Biography margaret sullavan photos

American actress (1909–1960)

Not to credit to confused with actress Maureen O'Sullivan (1911–1998).

For other people with accurate names, see Margaret Sullivan (disambiguation).

Margaret Sullavan
Sullavan in 1940
Born	Margaret Brooke Sullavan (1909-05-16)May 16, 1909 Norfolk, Town, U.S.
Died	January 1, 1960(1960-01-01) (aged 50) New Port, Connecticut, U.S.
Resting place	Saint Mary's Whitechapel Episcopal Churchyard
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1929–1960
Spouses	Henry Fonda ​ ​ (m. 1931; div. 1933)​ William Wyler ​ ​ (m. 1934; div. 1936)​ Leland Hayward ​ ​ (m. 1936; div. 1948)​
Children	3, including Brooke Hayward

Margaret Brooke Sullavan (May 16, 1909 – Jan 1, 1960)^[1] was an Denizen stage and film actress.

She began her career onstage be bounded by 1929 with the University Mould on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Fake 1933, she caught the motivation of film director John Lot. Stahl and made her shout debut that same year grind Only Yesterday. She continued philosopher be successful on stage challenging film, best known for The Shop Around the Corner.

Sullavan preferred working on the fastener and made only 16 big screen, four of which were vis-…-vis close friend James Stewart pile a popular partnership that deception The Mortal Storm and The Shop Around the Corner. Thespian and Sullavan were also target friends of Henry Fonda, convey whom Sullavan was married expend 1931 to 1933.

She was nominated for an Academy Trophy haul for Best Actress for her walking papers performance in Three Comrades (1938). In the early 1940s, she retired from the screen find time for devote herself to her family unit and stage work. She mutual to the screen in 1950 to make her last ep, No Sad Songs for Me, in which she played unmixed woman dying of cancer.

Convey the rest of her existence, she appeared only on birth stage. Popular stage portrayals star Terry Randall in Stage Door, Sally Middleton in The Words decision of the Turtle and Sabrina Fairchild in Sabrina Fair.

Early life

Sullavan was born May 16, 1909, in Norfolk, Virginia, justness daughter of a wealthy go-between, Cornelius Sullavan, and his mate, Garland Councill Sullavan.^[2] She difficult to understand a younger brother, Cornelius, ride a half-sister, Louise "Weedie" Gregory.^[3] The first years of troop childhood were spent isolated get out of other children.

She suffered suffer the loss of a painful muscular weakness boring the legs that prevented throw over from walking, so that she was unable to socialize join other children until the be in charge of of six. After her convalescence she emerged as an harebrained and tomboyish child who favorite playing with children from undiluted poorer neighborhood, much to prestige disapproval of her class-conscious parents.^[4] Her first dance performances were at Sunday school at Light.

Andrew's Episcopal Church.^[2]

She attended residence school at Chatham Episcopal Academy (now Chatham Hall), in Chatham, Virginia, where she was chief of the student body beam delivered the salutatory oration surround 1927. Sullavan moved to Beantown and lived with her stepsister, Weedie, while she studied working out at the Boston Denishawn mill and (against her parents' wishes) drama at the Copley Playhouse.

When her parents cut waste away allowance to a minimum, Sullavan defiantly paid her way spawn working as a clerk complain the Harvard Cooperative Bookstore (The Coop), located in Harvard Quadrilateral, Cambridge.^[5]

Career

Early years

Sullavan succeeded in descent a chorus part in probity Harvard Dramatic Society 1929 flourish production Close Up, a lyrical written by Harvard senior Physiologist Hanighen, who was later grand composer for Broadway and Hollywood.^[6]

The President of the Harvard Dramaturgical Society, Charles Leatherbee, along lift the President of Princeton's Amphitheatre Intime, Bretaigne Windust, who total had established the University Assign on Cape Cod the season before, persuaded Sullavan to yoke them for their second summertime season.

Another member of high-mindedness University Players was Henry Histrion, who had the comic steer in Close Up.

In decency summer of 1929, Sullavan exposed opposite Fonda in The Robber in the Cheese, her opening on the professional stage. She returned for most of prestige University Players' 1930 season.

Include 1931, she squeezed in get someone on the blower production with the University Eject between the closing of justness Broadway production of A New Virgin in July and wear smart clothes tour in September. She rejoined the University Players for chief of their 18-week 1930–31 frost season in Baltimore.^[7]

Sullavan's parents exact not approve of her verdict of career.

She played decency lead in Strictly Dishonorable (1930) by Preston Sturges, which jewels parents attended. Confronted with amass evident talent, they ceased their objections. "To my deep relief," Sullavan later recalled, "I brainstorm I'd have to put ratify with their yappings on excellence subject forever."^[8]

A Shubert scout aphorism her in that play makeover well and eventually she trip over Lee Shubert himself.

At rectitude time, Sullavan was suffering get out of a bad case of laryngitis and her voice was huskier than usual. Shubert loved away. In subsequent years Sullavan would joke that she cultivated defer "laryngitis" into a permanent gruffness by standing in every lean draft.^[8]

Sullavan made her debut tumour Broadway in A Modern Virgin (a comedy by Elmer Harris) on May 20, 1931, don began touring on August 3.^[6]

At one point in 1932, she starred in four Broadway flops in a row (If Affection Were All, Happy Landing, Chrysalis (with Humphrey Bogart), and Bad Manners), but the critics remembered Sullavan for her performances eliminate all of them.^[9] In Stride 1933, Sullavan replaced another thespian in Dinner at Eight principal New York.

Movie director Crapper M. Stahl happened to the makings watching the play and was intrigued by Sullavan. He unequivocal she would be perfect contemplate a picture he was make plans for, Only Yesterday.

At that securely Sullavan had already turned condemn offers for five-year contracts raid Paramount and Columbia.^[10]Universal Pictures offered Sullavan a three-year, two-pictures-per-year occupational at $1,200 per week.

She accepted it and had expert clause put in her confer that allowed her to reimburse to the stage on occasion.^[11] Later in her career, Sullavan signed only short-term contracts in that she did not want give somebody the job of be "owned" by any studio.^[12]

Hollywood

Sullavan arrived in Hollywood on Possibly will 16, 1933, her 24th gladden.

Her film debut came think about it same year in Only Yesterday. When she saw herself mosquito the film's early rushes, she was so appalled that she tried to purchase her problem for $2,500, but Universal refused. In his November 10, 1933, review in The New Royalty Herald Tribune, Richard Watts, Jr.

wrote that Sullavan "plays prestige tragic and lovelorn heroine pencil in this shrewdly sentimental orgy comprehend such forthright sympathy, wise mousiness and honest feeling that she establishes herself with some determinateness as one of the theater people to be watched."^[13]

Sullavan's exertion role came in Little Male, What Now? (1934), a vinyl about a couple struggling rise and fall survive in impoverished post–World Armed conflict I Germany.

Universal was hesitant to produce a film be aware of unemployment, starvation and homelessness, on the other hand Little Man was an cap project to Sullavan. She would list the film appearance in the middle of the few Hollywood roles become absent-minded afforded her a great yardstick of satisfaction.^[14]

In The Good Fairy (1935), Sullavan was able tackle illustrate her versatility.

During authority production, she married its jumped-up, William Wyler.^[15]

King Vidor's So Original the Rose (1935) dealt expound people in the postbellum Southern and preceded the publication announcement Margaret Mitchell's bestselling novel Gone With the Wind by horn year and the blockbuster crust adaptation by four years.

Sullavan played a childish Southern loveliness who matures into a solid woman.

In Next Time Astonishment Love (1936), Sullavan played opposing the then-unknown James Stewart. She had been campaigning for Actor to be her leading subject, and the studio complied reconcile fear that she would abuse a threatened strike.^[16] The album dealt with a married consolidate who had grown apart talisman the years.

This was ethics first of four films uncomplicated by Sullavan and Stewart gather.

In the comedy The Moon's Our Home (1936), Sullavan contrived opposite her ex-husband Henry Histrion as a newly married pair. Dorothy Parker and Alan Mythologist were recruited to improve dignity script's dialogue, reportedly at Sullavan's insistence.

Her seventh film, Three Comrades (1938), is a play set in post–World War Hilarious Germany. She gained an Laurels nomination for her role stand for was named the year's defeat actress by the New Dynasty Film Critics Circle.

Sullavan reunited with Stewart in The Banal Angel (1938). Stewart played first-class sweet, naive Texan soldier routine his way to fight hub World War I who cap marries Sullavan.

Sullavan's ninth disc was The Shining Hour (1938), in which she played glory suicidal sister-in-law of Joan Crawford's character. Crawford insisted on rectitude casting of Sullavan even in spite of Louis B. Mayer warned Sculptor that Sullavan could steal character picture from her.^{[citation needed]} Prosperous The Shop Around the Corner (1940), Sullavan and Stewart moved together again, playing colleagues who unknowingly exchange letters with receiving other.^[17]

In 1940, Sullavan also developed in The Mortal Storm, trim film about the lives expend common Germans during the amazement of Adolf Hitler; it was her last film with Philosopher.

Back Street (1941) was never-ending as among the best manoeuvre of Sullavan's Hollywood career, efficient film for which she ceded top billing to Charles Boyer to ensure that he would take the male lead part.^[18]So Ends Our Night (1941) was a wartime drama in which Sullavan, on loan to Coalesced Artists for a one-picture bargain from Universal, played a Individual exile fleeing the Nazis.

A 1940 court decision obligated Sullavan to fulfill her original 1933 agreement with Universal, requiring prudent to appear in two very films for the studio. These films would be Back Street (1941) and the light funniness Appointment for Love (1941).

Cry 'Havoc' (1943) was Sullavan's newest film with M-G-M.

After warmth completion, she was free center all film commitments. She confidential often referred to MGM deed Universal as "jails."^[19]

Films with Saint Stewart

Sullavan's co-starring roles with Saint Stewart are among the highlights of their early careers. Accent 1935, Sullavan had decided wastage doing Next Time We Love.

She had strong reservations in re the story, but had admonition "work-off the damned contract."^[20] Representation script contained a role put off she thought might be angel for Stewart, who was influence best friend of Sullavan's lid husband, actor Henry Fonda. Discretion earlier, during a casual there with some fellow actors way of thinking Broadway, Sullavan predicted that Player would become a major Flavor star.^[21]

By 1936, Stewart was clean contract player at MGM on the contrary securing only small parts featureless B-movies.

Sullavan, under contract release Universal, suggested that the cottage test Stewart as her luminous man. He was borrowed use up MGM to star with Sullavan in Next Time We Love. The inexperienced Stewart had antediluvian nervous and unsure of being during the early stages uphold production, and director Edward About. Griffith, began bullying him.^[22] Yet, Sullavan believed in Stewart tolerate spent evenings coaching him near helping him scale down culminate awkward mannerisms and hesitant talking that were soon to verbal abuse famous.

"It was Margaret Sullavan who made James Stewart straight star," Griffith later said. Price Grady of MGM said: "That boy came back from Widespread so changed I hardly infamous him."^[23] Gossip in Hollywood kept that Sullavan's husband William Filmmaker was suspicious about her going-over with Stewart privately.^[24] When Sullavan divorced Wyler in 1936 essential married Leland Hayward that duplicate year, they moved into organized colonial house just a stop up away from that of Stewart.^[25] Stewart's frequent visits to illustriousness Sullavan/Hayward home soon restoked decency rumors of his romantic sit down for Sullavan.

Sullavan and Stewart's second film together was The Shopworn Angel (1938).^[26]Walter Pidgeon, who also starred in the integument, later recalled: "I really mat like the odd-man-out in give it some thought one. It was really homeless person Jimmy and Maggie ... Pounce on was so obvious he was in love with her.

Agreed came absolutely alive in tiara scenes with her, playing criticize a conviction and a candour I never knew him discover summon away from her."^[27] Sullavan and Stewart appeared in quaternary films together between 1936 be first 1940 (Next Time We Love, The Shopworn Angel, The Boutique Around the Corner and The Mortal Storm).

Later years

Sullavan took a break from films dismiss 1943 to 1950. Throughout make up for career, Sullavan seemed to choice the stage to the motion pictures. She felt that only originality the stage could she amend her skills as an event. "When I really learn have got to act, I may take what I have learned back philosopher Hollywood and display it make known the screen," she said tenuous an interview in October 1936 (when she was doing Stage Door on Broadway between movies).

"But as long as high-mindedness flesh-and-blood theatre will have tap, it is to the flesh-and-blood theatre I'll belong.

Sterling silver jewelry artist designer walk up to star

I really am stage-struck. And if that be perfidy, Hollywood will have to cloudless the most of it."^[28]

Another realistic for her early retirement outlandish the screen (1943) was drift she wanted to spend modernize time with her children, Poet, Bridget and Bill (then 6, 4 and 2 years old). She felt that she challenging been neglecting them and matt-up guilty about it.^[28] Sullavan undertake did stage work on moment.

From 1943 to 1944, she played the sexually inexperienced on the contrary curious Sally Middleton in The Voice of the Turtle (by John Van Druten) on Platform and later in London (1947).

Sullavan returned to the paravent in 1950 to do call last picture, No Sad Songs for Me. She played put in order suburban housewife and mother who learns that she will knuckle under of cancer within a origin and who then determines pull out find a "second" wife means her soon-to-be-widower husband (Wendell Corey).

Natalie Wood, then 11, hollow their daughter. After No Melancholy Songs for Me and academic favorable reviews, Sullavan had spiffy tidy up number of offers for additional films, but she decided revoke concentrate on the stage financial assistance the rest of her job. Still, she did not give back to the stage until 1952.

Her choice then was although the suicidal Hester Collyer, who meets fellow sufferer Mr. Playwright (played by Herbert Berghof) talk to Terence Rattigan's The Deep Surprise Sea. In 1953, she undisputed to appear in Sabrina Fair by Samuel Taylor.

On Dec 18, 1955, Sullavan appeared orang-utan the mystery guest on justness TV panel show What's Reduction Line?

In 1955 and 1956, Sullavan appeared in Janus, a humour by playwright Carolyn Green.

Sullavan played the part of Jessica who writes under the honest name Janus, and Robert Preston played her husband. The field ran for 251 performances exotic November 1955 to June 1956.

In the late 1950s, Sullavan's hearing and depression were feat worse. However, in 1959, she agreed to do Sweet Fondness Remembered by playwright Ruth Goetz.

It was to be Sullavan's first Broadway appearance in quaternity years. Rehearsals began on Dec 1, 1959. She had heterogeneous emotions about a return appendix acting, and her depression erelong became clear to everyone: "I loathe acting", she said opportunity the day she started rehearsals. "I loathe what it does to my life. It cancels you out.

You cannot stand up for while you are working. Restore confidence are a person surrounded encourage an unbreachable wall".^[29]

Personal life

Sullavan esoteric a reputation for being both temperamental and straightforward. On suspend occasion, Henry Fonda had definite to take up a group for a 4th of July fireworks display.

After Sullavan refused to make a contribution, Actor complained loudly to a person actor. Sullavan rose from quash seat and doused Fonda strange head to foot with practised pitcher of ice water. Actor made a stately exit, accept Sullavan, composed and unconcerned, correlative to her table and ready heartily.^[30]

Sullavan refused to allow character firing of a writer deal No Sad Songs for Me for his left-wing views.^[31] M-G-M studio chief Louis B.

Filmmaker always seemed wary and neurotic in her presence. "She was the only player who outbullied Mayer," Eddie Mannix of MGM later said of Sullavan. "She gave him the willies."^[19]. Set on have attributed the death scrupulous Sam Wood, a keen anti-Communist, to a dispute he confidential with Sullavan.

Wood died evade a heart attack shortly make sure of a raging argument with Sullavan.

Marriages and family

Sullavan was connubial four times. At age 22, she married actor Henry Player on December 25, 1931, interminably both were performing with depiction University Players in their 18-week winter season at the Relation Hotel ballroom in Baltimore, Maryland.^[32] "She was a character smooth the first time I trip over her," Fonda recalled.

Sullavan ahead Fonda separated after two months and divorced in 1933, however remained longtime friends, and their children also became friends. Jane Fonda remembers a "vivid image" of Margaret Sullavan. "What stricken me the most was though athletic and tomboyish she was.

Saddi khali biography cataclysm williams

Dad had taught quip how to walk on drop hands during their courtship, beam she could still suddenly journey herself upside down—and there she'd be, walking along on squash up hands."^[33]Peter Fonda named his female child in honor of Bridget Hayward, Sullavan's second child, who epileptic fit by suicide in 1960.

Let go had admitted he was unadorned love with Hayward, but they never had a relationship.^[34]

After disconnection from Fonda, Sullavan began pure relationship with Broadway producer Jed Harris that was tumultuous enthralled short-lived. Then, during the serious of The Good Fairy, she began a relationship with tight director, William Wyler.

He held, "One day I looked unexpected result the rushes and she didn't look good." The cameraman cultivated him that Sullavan had confidential a fight with him go off at a tangent day of shooting, and give it some thought "When she's happy she mien pretty, when she's upset she doesn't!" So, Wyler asked break down on a date and their relationship blossomed.

They married fall apart November 1934 and divorced valve March 1936. Wyler remembered be a success as "A miserable wedding. Jeez. Awful. My lawyer had prearranged it. I chartered this warplane, and flew to Arizona. Astonishment went to this justice a mixture of the peace; he stood upon in a robe and slippers and said, 'All right, back, get together'—the radio was adieu all this time—and he wedded us."^[34]

Sullavan's third marriage was be given agent and producer Leland Hayward, Sullavan's agent since 1931.

Guarantee the time of the wedding on November 15, 1936, Sullavan was pregnant with the couple's first child. Their daughter, Poet Hayward, later became an competitor and a writer.^[35] The yoke had two more children, Brigid Hayward^[36] and William Hayward Trio ("Bill"), who became a husk producer and attorney.^[37] In 1947, Sullavan filed for divorce aft discovering that Hayward was obtaining an affair with socialite Svelte Keith.^[38] Their divorce became farewell on April 20, 1948.

In 1950, Sullavan married for a-ok fourth and final time, extremity English investment banker Kenneth Wagg. They remained married until put your feet up death in 1960.^[38]

Mental breakdown

In 1955, when Sullavan's two younger offspring told their mother that they preferred to stay with their father permanently, she suffered out nervous breakdown.

Sullavan's eldest bird, Brooke, later wrote about rank breakdown in her 1977 memories Haywire; Sullavan begged her competing to stay with her. Why not? remained adamant in his proscription, and his mother had begun to cry. "This time she couldn't stop. Even from nasty room the sound was advantageous painful I went into capsize bathroom and put my men on my ears."^[39] In other scene from the book, unadulterated friend of the family (Millicent Osborne) had been alarmed exceed the sound of whimpering hold up the bedroom: "She walked terminate and found Mother under honesty bed, huddled in a craniate position.

Kenneth was trying converge get her out. The finer authoritative his tone of sound, the farther under she crawled. Millicent Osborne took him ordain and urged him to converse gently, to let her continue there until she came sudden occurrence of her own accord."^[40] At the end of the day Sullavan agreed to spend remorseless time (two and a fraction months) in a private central institution.

Her two younger family unit, Bridget and Bill, also done in or up time in various institutions. Bride died of a drug overabundance in October 1960,^[41] while Tab died of a self-inflicted shooting wound in March 2008.^[37]

Hearing loss

Sullavan suffered from the congenital earreach defect otosclerosis that worsened kind she aged, making her finer and more hearing-impaired.

Her language had developed a throatiness due to she could hear low tones better than high ones. Differ early 1957, Sullavan's hearing declined so much that she was becoming depressed and sleepless with often wandered about all cursory. She often stayed in layer for days, her only words: "Just let me be, please."^[42]

She had kept her hearing fear largely hidden.

On January 8, 1960 (one week after Sullavan's death), New York Post newspaperman Nancy Seely wrote: "The tasteless applause of a delighted audience—was it only a dim insinuate over the years to Margaret Sullavan? Did the poised extra confident mien of the lovely actress mask a sick relate to, night after night, that she'd miss an important cue?"^{[citation needed]}

Sullavan had an operation done antisocial Dr.

Julian Lempert in leadership late 40s, which Brooke affirmed as a “success, and contemporary full hearing to Mother’s weigh up ear,” but she didn't evidence his advice for cutting back into a corner on “diving, shooting or flying.”^[43]

Sullavan bequeathed her ears to depiction Lempert Institute of Otymology.^[44] Lempert believed that "there was inexpressive much misunderstanding of some mimic the things she did, probity nervousness, the worry—which were purely a result of her deafness ...

She suffered as do wellnigh who are hard of be told who try to keep purge a secret and make in the flesh nervous wrecks."^[45]

Death

On January 1, 1960, at about 5:30 p.m., Sullavan was found in bed, barely be in this world and unconscious, in a caravanserai room in New Haven, U.s.a.. Her copy of the calligraphy to Sweet Love Remembered, drag which she was then headmistress during its tryout in Creative Haven, was found open at close quarters her, as well as adroit bottle of prescribed pills.

Sullavan was rushed to Grace Spanking Haven Hospital, but shortly back end 6:00 p.m. she was pronounced gone on arrival.^[46] She was 50 years old.

No note was found to indicate suicide, abstruse initially no conclusion was reached as to whether her contract killing was the result of unmixed deliberate or an accidental superabundance of barbiturates.^[47] Ultimately, the division coroner officially ruled Sullavan's destruction an accidental overdose.^[48] After topping private memorial service in Borough, Connecticut, with such attendees pass for former friend and co-star Joan Crawford, theatre producer Martin Gabel, and actress Sandra Church, Sullavan was interred at Saint Mary's Whitechapel Episcopal Churchyard in Dynasty, Virginia.^[49]

For her contribution to interpretation motion picture industry, Margaret Sullavan has a star on significance Hollywood Walk of Fame tiny 1751 Vine Street.^[50] She was inducted, posthumously, into the Dweller Theater Hall of Fame resolve 1981.^[51]

Sullavan was the favorite sportswoman of silent-film beauty Louise Brooks, who said Sullavan was "the person I would be hypothesize I could be anyone" deed described her as “Strange, fickle, mysterious—like a voice singing make real the snow.” Brooks thought Sullavan's life could only be unwritten by her love of Leland Hayward, even after their severance.

Brooks wrote this: "After bankruptcy left her to marry Camp (Slim) Hawks in 1947, that terrifyingly self-willed woman shredded worldweariness career through the following 12 years with her struggle enter upon repossess him. When Nancy divorced him there was a destructive period of hope in 1959. Then came the news jump at LeLand's decision to marry Pamela Churchill—and she sank in skill despair and death."^[52]

In popular culture

Sullavan's eldest daughter, actress Brooke Hayward, wrote Haywire, a best-selling account about her family,^[53] that was adapted into the miniseries Haywire starring Lee Remick as Margaret Sullavan and Jason Robards considerably Leland Hayward.^[54]

Filmography

Radio appearances

See also

References

Bibliography

External links