Mary Astor

Biography

Mary Astor was an American actress who began in silent films as a teenager and later became a supporting player in sound pictures. Born in Quincy, Illinois, in 1906, she first gained notice in the two-reeler The Beggar Maid and moved into features with John Smith and The Man Who Played God. She worked at Paramount and Warner Bros. before a long stint at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in the 1940s. Her best-known role was Brigid O'Shaughnessy in The Maltese Falcon (1941), and she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress as a concert pianist in The Great Lie (1941). Among her other films were Dodsworth (1936), The Prisoner of Zenda (1937), The Palm Beach Story (1942), Across the Pacific (1942), Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), Act of Violence (1948), Little Women (1949) and Return to Peyton Place (1961). She also acted on stage and television, wrote novels and published a career memoir, A Life on Film. She died in 1987.

81years old at death

Born May 3, 1906Quincy
Died September 25, 1987Woodland Hills
Star sign: TaurusThe sign runs April 20 to May 20
Lucile Vasconcellos Langhanke (birth name)Also credited as Lucile Langhanke, Astor, Mary Del Campo, Mary Hawks and Mary Thorpe

Movie Career

Films: 32
Career span: 41 years1923 to 1964

Genres

Drama66%, 21 films
Romance56%, 18 films
Comedy47%, 15 films
Crime22%, 7 films
Adventure19%, 6 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

First role
Lillian Gish directed Mary Astor's first screen test. Astor recited Shakespeare, and Gish was impressed enough to shoot a thousand feet of film with her.
About the name
Mary Astor got her new name at a conference. Those taking part were Jesse Lasky, head of Paramount Pictures, film producer Walter Wanger, and Louella Parsons, a gossip columnist.
A change of course
When Fox had Astor take a sound test during the shift to talkies, the studio judged her voice too deep and let her go from her contract. She was without work for eight months in 1929.
Behind the camera
Astor authored several novels, including The Incredible Charley Carewe, The Image of Kate, The O'Conners, Goodbye, Darling, be Happy, and A Place Called Saturday, which were published from 1960 to 1968.

Mary Astor movies on Netflix

Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte1964IMDb rating 7.5as Jewel
Return to Peyton Place1961IMDb rating 5.9as Roberta Carter
A Kiss Before Dying1956IMDb rating 6.7as Mrs. Corliss
Little Women1949IMDb rating 7.2as Marmee
Act of Violence1948IMDb rating 7.5as Pat
Desert Fury1947IMDb rating 6.5as Fritzi Haller
Blonde Fever1944IMDb rating 5.5as Delilah Donay
Meet Me in St. Louis1944IMDb rating 7.5as Mrs. Anna Smith
Thousands Cheer1943IMDb rating 6.2as Hyllary Jones
Across the Pacific1942IMDb rating 6.8as Alberta Marlow
The Palm Beach Story1942IMDb rating 7.4as The Princess Centimillia
The Great Lie1941IMDb rating 7.1as Sandra Kovak
The Maltese Falcon1941IMDb rating 7.9as Brigid O'Shaughnessy
Brigham Young1940IMDb rating 6.3as Mary Ann Young
Midnight1939IMDb rating 7.8as Helene Flammarion
There's Always a Woman1938IMDb rating 6.7as Lola Fraser
The Hurricane1937IMDb rating 7.1as Mme. DeLaage
The Prisoner of Zenda1937IMDb rating 7.6as Antoinette de Mauban
Dodsworth1936IMDb rating 7.7as Edith Cortright
Page Miss Glory1935IMDb rating 6.7as Gladys Russell
The Kennel Murder Case1933IMDb rating 6.8as Hilda Lake
The Little Giant1933IMDb rating 7.0as Ruth Wayburn
A Successful Calamity1932IMDb rating 6.9as Emmy 'Sweetie' Wilton
Red Dust1932IMDb rating 7.2as Barbara "Babs" Willis
Behind Office Doors1931IMDb rating 6.1as Mary Linden
Other Men's Women1931IMDb rating 6.4as Lily Kulper
Smart Woman1931IMDb rating 6.5as Mrs. Nancy Gibson
The Royal Bed1931IMDb rating 5.9as Princess Anne
Holiday1930IMDb rating 6.3as Julia Seton
Two Arabian Knights1927IMDb rating 6.6as Mirza
Don Q Son of Zorro1925IMDb rating 6.8as Dolores de Muro
Hollywood1923IMDb rating 6.7as Mary Astor

Best known for

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

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The Maltese Falcon1941 Crime, Film-Noir, Mystery, Romanceas Brigid O'Shaughnessy
IMDb rating 7.9175K votes
Meet Me in St. Louis1944 Comedy, Drama, Familyas Mrs. Anna Smith
IMDb rating 7.531K votes
The Palm Beach Story1942as The Princess Centimillia
IMDb rating 7.414K votes
The Great Lie1941as Sandra Kovak
IMDb rating 7.14.8K votes
Dodsworth1936as Edith Cortright
IMDb rating 7.711K votes
Across the Pacific1942as Alberta Marlow
IMDb rating 6.85.9K votes
The Kennel Murder Case1933as Hilda Lake
IMDb rating 6.84.7K votes
Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte1964as Jewel
IMDb rating 7.518K votes

Most often with

John Huston directed two of these films, Mervyn LeRoy two. Jerome Cowan appears in four of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Jerome Cowan

C. Aubrey Smith

Leon Ames

Robert Ames

Bess Flowers

John Carradine

John HustonDirector, 2 films Mervyn LeRoyDirector, 2 films

Films together

Jerome Cowan4 films together, 1937 to 1941
Jerome Cowan's page
- The Great Lie1941IMDb rating 7.1Astor as Sandra KovakCowan as Jock Thompson
- The Maltese Falcon1941IMDb rating 7.9Astor as Brigid O'ShaughnessyCowan as Miles Archer
- There's Always a Woman1938IMDb rating 6.7Astor as Lola FraserCowan as Nick Shane
- The Hurricane1937IMDb rating 7.1Astor as Mme. DeLaageCowan as Captain Nagle
C. Aubrey Smith3 films together, 1937 to 1949
C. Aubrey Smith's page
- Little Women1949IMDb rating 7.2Astor as MarmeeSmith as Mr. Laurence
- The Hurricane1937IMDb rating 7.1Astor as Mme. DeLaageSmith as Father Paul
- The Prisoner of Zenda1937IMDb rating 7.6Astor as Antoinette de MaubanSmith as Colonel Zapt
Leon Ames3 films together, 1932 to 1949
Leon Ames's page
- Little Women1949IMDb rating 7.2Astor as MarmeeAmes as Father March
- Meet Me in St. Louis1944IMDb rating 7.5Astor as Mrs. Anna SmithAmes as Mr. Alonzo Smith
- A Successful Calamity1932IMDb rating 6.9Astor as Emmy 'Sweetie' WiltonAmes as Barney Davis
Robert Ames3 films together, 1930 to 1931
Robert Ames's page
- Behind Office Doors1931IMDb rating 6.1Astor as Mary LindenAmes as James Duneen
- Smart Woman1931IMDb rating 6.5Astor as Mrs. Nancy GibsonAmes as Donald 'Don'…
- Holiday1930IMDb rating 6.3Astor as Julia SetonAmes as Johnny Case
Bess Flowers2 films together, 1923 to 1961
Bess Flowers's page
- Return to Peyton Place1961IMDb rating 5.9Astor as Roberta CarterFlowers as Woman at Town Meeting
- Hollywood1923IMDb rating 6.7Astor as Mary AstorFlowers as Hortense Towers
John Carradine2 films together, 1937 to 1940
John Carradine's page
- Brigham Young1940IMDb rating 6.3Astor as Mary Ann YoungCarradine as Porter Rockwell
- The Hurricane1937IMDb rating 7.1Astor as Mme. DeLaageCarradine as Guard Captain
John HustonDirector, 2 films, 1941 to 1942
All films by John Huston
- Across the Pacific1942IMDb rating 6.8Astor as Alberta Marlow
- The Maltese Falcon1941IMDb rating 7.9Astor as Brigid O'Shaughnessy
Mervyn LeRoyDirector, 2 films, 1935 to 1949
All films by Mervyn LeRoy
- Little Women1949IMDb rating 7.2Astor as Marmee
- Page Miss Glory1935IMDb rating 6.7Astor as Gladys Russell
Also two films together36 more actors
- Bette DavisHush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964) and The Great Lie (1941)
- Humphrey BogartAcross the Pacific (1942) and The Maltese Falcon (1941)
- David NivenThe Prisoner of Zenda (1937) and Dodsworth (1936)
- Gino CorradoThe Great Lie (1941) and Dodsworth (1936)
- Donald CrispRed Dust (1932) and Don Q Son of Zorro (1925)
- Barton MacLaneThe Maltese Falcon (1941) and Page Miss Glory (1935)
- J. Farrell MacDonaldThe Great Lie (1941) and Other Men's Women (1931)
- Harry DavenportLittle Women (1949) and Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
- Joan BlondellThere's Always a Woman (1938) and Other Men's Women (1931)
- Robert WarwickThe Palm Beach Story (1942) and The Royal Bed (1931)
- Janet LeighLittle Women (1949) and Act of Violence (1948)
- Judy GarlandMeet Me in St. Louis (1944) and Thousands Cheer (1943)
- Wade BotelerThere's Always a Woman (1938) and The Kennel Murder Case (1933)
- Grant MitchellThe Great Lie (1941) and A Successful Calamity (1932)
- Edward Everett HortonSmart Woman (1931) and Holiday (1930)
- Raymond MasseyThe Hurricane (1937) and The Prisoner of Zenda (1937)
- Thurston HallThe Great Lie (1941) and There's Always a Woman (1938)
- Claudette ColbertThe Palm Beach Story (1942) and Midnight (1939)
- Eugene BordenMidnight (1939) and Dodsworth (1936)
- Connie GilchristLittle Women (1949) and Act of Violence (1948)
- Berton ChurchillPage Miss Glory (1935) and The Little Giant (1933)
- Walter HustonThe Maltese Falcon (1941) and Dodsworth (1936)
- John HamiltonAcross the Pacific (1942) and The Maltese Falcon (1941)
- Selmer JacksonBrigham Young (1940) and The Little Giant (1933)
- Lester MatthewsAcross the Pacific (1942) and There's Always a Woman (1938)
- Lucile WatsonLittle Women (1949) and The Great Lie (1941)
- Creighton HaleThe Maltese Falcon (1941) and Holiday (1930)
- Hedda HopperMidnight (1939) and Holiday (1930)
- Dewey RobinsonThe Palm Beach Story (1942) and The Little Giant (1933)
- Sydney GreenstreetAcross the Pacific (1942) and The Maltese Falcon (1941)
- Torben MeyerThe Palm Beach Story (1942) and The Prisoner of Zenda (1937)
- William BoydTwo Arabian Knights (1927) and Hollywood (1923)
- Bill ElliottThe Little Giant (1933) and Smart Woman (1931)
- Helen VinsonThe Kennel Murder Case (1933) and The Little Giant (1933)
- Chester GanAcross the Pacific (1942) and The Maltese Falcon (1941)
- Margaret O'BrienLittle Women (1949) and Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.