Mary Astor

Lucile Vasconcellos Langhanke
1906 - 1987
American born Quincy, Illinois

Nickname The Cameo Girl, Rusty. Height 5' 6" (1.68 m) . Mary Astor was born, Lucile Vasconcellos Langhanke, on May 3, 1906 in Quincy, Illinois to German immigrant parents. Her parents were very ambitious for her as they recognized Mary's beauty and knowing if they played their cards right, they could make her famous. They understood that they wanted something better for their daughter than they had, so they made it happen by pushing Mary into various beauty contests. Luck was with Mary and her parents because one contest came to the attention of Hollywood moguls who signed her at the age of 14. Her first movie was a bit part in SCARECROW in 1920. It wasn't much, but it was a start. Throughout 1921-1923 she continued her career with bit or minor roles in a number of motion pictures. In 1924, Mary landed a plum assignment with a role as Lady Margery Alvaney opposite the great John Barrymore in the film BEAU BRUMMEL. This launched her career to stardom as it did with a lively affair with Barrymore. However the affair ended before she could star with him again in the 1926 classic DON JUAN. Mary was, now, the new cinematic darling with each film packing the theaters. By the end of the twenties, the sound revolution had taken a strong hold on the industry and Mary was one of those lucky actresses who made the successful transition to "talkies" because of her voice and strong screen presence. Mary's career took off to greater heights. Films such as RED DUST (1932), CONVENTION CITY (1933), MAN OF IRON (1934), and THE PRISONER OF ZENDA (1937), kept her star at the top. In 1938, Mary turned out five feature films which kept her busy and in the spotlight. Afterwards, she churned out films at a lesser rate. In 1941, she won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role of Sandra Kovac in THE GREAT LIE. That same year she appeared in the celebrated film THE MALTESE FALCON. Soon her star would begin to fall. Because of her three divorces, the death of her first husband, Kenneth Hawks who died in a plane crash, alcoholism, a suicide attempt, and a persistent heart condition, Mary got smaller roles in movies. In the whole of the 1950's she appeared in only five productions. Her final fling with the silver screen was as Jewell Mayhew in 1964's HUSH, HUSH SWEET CHARLOTTE. Even though this was her final film, she had appeared in a phenomenal 123 motion pictures. Mary lived out her remaining days confined to the Motion Picture Country Home where she died of a heart attack on September 25, 1987 at the age of 81. Thomas Gordon Wheelock (24 December 1945 - 1955) (divorced), Manuel del Campo (1936 - 1941) (divorced) 1 son, Dr. Franklin Thorpe (1931 - 1936) (divorced) 1 daughter, Kenneth Hawks (24 February 1928 - 2 January 1930) (his death).

Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964) , Youngblood Hawke (1964) , "Ben Casey"(1963) , Who Killed Cable Roberts? (1963) , "Dr. Kildare" (1963) , Operation: Lazarus (1962) , "The Defenders" (1963) , "Checkmate" (1962) , Return to Peyton Place (1961) , "Rawhide"(1961) ,Rose's Last Summer (1960) ,Journey to the Day (1960) , Diary of a Nurse (1959) , The Return of Ansel Gibbs (1958) , The Troublemakers (1957) , The Ninth Day (1957) , Revolt in Hadley (1960) , The Women of Hadley (1960) , The Littlest Enemy (1958) , The Thief (1955) , The Philadelphia Story (1959) , The Last Dance (1959) , "Frontier Justice" (1959) , The Impossible Dream (1959) , Mrs. Herman and Mrs. Fenimore (1958) , A Stranger in My Arms (1959) , This Happy Feeling (1958) , The Lonely Stage (1958) , Jack Sperling, Forty-six (1954) , The Devil's Hairpin (1957) , The High Jungle (1957) , Phone Call for Matthew Quade (1956) , Nightmare by Day (1956) , Wild Stallion (1955) , The Man Who Played God (1957) , The Star (1956) , "Zane Black Is for Grief (1957) , Sunset Boulevard (1956) , The Power and the Prize (1956) , A Kiss Before Dying (1956) , You and Me and the Gatepost (1956) , I Am Her Nurse (1956) , A Farewell Appearance (1956) , Dinner at Eight (1955) , The $1,000 Window (1955) , The Women (1955) , The Hickory Limb (1955) , Run, Girl, Run (1954) , The Philadelphia Story (1954) , "Danger" (1954) ,The Missing Years (1954) , Any Number Can Play (1949) , Little Women (1949) , Act of Violence (1948) , Cass Timberlane (1947) , Cynthia (1947) , Desert Fury (1947) , Fiesta (1947) , Claudia and David (1946) , Blonde Fever (1944) , Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) , Thousands Cheer (1943) , Young Ideas (1943) , The Palm Beach Story (1942) , Across the Pacific (1942) , In This Our Life (1942) , The Maltese Falcon (1941) , The Great Lie (1941) , Brigham Young (1940) , Turnabout (1940) , Midnight (1939) , Listen, Darling (1938) , No Time to Marry (1938) , The Hurricane (1937) , The Prisoner of Zenda (1937) , Lady from Nowhere (1936) , Dodsworth (1936) , Trapped by Television (1936) , And So They Were Married (1936) , The Murder of Dr. Harrigan (1936) , Man of Iron (1935) , Red Hot Tires (1935) , Page Miss Glory (1935) , Dinky (1935) , Straight from the Heart (1935) , I Am a Thief (1934) , The Case of the Howling Dog (1934) , The Man with Two Faces (1934) , Return of the Terror (1934) ,Upperworld (1934) , Easy to Love (1934) , Convention City (1933) , The World Changes (1933) , The Kennel Murder Case (1933) , Jennie Gerhardt (1933) , The Little Giant (1933) , Red Dust (1932) , A Successful Calamity (1932) , Those We Love (1932) , The Lost Squadron (1932) , Men of Chance (1931) , Smart Woman (1931) , White Shoulders (1931) , The Sin Ship (1931) , Behind Office Doors (1931) , Other Men's Women (1931) , The Royal Bed (1931) , The Lash (1930) , Holiday (1930) , Ladies Love Brutes (1930) , The Runaway Bride (1930) , The Woman from Hell (1929) , New Year's Eve (1929) , Romance of the Underworld (1928) , Dry Martini (1928) , Heart to Heart (1928) , Three-Ring Marriage (1928) , Dressed to Kill (1928) , Sailors' Wives (1928) , Go Place to Go (1927) , The Rough Riders (1927) , Rose of the Golden West (1927) , Two Arabian Knights (1927) , The Sunset Derby (1927) , The Sea Tiger (1927) , Forever After (1926) , Don Juan (1926) , The Wise Guy (1926) , High Steppers (1926) , Scarlet Saint (1925) , The Pace That Thrills (1925) , Don Q Son of Zorro (1925) , Playing with Souls (1925) , Enticement (1925) , Oh, Doctor! (1925) , Inez from Hollywood (1924) , The Price of a Party (1924) , Unguarded Women (1924) , The Fighting American (1924) , Beau Brummel (1924), The Fighting Coward (1924) , To the Ladies (1923) , Woman-Proof (1923) , The Marriage Maker (1923) , Puritan Passions (1923) , The Bright Shawl (1923) , Success (1923) , Second Fiddle (1923) , The Rapids (1922) (uncredited) , The Man Who Played God (1922) , Hope (1922) ,John Smith (1922) , The Young Painter (1922) , The Angelus (1922) , Wings of the Border (1921) , The Beggar Maid (1921) , My Lady o' the Pines (1921) , Sentimental Tommy (1921) ,Brother of the Bear (1921) , The Bashful Suitor (1921) , Bullets or Ballots (1921)