Marjorie Main

Biography

Marjorie Main was a singer and actress of the Classical Hollywood period who was a contract player for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer during the 1940s and 1950s. Born near Acton, Indiana, she began performing in Shakespearean repertory and vaudeville, then worked on Broadway, recreating two stage roles on screen in Dead End (1937) and The Women (1939). After starring with Wallace Beery in Wyoming (1940), she signed a seven-year MGM contract. She often played mothers, landladies, and other rough, cantankerous women, appearing in Dark Command (1940), The Shepherd of the Hills (1941), Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), The Harvey Girls (1946), The Long, Long Trailer (1954), Rose Marie (1954), and Friendly Persuasion (1956). Her best-known part was Ma Kettle, first in The Egg and I (1947), which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. She played Ma Kettle in nine more films between 1949 and 1957, writing dialogue and creating her own costumes and makeup.

85years old at death

Born February 24, 1890Acton
Died April 10, 1975Los Angeles
Star sign: PiscesThe sign runs February 19 to March 20
Also credited as Mary Tomlinson

Movie Career

Films: 26
Career span: 24 years1932 to 1956

Genres

Drama58%, 15 films
Comedy54%, 14 films
Romance50%, 13 films
Adventure12%, 3 films
Crime12%, 3 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

First role
Main started out as a performer, touring with a Shakespearean repertory company in Chautauqua presentations. She then spent five months with a stock company in Fargo, North Dakota, before she began working in vaudeville.
Big break
Main signed a seven-year MGM contract in 1940 after starring with Wallace Beery in Wyoming. That same year she co-starred with Walter Pidgeon in Dark Command.
Behind the camera
In addition to acting, Main created her own costumes and makeup and wrote some of her dialogue. Parker Fennelly played Pa Kettle in the final film, The Kettles on Old MacDonald's Farm, released in 1957.

Marjorie Main movies on Netflix

Friendly Persuasion1956IMDb rating 7.3as The Widow Hudspeth
Rose Marie1954IMDb rating 5.8as Lady Jane Dunstock
The Long, Long Trailer1954IMDb rating 7.0as Mrs. Hittaway
The Belle of New York1952IMDb rating 6.1as Mrs. PhineHill
Summer Stock1950IMDb rating 7.1as Esmé
The Egg and I1947IMDb rating 6.9as Phoebe 'Ma' Kettle
The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap1947IMDb rating 6.7as Widow Hawkins
The Harvey Girls1946IMDb rating 7.0as Sonora Cassidy
Undercurrent1946IMDb rating 6.5as Lucy
Murder, He Says1945IMDb rating 6.9as Mamie Fleagle Smithers Johnson
Meet Me in St. Louis1944IMDb rating 7.5as Katie (Maid)
Heaven Can Wait1943IMDb rating 7.3as Mrs. Strabel
Johnny Come Lately1943IMDb rating 6.8as 'Gashouse' Mary
The Affairs of Martha1942IMDb rating 6.6as Mrs. McKissick
A Woman's Face1941IMDb rating 7.2as Emma Kristiansdotter
The Shepherd of the Hills1941IMDb rating 6.9as Granny Becky
Dark Command1940IMDb rating 6.7as Mrs. Cantrell / Mrs. Adams
Susan and God1940IMDb rating 5.9as Mary
Another Thin Man1939IMDb rating 7.4as Mrs. Dolley
The Women1939IMDb rating 7.7as Lucy
Test Pilot1938IMDb rating 6.8as Landlady
Three Comrades1938IMDb rating 7.1as Old woman by phone
Too Hot to Handle1938IMDb rating 6.6as Miss Wayne
Dead End1937IMDb rating 7.2as Mrs. Martin
Stella Dallas1937IMDb rating 7.4as Mrs. Martin
Broken Lullaby1932IMDb rating 7.6as Frau Schmidt - Townswoman

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top

Heaven Can Wait1943 Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romanceas Mrs. Strabel
IMDb rating 7.314K votes
Meet Me in St. Louis1944 Comedy, Drama, Familyas Katie (Maid)
IMDb rating 7.531K votes
The Long, Long Trailer1954as Mrs. Hittaway
IMDb rating 7.06.3K votes
The Egg and I1947as Phoebe 'Ma' Kettle
IMDb rating 6.93.5K votes
Dead End1937as Mrs. Martin
IMDb rating 7.29.7K votes
Stella Dallas1937as Mrs. Martin
IMDb rating 7.47.1K votes
Summer Stock1950as Esmé
IMDb rating 7.15.3K votes
Murder, He Says1945as Mamie Fleagle Smithers Johnson
IMDb rating 6.92.4K votes

Most often with

Vincente Minnelli directed three of these films, George Cukor three and William Wyler two. Seven actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Joan Crawford

Myrna Loy

Samuel S. Hinds

Judy Garland

Virginia Grey

Ruth Hussey

Vincente MinnelliDirector, 3 films

George CukorDirector, 3 films

William WylerDirector, 2 films

Films together

Joan Crawford3 films together, 1939 to 1941
Joan Crawford's page
- A Woman's Face1941IMDb rating 7.2Main as Emma KristiansdotterCrawford as Anna Holm
- Susan and God1940IMDb rating 5.9Main as MaryCrawford as Susan
- The Women1939IMDb rating 7.7Main as LucyCrawford as Crystal Allen
Myrna Loy3 films together, 1938 to 1939
Myrna Loy's page
- Another Thin Man1939IMDb rating 7.4Main as Mrs. DolleyLoy as Nora Charles
- Test Pilot1938IMDb rating 6.8Main as LandladyLoy as Ann "Thursday" Barton
- Too Hot to Handle1938IMDb rating 6.6Main as Miss WayneLoy as Alma Harding
Samuel S. Hinds3 films together, 1938 to 1947
Samuel S. Hinds's page
- The Egg and I1947IMDb rating 6.9Main as Phoebe 'Ma' KettleHinds as Sheriff Drum
- The Shepherd of the Hills1941IMDb rating 6.9Main as Granny BeckyHinds as Andy Beeler
- Test Pilot1938IMDb rating 6.8Main as LandladyHinds as General Ross
Judy Garland3 films together, 1944 to 1950
Judy Garland's page
- Summer Stock1950IMDb rating 7.1Main as EsméGarland as Jane Falbury
- The Harvey Girls1946IMDb rating 7.0Main as Sonora CassidyGarland as Susan Bradley
- Meet Me in St. Louis1944IMDb rating 7.5Main as Katie (Maid)Garland as Esther Smith
Virginia Grey3 films together, 1938 to 1939
Virginia Grey's page
- Another Thin Man1939IMDb rating 7.4Main as Mrs. DolleyGrey as Lois MacFay
- The Women1939IMDb rating 7.7Main as LucyGrey as Pat
- Test Pilot1938IMDb rating 6.8Main as LandladyGrey as Sarah
Ruth Hussey3 films together, 1939 to 1940
Ruth Hussey's page
- Susan and God1940IMDb rating 5.9Main as MaryHussey as Charlotte
- Another Thin Man1939IMDb rating 7.4Main as Mrs. DolleyHussey as Dorothy Waters
- The Women1939IMDb rating 7.7Main as LucyHussey as Miss Wattson
Vincente MinnelliDirector, 3 films, 1944 to 1954
All films by Vincente Minnelli
- The Long, Long Trailer1954IMDb rating 7.0Main as Mrs. Hittaway
- Undercurrent1946IMDb rating 6.5Main as Lucy
- Meet Me in St. Louis1944IMDb rating 7.5Main as Katie (Maid)
George CukorDirector, 3 films, 1939 to 1941
All films by George Cukor
- A Woman's Face1941IMDb rating 7.2Main as Emma Kristiansdotter
- Susan and God1940IMDb rating 5.9Main as Mary
- The Women1939IMDb rating 7.7Main as Lucy
William WylerDirector, 2 films, 1937 to 1956
All films by William Wyler
- Friendly Persuasion1956IMDb rating 7.3Main as The Widow Hudspeth
- Dead End1937IMDb rating 7.2Main as Mrs. Martin
Also three films together1 more actor
- Virginia WeidlerThe Affairs of Martha (1942), The Women (1939) and Too Hot to Handle (1938)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.