Marguerite Churchill

Biography

Marguerite Churchill was an American actress of stage and screen whose career lasted from 1922 to 1952. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, she studied at the Professional Children's School and the Theatre Guild Dramatic School, where she won two scholarships. She began as a child on Broadway in 1922 in Why Worry?, and at sixteen drew notice as an ingenue lead in The House of Shadows. Fox gave her a contract, and she made her screen debut in the short The Diplomats (1929), followed by her first feature, The Valiant (1929), with Paul Muni. She appeared in more than 25 films, among them westerns, action pictures and mysteries: The Big Trail (1930), as John Wayne's first leading lady, Riders of the Purple Sage (1931), Charlie Chan Carries On (1931), The Walking Dead (1936) with Boris Karloff, and Dracula's Daughter (1936). She later returned to Broadway in Dinner at Eight. She died in 2000.

89years old at death

Born December 26, 1910Kansas City
Died January 9, 2000Broken Arrow
Star sign: CapricornThe sign runs December 22 to January 19

Movie Career

Films: 3
Career span: 6 years1930 to 1936

Every film, newest first

1936Dracula's DaughterIMDb rating 6.3
1936The Walking DeadIMDb rating 6.6
1930The Big TrailIMDb rating 7.2

Genres

Did you know?!

First role
Churchill was a child actress whose first Broadway appearance came in Why Worry? on Christmas Day 1922, the day before she turned 12.
Early training
Churchill studied at the Theatre Guild Dramatic School in Manhattan, where Winifred Lenihan was her colleague. She earned the Winthrop Ames and Otto H. Khan scholarships there.
A first
Churchill was John Wayne's first leading lady, playing opposite him in Raoul Walsh's early widescreen epic The Big Trail, Wayne's first leading role.
First role
Fox Films gave Churchill a contract, and that deal brought about her first screen appearance, in the comedy short The Diplomats in 1929.
Early training
In New York City, Churchill went to the Professional Children's School, where Milton Berle was one of the other students.