Marjorie Weaver (March 2, 1913 – October 1, 1994) was an American film actress of the 1930s through the early 1950s.

Early life, entrance into acting

Weaver was born in

Crossville, Tennessee Crossville is a city in and the county seat of Cumberland County, Tennessee, United States. It is part of the Crossville, TN Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 12,071 at the 2020 census. History Crossville developed at the inters ...

to John Thomas Weaver and his wife, Ellen (née Martin). Her father was a general freight agent for a railroad in Louisville, Kentucky. She attended the

University of Kentucky The University of Kentucky (UK, UKY, or U of K) is a public land-grant research university in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 1865 by John Bryan Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky, the university is one of the state ...

, and later the

Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. Campuses Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI. *Indiana Universi ...

,Katz, Ephraim (1979). ''The Film Encyclopedia: The Most Comprehensive Encyclopedia of World Cinema in a Single Volume''. Perigee Books. . P. 1215. with interests in music and won beauty contests at both schools. Weaver began her acting career as a stage actress in the early 1930s, and also worked as a model during that period, as well as a singer. She received her first film role, uncredited, in 1934. From 1936 through 1945 she received steady acting roles. She began receiving credited roles in larger productions, and starred opposite Ricardo Cortez in the 1937 film '' The Californian'', and that same year she starred opposite

Tyrone Power Tyrone Edmund Power III (May 5, 1914 – November 15, 1958) was an American actor. From the 1930s to the 1950s, Power appeared in dozens of films, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads. His better-known films include ''Jesse James'', ' ...

in '' Second Honeymoon''.

Peak years

From 1938 through 1945 she had twenty seven starring roles in films, some of which were B movies. The most notable film role was playing

Mary Todd Lincoln Mary Ann Todd Lincoln (December 13, 1818July 16, 1882) served as First Lady of the United States from 1861 until the assassination of her husband, President Abraham Lincoln in 1865. Mary Lincoln was a member of a large and wealthy, slave-owning ...

in ''

Young Mr. Lincoln ''Young Mr. Lincoln'' is a 1939 American biographical drama western film about the early life of President Abraham Lincoln, directed by John Ford and starring Henry Fonda. Ford and producer Darryl F. Zanuck fought for control of the film, to ...

'' (1939), which also starred

Henry Fonda Henry Jaynes Fonda (May 16, 1905 – August 12, 1982) was an American actor. He had a career that spanned five decades on Broadway and in Hollywood. He cultivated an everyman screen image in several films considered to be classics. Born and ra ...

and

Alice Brady Alice Brady (born Mary Rose Brady; November 2, 1892 – October 28, 1939) was an American actress who began her career in the silent film era and survived the transition into talkies. She worked until six months before her death from cancer in ...

. Some of her more recognizable roles from that seven-year period included a role in the '' Michael Shayne'' mystery series opposite

Lloyd Nolan Lloyd Benedict Nolan (August 11, 1902 – September 27, 1985) was an American film and television actor. Among his many roles, Nolan is remembered for originating the role of private investigator Michael Shayne in a series of 1940s B movies. B ...

, and her role in '' Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise''. In 1945, she starred opposite Robert Lowery in ''Fashion Model'', which was her last role of any consequence. She had four minor roles in 1952, after which she retired from acting.

Later life

On October 22, 1937, in

Goshen, Indiana Goshen ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Elkhart County, Indiana, United States. It is the smaller of the two principal cities of the Elkhart-Goshen Metropolitan Statistical Area, which in turn is part of the South Bend-Elkhart-Mishawaka ...

, she married naval officer Kenneth George Schacht. She divorced him in 1941, after having seen each other only 16 days over their four-year marriage. Schacht had been captured by the Japanese, and the Navy had notified her that he was dead.

Partial filmography

* ''

China Clipper ''China Clipper'' (NC14716) was the first of three Martin M-130 four-engine flying boats built for Pan American Airways and was used to inaugurate the first commercial transpacific airmail service from San Francisco to Manila on November 22, 193 ...

'' (1936) – Secretary * '' Here Comes Carter'' (1936) – Bronson's Secretary (uncredited) * ''

Polo Joe ''Polo Joe'' is a 1936 American comedy film directed by William C. McGann and starring Joe E. Brown, Carol Hughes and Richard 'Skeets' Gallagher.Gehring p.125 The screenplay concerns a man who, despite his fear of horses, takes up polo to impr ...

'' (1936) – Girl at Polo Field (uncredited) * ''

Gold Diggers of 1937 ''Gold Diggers of 1937'' is a Warner Bros. movie musical directed by Lloyd Bacon with musical numbers created and directed by Busby Berkeley. The film stars Dick Powell and Joan Blondell, who were married at the time, with Glenda Farrell and Vic ...

'' (1936) – Chorus Girl (uncredited) * ''

King of Burlesque ''King of Burlesque'' is a 1936 musical film about a former burlesque producer played by Warner Baxter who moves into a legitimate theatre and does very well, until he marries a socialite. Sammy Lee received an Academy Award nomination for the n ...

'' (1936) * '' On the Avenue'' (1937) – Chorus Girl (uncredited) * ''

Melody for Two ''Melody for Two'' is a 1937 American musical film directed by Louis King and starring James Melton, Patricia Ellis and Marie Wilson. The film is notable for introducing the song "September in the Rain", which subsequently became a pop standard ...

'' (1937) – Switchboard Operator (uncredited) * ''

This Is My Affair ''This Is My Affair'' is a 1937 American crime film directed by William A. Seiter and starring Robert Taylor, Barbara Stanwyck, Victor McLaglen and Brian Donlevy. It was released by 20th Century Fox. Plot In 1901, US President William McKinl ...

'' (1937) – Miss Blackburn * '' The Jones Family in Big Business'' (1937) – Vicky * '' The Californian'' (1937) – Rosalia Miller * '' Hot Water'' (1937) – Vicki Enfield * ''

Life Begins in College ''Life Begins in College'' is a 1937 American comedy film directed by William A. Seiter. It marked the Ritz Brothers' first starring role in a feature film. Plot The action takes place at Lombardy College, founded "to give the Indian nations of ...

'' (1937) – Miss Murphy * ''

Ali Baba Goes to Town ''Ali Baba Goes to Town'' is a 1937 musical film directed by David Butler and starring Eddie Cantor, Tony Martin, and Roland Young. Cantor plays a hobo named Aloysius "Al" Babson, who walks into the camp of a movie company that is making the ...

'' (1937) – Harem Girl (uncredited) * '' Second Honeymoon'' (1937) – Joy * '' Sally, Irene and Mary'' (1938) – Mary Stevens * ''

Kentucky Moonshine ''Kentucky Moonshine'' is a 1938 American comedy musical film directed by David Butler and released by 20th Century Fox. Plot Radio star Jerry Wade's program ratings are falling and he suggests to his sponsors a show that is different and he ...

'' (1938) – Caroline * ''

Three Blind Mice "Three Blind Mice" is an English-language nursery rhyme and musical round.I. Opie and P. Opie, ''The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes'' (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1951, 2nd edn., 1997), p. 306. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number o ...

'' (1938) – Moira Charters * '' I'll Give a Million'' (1938) – Jean Hofmann * '' Hold That Co-ed'' (1938) – Marjorie * ''

'' (1939) – Mary Todd * '' Chicken Wagon Family'' (1939) – Cecile Fippany * '' The Honeymoon's Over'' (1939) – Betty Stewart Todd * '' The Cisco Kid and the Lady'' (1939) – Julie Lawson * ''

Shooting High ''Shooting High'' is a 1940 American Western film directed by Alfred E. Green and starring Jane Withers, Gene Autry, and Marjorie Weaver. Written by Lou Breslow and Owen Francis, the film is about a generations-old feud between two families. Th ...

'' (1940) – Marjorie Pritchard * '' Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise'' (1940) – Paula Drake * ''

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

'' (1940) – Georgie Tomlin * '' Murder Over New York'' (1940) – Patricia Shaw * ''

Michael Shayne, Private Detective ''Michael Shayne, Private Detective'' is a 1940 American mystery film directed by Eugene Forde and starring Lloyd Nolan, Marjorie Weaver and Joan Valerie.Backer p.106 It is based on Brett Halliday's novel ''The Private Practice of Michael Shay ...

'' (1940) – Phyllis Brighton * '' Murder Among Friends'' (1941) – Mary Lou Packard * '' For Beauty's Sake'' (1941) – Dime Pringle * ''

Man at Large ''Man at Large'' is a 1941 American mystery film directed by Eugene Forde and written by John Larkin. The film stars Marjorie Weaver, George Reeves, Richard Derr, Steven Geray, Milton Parsons and Spencer Charters. The film was released on Sep ...

'' (1941) – Dallas Davis * '' The Man Who Wouldn't Die'' (1942) – Catherine Wolff * ''

The Mad Martindales ''The Mad Martindales'' is a 1942 American comedy film directed by Alfred L. Werker and written by Francis Edward Faragoh. It is based on the 1939 play ''Not for Children'' by Wesley Towner. The film stars Jane Withers, Marjorie Weaver, Alan M ...

'' (1942) – Evelyn Martindale * ''

Just Off Broadway ''Just Off Broadway'' is a 1942 Drama directed by Herbert I. Leeds, starring Lloyd Nolan and Marjorie Weaver. This is the sixth of a series of seven that Lloyd Nolan played Michael Shayne for Twentieth Century Fox films. Hugh Beaumont portrayed ...

'' (1942) – Judy Taylor * ''

Let's Face It '' Let's Face It'' is the fifth studio album by American ska punk band The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. It was released on March 11, 1997 by Mercury Records and Big Rig Records. The album sold very well due to the success of its single " The Impres ...

'' (1943) – Jean Blanchard * '' You Can't Ration Love'' (1944) – Marian Douglas * ''

The Great Alaskan Mystery ''The Great Alaskan Mystery'' is a 1944 Universal film serial about government agents trying to stop Nazi spies from getting their hands on futuristic weapons. Plot James 'Jim' Hudson, an adventurer and accompanied by allies, goes after Nazi age ...

'' (1944, Serial) – Ruth Miller * ''

Pardon My Rhythm ''Pardon My Rhythm'' is a 1944 movie starring Gloria Jean, Patric Knowles, and Evelyn Ankers, featuring Mel Tormé and Bob Crosby, and directed by Felix E. Feist. Cast *Gloria Jean as Jinx Page *Patric Knowles as Tony Page *Evelyn Ankers as Ju ...

'' (1944) – Dixie Moore * '' Shadow of Suspicion'' (1944) – Claire Winter * '' Leave It to Blondie'' (1945) – Rita Rogers * ''Fashion Model'' (1945) – Peggy Rooney * ''

We're Not Married! ''We're Not Married!'' is a 1952 American anthology romantic comedy film directed by Edmund Goulding. It was released by 20th Century Fox. The screenplay was written by Nunnally Johnson, while the story was adapted by Dwight Taylor from Gin ...

'' (1952) – Ruthie (uncredited)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Weaver, Marjorie 1913 births 1994 deaths American film actresses American stage actresses University of Kentucky alumni Indiana University alumni People from Crossville, Tennessee Actresses from Tennessee 20th-century American actresses Actresses from Kentucky