Marie Prevost

Marie Prevost, born on November 8, 1896, was a talented Canadian film actress whose career spanned two decades, during which she appeared in a remarkable 121 silent and sound films. Her journey in the film industry began in the silent era, where she was discovered by the renowned Mack Sennett. He signed her to a contract, making her one of his celebrated 'Bathing Beauties' in the late 1910s, leading to numerous appearances in Sennett's short comedy films.

In 1922, Prevost transitioned to feature-length films with Universal before signing with Warner Bros., where she truly flourished as a leading lady. She became a favorite of the esteemed director Ernst Lubitsch, who cast her in three of his notable comedy films: The Marriage Circle, Three Women, and Kiss Me Again, all released in the mid-1920s.

However, after being released from Warner Bros. in early 1926, Prevost's career began to decline. She faced personal tragedies, including the death of her mother and the dissolution of her marriage to actor Kenneth Harlan, which contributed to her struggles with depression. This led to a battle with alcohol abuse and binge eating, resulting in significant weight gain that hindered her ability to secure acting roles.

By 1935, Prevost found herself relegated to bit parts in films, with her last onscreen appearance occurring in 1936. Tragically, her life was cut short when she succumbed to acute alcoholism in January 1937 at the age of forty. At the time of her passing, her estate was valued at three hundred dollars, and her death prompted the Hollywood community to establish the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital.