Marie Prevost
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Marie Prevost (born Marie Bickford Dunn; November 8, 1896 - January 21, 1937) was a Canadian-born film actress. During her twenty-year career, she made 121 silent and talking pictures.
Prevost began her career during the silent film era. She was discovered by Mack Sennett who signed her to contract and made her one of his "Bathing Beauties" in the late 1910s. Prevost appeared in dozens of Sennett's short comedy films before moving on to feature length films for Universal. In 1922, she signed with Warner Bros. where her career flourished as a leading lady. She was a favorite of director Ernst Lubitsch who cast her in three of his comedy films; The Marriage Circle (1924), Three Women (1924) and Kiss Me Again (1925).
After being let go by Warner Bros in early 1926, Prevost's career began to decline and she was relegated to secondary roles. She was also beset with personal problems, including the death of her mother in 1926 and the breakdown of her marriage to actor Kenneth Harlan in 1927, which fueled her depression. She began to abuse alcohol and binge eat, resulting in a weight gain that made it difficult for her to secure acting jobs. By 1935, Prevost was only able to secure bit parts in films. She made her last onscreen appearance in 1936.
After years of drinking, Prevost died of acute alcoholism at the age of 38 in January 1937. Prevost's estate was valued at $300 since she had squandered most of her earnings. Her death prompted the Hollywood community to create the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital.
Acting
Movie
The Racket
as Helen Hayes
1928
Movie
The Marriage Circle
as Mizzi Stock
1924
Movie
Ladies of Leisure
as Dot Lamarr
1930
Movie
The Sin of Madelon Claudet
as Rosalie
1931
Movie
Hands Across the Table
as Nona
1935
Movie
Paid
as Agnes Lynch
1930
Movie
Three Wise Girls
as Dot
1932
Movie
The Godless Girl
as Mame
1928
Movie
Party Girl
as Diana Hoster
1930
Movie
Hell Divers
as Lulu
1932
Movie
Sporting Blood
as Angela 'Angie' Ludeking
1931
Movie
Parole Girl
as Jeanie
1933
Movie
Death Scenes
as Self (archive footage)
1989
Movie
Yankee Doodle in Berlin
as A Daughter of Belgium
1919
Movie
War Nurse
as Rosalie
1930
Movie
A Blonde for a Night
as Marie
1928
Movie
Down on the Farm
as The Faithful Wife
1920
Movie
13 Hours by Air
as Waitress in Omaha
1936
Movie
Gentleman's Fate
as Mabel
1931
Movie
Slightly Married
as Nellie Gordon
1932
Movie
Only Yesterday
as Amy (Uncredited)
1933
Movie
The Flying Fool
as Pat Riley
1929
Movie
The Hollywood Kid
as Self
1924
Movie
Hollywood on Parade No. A-8
1933