Norma Shearer (August 11, 1902 – June 12, 1983) was a Canadian-American actress who reigned as the “Queen of MGM” during the Golden Age of Hollywood. Known for her glamour, sophistication, and versatility, she was one of the few silent film stars to make a successful transition to talkies.
Born in Montreal, Shearer’s childhood was one of privilege until her father’s business collapsed. Her ambitious mother moved the family to New York, where Shearer pursued an acting career, initially struggling with rejections from people like Florenz Ziegfeld and D.W. Griffith. She eventually found her way to Hollywood and signed a contract with MGM in 1923.
Her career skyrocketed at MGM, where she became a top star in silent films like He Who Gets Slapped (1924) and The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg (1927). In 1927, she married MGM’s head of production, Irving Thalberg, which further cemented her powerful position within the studio.
With the advent of sound, Shearer’s career flourished. Her refined voice and intelligent screen presence made her a sensation. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her daring role in the pre-Code film The Divorcee (1930) and was nominated for five more Oscars throughout her career for films like A Free Soul (1931), The Barretts of Wimpole Street (1934), Romeo and Juliet (1936), and Marie Antoinette (1938). She was famous for portraying strong, often sexually liberated, women who challenged societal norms.
After Thalberg’s death in 1936, Shearer’s career began to slow down. She made a few more notable films, including the classic all-female ensemble The Women (1939), before retiring from acting in 1942. She lived a private life with her second husband, Martin Arrougé, and rarely appeared in public. Norma Shearer passed away in 1983, leaving behind a legacy as one of Hollywood’s most influential and enduring stars.
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