Greta Garbo
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Born:September 18, 1905 |
Born as:Greta Lovisa Gustafsson |
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Died:April 15, 1990 |
There is no one who would have me... I can't cook
Biography:
Greta grew up in the poverty of Stockholm's poorest districts. She found employment as a salesgirl in a department store. The store used her in a short publicity film (1921). This led to another short film when a comedy director gave her a small part in Luffarpetter / Peter the tramp (1922). Mauritz Stiller cast Greta in Gösta Berlings saga / The Atonement of Gosta Berling (1923) which made her a minor star. The director became Greta's mentor and lover, glamorizing her image and changing her professional name to Garbo.
In 1924 she went to Hollywood with Stiller and they worked together on The Torrent (1926). Stiller was not successful and returned to Sweden while she stayed on to become known as “The Swedish Sphinx”.
The release of Flesh and the Devil (1927) saw Garbo a full-fledged superstar. Greta continued her superstar status with Anna Karenina (1935) where she played a woman torn between two lovers and her son and with Ninotchka (1939) which showcased her comedic side. Greta retired abruptly in 1941 and would work for the rest of her life to perpetuate the Garbo mystique.
Academy awards:
1955 - Honorary Award
1940 Nominated Best Actress for: Ninotchka (1939)
1938 Nominated Best Actress for: Camille (1936)
1930 Nominated Best Actress for: Anna Christie (1930)
1930 Nominated Best Actress for: Romance (1930)
Selected Movies:
- Ninotchka (1939)
- Queen Christina (1933)
- Grand Hotel (1932)
- Flesh and the Devil (1926)
- Camille (1936)
- Anna Karenina (1935)
Bibliography » Books: