Greer Garson

Popular mythology has gently chided Greer Garson for supposedly giving the longest Academy Award acceptance speech in the history of the Oscars; actually, her speech was somewhat more in the ballpark of six minutes. It was, however, given at the end of a long evening, and Garson herself has recalled that she not only felt she had many people to thank, but also that she sincerely thought the moment an appropriate one to raise some issues about the award and the potential of the Academy itself.

Biography

A strikingly attractive, red-haired former stage actress of Anglo-Irish descent, Greer Garson appeared in films from 1939, mostly with MGM. Her relatively brief but affecting debut performance as Mrs. Chipping in the touching "Goodbye Mr. Chips" (1939) won her the first of seven Oscar nominations as Best Actress and made her an immediate star. After a lovely turn as the intelligent, playful Elizabeth in the comic "Pride and Prejudice" (1940), Garson inherited from Norma Shearer the mantle of Metro's resident prestige actress, suffering with genteel dignity through a series of A-budget soap operas.

Garson regularly appeared on boxoffice polls of the top ten stars during the WWII years; indeed, Betty Grable was the only female star who surpassed Garson in popularity during this time. Garson formed an attractive romantic partnership with the stalwart and gentlemanly Walter Pidgeon, with whom she co-starred eight times. Their finest pairings came with "Madame Curie" (1943) and "That Forsyte Woman" (1949), though popular memory regularly casts them as Mr. and "Mrs. Miniver" (1942), a then-acclaimed but rather overrated tribute to the stiff-upper-lip spirit of the British in WWII, for which she earned an Oscar. Garson also played quite well opposite popular matinee idols Ronald Colman in the delicate, sentimental romance, "Random Harvest" (1942) and Gregory Peck in the lavish family saga, "The Valley of Decision" (1945).

Garson's popularity began to ebb during the late 40s, the regal and dignified stoicism she embodied for the war years seeming less suitable in the face of postwar angst and malaise. Some of the attempts to vary Garson's image and type of roles, such as in the zany farce "Julia Misbehaves" (1948), were not particularly successful, but she continued on into the middle of the following decade with such smaller-scale vehicles as "Scandal at Scourie" (1953) and "Strange Lady in Town" (1954). She later made a comeback with her acclaimed performance as Eleanor Roosevelt opposite Ralph Bellamy in "Sunrise at Campobello" (1960) and also did periodic stage work. Her last feature acting role was in 1967's "The Happiest Millionaire" and her final film appearance was in the documentary "Directed by William Wyler" (1986). Garson, who had worked sporadically in TV since the 1950s, made one of her last acting appearances as Aunt March in the miniseries "Little Women" (NBC, 1978). After dabbling briefly in theater producing (notably the New York production of "On Golden Pond"), she retired in 1980 after suffering a heart attack. Eight years later, she underwent bypass surgery. Garson succumbed to heart failure at age 92 on April 6, 1996.

The actress was married three times. Her second husband (1943-47) was actor Richard Ney, who had played her son in "Mrs. Miniver."

Filmography

Life Events

1932

Stage debut with Birmingham Repertory Theatre in "Street Scene"

1934

London stage debut Regent's Park Open Theatre

1935

First teaming with Laurence Olivier in stage production, "Golden Arrow"

1938

Signed contract with MGM

1939

Film debut, "Goodbye Mr. Chips"; earned first Oscar nomination

1940

Starred with Olivier in "Pride and Prejudice"

1941

First co-starring appearance opposite Walter Pidgeon, "Blossoms in the Dust"

1942

Starred as "Mrs. Miniver"; won Oscar as Best Actress

1942

First made the annual exhibitors poll of top ten boxoffice stars; placed 9th

1946

Last of five successive appearances on boxoffice poll; placed 7th

1953

Last co-starring vehicle opposite Walter Pidgeon, "Scandal at Scourie"

1954

Last starring film under MGM contract, "Strange Lady in Town"

1958

Made Broadway debut in title role of "Auntie Mame" (replacing Rosalind Russell)

1960

Returned to films after a six-year absence, as Eleanor Roosevelt in "Sunrise at Campobello"

1966

Acted in "The Singing Nun" after another six-year absence from the screen

1967

Final feature film acting role in "The Happiest Millionaire"

1978

Began producing stage plays with Arthur Cantor

1978

Final TV acting role, Aunt March in NBC miniseries "Little Women"

1979

Last theatrical production (as co-producer) "On Golden Pond"

1980

Suffered heart attack

1988

Underwent quadruple-bypass surgery

Photo Collections

Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939) - Movie Posters

Here are a few original release American movie posters for Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939), starring Robert Donat and Greer Garson.

Mrs. Parkington - Greer Garson Publicity Stills

Pride and Prejudice - Publicity Stills

Here are a few photos taken to help publicize MGM's Pride and Prejudice (1940), starring Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier. Publicity stills were specially-posed photos, usually taken off the set, for purposes of publicity or reference for promotional artwork.

Pride and Prejudice - Scene Stills

Here are several scene stills from MGM's Pride and Prejudice (1940), starring Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier.

Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939) - Scene Stills

Here are a few scene stills from the 1939 version of Goodbye, Mr. Chips, starring Robert Donat and Greer Garson.

Sunrise at Campobello - Scene Stills

Here are a few scene stills from Warner Bros' Sunrise at Campobello (1960), starring Ralph Bellamy and Greer Garson as Franklin Delano and Eleanor Roosevelt.

That Forsyte Woman - Scene Stills

Here are several scene stills from MGM's That Forsyte Woman (1949), starring Greer Garson, Errol Flynn, and Robert Young.

The Miniver Story - Behind-the-Scenes Photos

Here are several photos taken behind-the-scenes during production of MGM's The Miniver Story (1950), starring Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon.

Madame Curie - Scene Still

Here is a scene still from MGM's biopic Madame Curie (1944), starring Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon.

Mrs. Miniver - Kapralik Trade Ad

Here is a trade ad for MGM's Mrs. Miniver (1942), starring Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon. The art is by mixed-media caricaturist Jaques Kapralik. Trade Ads were placed by studios in industry magazines like Variety and The Hollywood Reporter.

Random Harvest - Publicity Still Series

Here is a series of publicity stills taken for MGM's Random Harvest (1942), starring Ronald Colman and Greer Garson. Publicity stills were specially-posed photos, usually taken off the set, for purposes of publicity or reference for promotional artwork.

When Ladies Meet - Kapralik Trade Ad

Here is a trade ad for MGM's When Ladies Meet (1941), starring Joan Crawford, Robert Taylor and Greer Garson. The art is by mixed-media caricaturist Jaques Kapralik. Trade Ads were placed by studios in industry magazines like Variety and The Hollywood Reporter.

Blossoms in the Dust - Color Greer Garson Publicity Still

Here is a rare color still of Greer Garson, taken to publicize the MGM film Blossoms in the Dust (1941).

Mrs. Miniver - Movie Posters

Here are a few original release American movie posters from Mrs. Miniver (1942), starring Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon.

Pride and Prejudice - Movie Poster

Here is an American re-issue one-sheet movie poster for MGM's Pride and Prejudice (1940), starring Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier. One-sheets measured 27x41 inches, and were the poster style most commonly used in theaters.

Random Harvest - Behind-the-Scenes Photos

Here are several behind-the-scenes photos taken during production of MGM's Random Harvest (1942), starring Ronald Colman and Greer Garson, and directed by Mervyn LeRoy.

Random Harvest - Movie Poster

Here is the American one-sheet movie poster for MGM's Random Harvest (1942). One-sheets measured 27x41 inches, and were the poster style most commonly used in theaters.

Greer Garson - Publicity Stills

Here are a few publicity photos of Greer Garson.