Miriam Hopkins

Ellen Miriam Hopkins (October 18, 1902 – October 9, 1972) was an American actress known for her versatility. She signed with Paramount Pictures in 1930.

She portrayed a pickpocket in Ernst Lubitsch's romantic comedy Trouble in Paradise, a bar singer named Ivy in Rouben Mamoulian's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and the titular character in the controversial drama The Story of Temple Drake. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress for the 1935 film Becky Sharp, becoming the first performer nominated for a color picture. She was nominated for a Golden Globe for The Heiress. She co-starred with Joel McCrea in five films.

Her long-running feud with actress Bette Davis was publicized for effect. Hopkins later became an important figure in television drama. She developed a reputation for hosting elegant parties, which were typically attended by intellectuals and artists she had befriended.