Mary Duncan

Mary Duncan (August 13, 1894 – May 9, 1993) was an American stage and silent film actress. She is best known for her performances in F.W. Murnau's City Girl (1930) and Morning Glory (1933).

For other people named Mary Duncan, see Mary Duncan (disambiguation).
Mary Duncan
Duncan, c. 1930
Born
Mary Annie Dungan

(1894-08-13)August 13, 1894
Luttrellville, Virginia U.S.
DiedMay 9, 1993(1993-05-09) (aged 98)
Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.
Resting placeGreen Hill Cemetery, Amsterdam, New York, U.S.
Alma materCornell University[1]
Years active1927-1933
Spouse(s)Stephen "Laddie" Sanford (1933-1977; his death)

Early years

Duncan was born in Northumberland County, Virginia, the sixth of eight children born to Capt. William S. Duncan and his wife,[2] Ada Thaddeus Douglass. She attended Cornell University for two years (or one year)[2] before settling on acting as a career.[3] When she left Cornell, she studied acting under Yvette Guilbert.[2]

Career

Duncan began her career as a child actress playing on the Broadway stage from 1910. Her Broadway credits include Human Nature (1925), All Wet (1925), New Toys (1924), The Egotist (1922), Face Value (1921), and Welcome to Our City (1919).[4] In 1926 she played "Poppy" in the smash hit and controversial play The Shanghai Gesture,[3] in which Florence Reed played her mother (known as "Mother Goddam"). Reed's character kills her daughter in a startling end to the play. This play was turned into a very sanitized film in 1941 with Gene Tierney.

Duncan also starred in the 1930 film City Girl by director F.W. Murnau. After that, her career hit a lull. An article by Florabel Muir in the New York Daily News in 1931 began: "Mary Duncan was in Hollywood nearly all of last year looking for work with little or no luck. She even altered her appearance by having things done to her nose, but still the producers wouldn't give her a tumble."[5]

Duncan's last film appearance was in the 1933 film Morning Glory, which starred Katharine Hepburn (one of Hepburn's earliest films, for which she received the first of her four Academy Awards for Best Actress).

Personal life

On September 1, 1933, Duncan married Stephen "Laddie" Sanford,[6] who was an international polo player as well as director of the Bigelow-Sanford Carpet Company, after which she retired from films. They remained married until his death in 1977. She spent much of her remaining years working with several major charities, and earned a reputation as a socialite in Palm Beach, Florida.[7] She kept herself active by playing golf twice a week and swimming every morning before breakfast, which helped her maintain her size 8 figure. As an actress, she had followed the ministrations of Sylvia of Hollywood to keep her shape.

Death

Mary Duncan died in her sleep aged 98.[7] She was survived by a niece and great-niece. Duncan was the last known person to have in her possession a copy of the lost Murnau film 4 Devils; Martin Koerber, curator of Deutsche Kinemathek, has speculated that her heirs may still have the valuable print somewhere.[8]

Her grave

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1927Very ConfidentialPriscilla Travers
1928Soft LivingLorna Estabrook
19284 DevilsThe Lady
1929The RiverRosalee
1929Thru Different EyesViola
1929Romance of the Rio GrandeCarlotta
1930City GirlKate
1930KismetZeleekha
1930The Boudoir DiplomatMona
1931Men Call It LoveHelen Robinson
1931Five and TenMuriel Preston
1931The Age for LoveNina Donnet
1932State's AttorneyNora Dean
1932Thirteen WomenJune Raskob
1932The Phantom of CrestwoodDorothy Mears
1933Morning GloryRita Vernon(final film role)
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References
  1. "Movie Star Chosen for Round-Up Queen". Heppner Gazette-Times. Pendleton, Oregon. August 21, 1928. p. 6.
  2. Brundidge, Harry T. (December 7, 1929). "Mary Duncan, Green-Eyed Vampire of Films, Hollywood Mystery Woman". The St. Louis Star and Times. Missouri, St. Louis. p. 3. Retrieved August 19, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Mary Duncan Will Remain". The Los Angeles Times. California, Los Angeles. June 26, 1927. p. 53. Retrieved August 18, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Mary Duncan". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on 19 August 2018. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  5. Muir, Florabel (June 17, 1931). "Mary Duncan's Wanted After Loafing a Year". Daily News. New York, New York City. p. 36. Retrieved August 19, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Actress Weds Sportsman". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Missouri, St. Louis. Associated Press. September 2, 1933. p. 9. Retrieved August 19, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Mary Duncan; Movie Actress and Socialite". The Los Angeles Times. May 17, 1993. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
  8. "Lost Films: 4 Devils". Deutsche Kinemathek. Retrieved March 12, 2013.


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