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Marion Davies and Constance Talmadge

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Order Number	00094335
Title	Marion Davies and Constance Talmadge
Collection ID	Herald Examiner Collection
Location/Accession	HE box 1030
Date	1932
Physical Description	1 photographic print :b&w ;23 x 13 cm. on board 25 x 14 cm.
Notes	Title supplied by cataloger.
Historical Data	Marion Davies (1897-1961), born Marion Cecilia Douras, was an American film actress who is best remembered for her relationship with newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst. Davies was signed on as a Ziegfeld girl in 1916 and later that year made her screen debut modeling gowns in a fashion newsreel. In 1917 she appeared in her first feature film, and starred in three more the following year playing light comedic roles. The first of her numerous films financed by Hearst was in 1918. During the next 10 years she appeared in 29 films - an average of three per year, and though she was considered an astute woman, Hearst's involvement in her film roles hampererd her career. He insisted she play dramatic parts, instead of the comedic roles that were her forte. Hearst and Davies lived as a couple for three and a half decades but were never able to marry since Hearst's wife refused to give him a divorce. Hearst died on August 14, 1951, and surprisingly, just 11 weeks and one day after his death, Davies married Horace Brown on October 31, 1951 in Las Vegas, though it was not a happy marriage. She filed for divorce twice, but never finalized either. In her later years, Davies became heavily involved with charity work, donating $1.9 million in 1952 to establish a children's clinic at UCLA and establishing the Marion Davies Foundation to help fight childhood diseases. In 1956 Davis suffered a minor stroke and was diagnosed with cancer of the jaw, which was successfully operated on. Davis' health continued to decline during that time, and on September 22, 1961 she succumbed to cancer. She left an estate estimated at more than $30 million. Curious side note: Patricia Lake (nee Van Cleeve) was always introduced as the niece of Marion Davies. After Patricia's death, her will revealed she was instead the child of Davies and her long-time love, Hearst.
Description	Photograph caption dated April 30, 1932 reads, "The blond beauty of Marion Davies, at left, was complemented by a white Lucien Lelong chalk crepe gown trimmed with silver fox. Her jewels were rubies and diamonds. At right is Constance Talmadge, gowned in white and silver fox jacket."
Subject	Talmadge, Constance,--1898-1973. Davies, Marion,--1897-1961. Motion picture actors and actresses--United States. Motion picture producers and directors--United States. Fur coats. Group portraits Portrait photographs Los Angeles Evening Herald and Express photographs. Herald-Examiner Collection photographs.
Coverage	1931; 1932; 1933; 1934; 1935; 1936; 1937; 1938; 1939; 1940
Format	Photographic prints
Reproduction Information	Images available for reproduction and use. Please see the Ordering & Use page at http://tessa.lapl.org/OrderingUse.html for additional information.
Sub-Collection Name	Los Angeles Herald Examiner Photo Collection