Gloria Stuart American actress Date of Birth: 04.07.1910 Country: USA

1. Biography of Gloria Stuart
2. Early Life and Career
3. Later Career and Legacy

Biography of Gloria Stuart

Gloria Frances Stuart, born in Santa Monica, California in 1910, was an American actress who had a career that spanned over 70 years. She worked in theater, film, and television, and is best known for her roles as Flora Crane in "The Invisible Man" (1933) and the aged Rose in the disaster film "Titanic" (1997). For her role in "Titanic," Stuart became the oldest actress to be nominated for a Golden Globe and an Academy Award.

Early Life and Career

Gloria Stuart was born into a family with British roots and a Scottish royal surname. However, she changed the spelling of her last name from Stewart to Stuart when she began her acting career, believing it looked better on movie posters.

After college, Stuart worked in the Pasadena Playhouse theater and signed a contract with Universal Studios in 1932. She was named one of the thirteen WAMPAS Baby Stars, catching the attention of director James Whale. Stuart appeared in Whale's films, such as "The Old Dark House" (1932), "The Invisible Man" (1933), and "Kiss Before the Mirror" (1933). However, her career at Universal Studios progressed slowly, so she moved to 20th Century Fox.

By the late 1930s, Stuart had appeared in over forty films, including "Roman Scandals" (1933) and "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm" (1938). In 1934, she married screenwriter Arthur Sheekman, and they had a daughter named Sylvia in 1935. During World War II, Stuart's film appearances were minimal, and she took a job at the "Décor Ltd." store selling furniture. In 1946, she announced her retirement from acting, but she made a comeback in the 1970s.

Later Career and Legacy

In 1975, Stuart returned to acting with the television film "The Legend of Lizzie Borden," and she continued to appear in various TV projects throughout the next few years. Her return to the big screen came in 1982 with the film "My Favorite Year," starring alongside Peter O'Toole.

Stuart achieved immense popularity at the age of 87 when she portrayed the 101-year-old Rose DeWitt Bukater in James Cameron's "Titanic." She received Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for her performance and won awards from the Screen Actors Guild and the Saturn Awards. In the same year, she was listed as one of the "50 Most Beautiful People in the World" by People magazine.

Stuart published her autobiography, "I Just Keep Hoping," in 1999. In 2000, she was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She made occasional appearances on screen, such as in the TV adaptation of "Murder, She Wrote" and the drama film "Million Dollar Hotel." Her final film appearance was in Wim Wenders' "Land of Plenty" in 2004.

Gloria Stuart passed away on September 26, 2010, in her home in Brentwood, California, due to respiratory failure. She was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2005 but continued to live her life without dwelling on the illness. She received a special accolade from the Screen Actors Guild in 2010 for her "unwavering commitment to the craft of acting."

Throughout her life, Stuart had various interests and accomplishments outside of acting. She was a talented painter and exhibited her works in prestigious galleries in Europe and the United States. She also published limited edition books using a manual printing press and handmade paper, fonts, and illustrations. Additionally, Stuart was known for her friendship with Olivia de Havilland, who portrayed Melanie Wilkes in the film epic "Gone with the Wind."

Gloria Stuart left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry, and her performances continue to be celebrated and remembered.