krebs as he gave his lectures. They did not have any children together. They lived in New York City. During her marriage, Marjorie continued to act part-time in plays and started her film career in Hollywood in 1931. She said these were "the happiest years of her life."

Stanley Krebs died from cancer on September 26, 1935. After his death, Marjorie returned to acting full-time. She said losing him was "like losing a good friend."

Acting Career

Starting Out

Marjorie Main began her professional acting career by touring with a Shakespearean theater group. She also performed in a stock company in Fargo, North Dakota. After that, she started working in vaudeville, which was a popular type of stage entertainment.

On Stage

In the mid-1910s, Marjorie appeared in several plays. She toured in Cheating Cheaters in 1916. She made her Broadway theatre debut in Yes or No in 1918. She also performed with comedian W. C. Fields in a vaudeville skit called The Family Ford.

Not all her early plays were big hits. A House Divided closed after only one performance in 1923. However, Marjorie kept finding work on Broadway. She played Mae West's mother in The Wicked Age in 1927. In 1928, she acted alongside Barbara Stanwyck in the popular play Burlesque.

One of Marjorie's most important stage roles was in the 1935 play Dead End. She played Mrs. Martin, the mother of a gangster. She performed this role 460 times. In 1936, she left that show to play Lucy in The Women. Marjorie later played both of these roles in the movie versions of the plays.

Film Roles

Marjorie Main's first movie appearance was as an extra in A House Divided (1931). She also appeared in other early films. She later got to play her stage roles in the movies Dead End (1937) and The Women (1939).

George Cleveland, Jean Parker, Sarah Padden, and Marjorie Main in Romance of the Limberlost (1938)

In 1940, Marjorie signed a seven-year contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) studio. She starred with Wallace Beery in Wyoming (1940). She also co-starred in Dark Command (1940) and appeared in six major films in 1941.

During World War II, Marjorie used her fame to help sell war bonds. These bonds helped the U.S. government pay for the war. In 1942, she visited Indiana and helped sell over $500,000 in war bonds.

Marjorie Main in the trailer for Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)

MGM often paired Marjorie Main with Wallace Beery in movies. They hoped to repeat the success Beery had with actress Marie Dressler. Marjorie and Beery starred in six more films together, including Barnacle Bill (1941) and Bad Bascomb (1946). She also played Sonora Cassidy, a chief cook, in The Harvey Girls (1946).

Ma and Pa Kettle On Vacation (1953)

Marjorie Main's most famous role was Ma Kettle in the Ma and Pa Kettle movie series. She first played Ma Kettle in The Egg and I (1947). In this movie, she starred with Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurray. Marjorie was even nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role.

The Ma and Pa Kettle characters became very popular. So, Universal Pictures decided to make a whole series of movies about them. Marjorie played Ma Kettle in nine films between 1949 and 1957. Percy Kilbride played Pa Kettle in most of these movies. Each film earned Universal about $3 million, which helped the studio a lot. Marjorie even helped write some of Ma Kettle's lines and designed her own costumes and makeup.

While making the Kettle films, Marjorie also appeared in other MGM musicals. These included Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) and The Belle of New York (1952). Her last film role was as Ma Kettle in The Kettles on Old MacDonald's Farm (1957).

Radio and TV

Marjorie Main also performed on radio. In 1941, she was part of the radio show We Hold These Truths. She also appeared on The Goldbergs.

In 1958, Marjorie appeared on the TV series Wagon Train. She played a tough frontierswoman named Cassie Tanner in two episodes. This was her final acting appearance.

Later Years and Legacy

After she stopped acting, Marjorie Main lived a quiet life in Los Angeles. She passed away from lung cancer on April 10, 1975, at the age of 85. She is buried next to her husband, Stanley Krebs, in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills, California.

Marjorie Main was known for playing loud, rough, and grumpy women on screen. But in real life, she was described as soft-spoken, shy, and dignified. She became a very popular character actress in the 1940s and 1950s. She appeared in over 80 films. While she was in many classic movies, she is best remembered for her role as Ma Kettle. The funny, simple humor of the Kettle films later influenced TV shows like The Beverly Hillbillies and Green Acres.

Theatre performances

Filmography

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Marjorie Main para niños