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Pauline FrederickAmerican actress.
Date of Birth: 12.08.1883
Country:  USA |
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Biography of Pauline Frederick
Early Life and BackgroundPauline Frederick, an American actress, was born as Pauline Beatrice Libby on August 12, 1883, in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. She died on September 19, 1938, in Beverly Hills, California, USA. In describing her heritage, the actress once said, "I have four nationalities that determine my temperament - the first being my good old United States; the second, my mother's ancestors who were Scottish; and the third and fourth, my father's, who were French and English. I realized that such a combination would naturally make me a 'cover girl,' and therefore, an actress."
Early Career
As a young girl, Frederick was already captivated by show business, and her focus was always on the theatrical side. In an interview with "Motion Picture" magazine, she shared her memories, "One of my friends, who enjoyed spending time at the theater whenever we could afford to buy tickets, said, 'Polly, I bet you could be brought out on a real stage yourself.' All I had to do was accept the challenge. I studied singing and managed to convince a vaudeville house manager in Boston to listen to a few of my songs." The manager agreed, saying, "I'll take you for a week and pay you $50." These were Frederick's first earnings, and they meant the world to her. "My friends that evening were waiting to see 'Polly meet the challenge,' and I had to be brave for them, even though I still remember how nervous I felt when I stepped onto the stage, seeing hundreds of eyes looking at me. It seemed like every eye was saying, 'She's never done this before,' and in my friend, I saw the answer, 'No, she's never done this before.' Well, I managed to make it through the three songs, and afterwards, it became clear - it wasn't so bad. That first week gave me the courage to continue my journey and, of course, mark New York City as a part of it."
Transition to Film
In 1908, Frederick was involved in a serious car accident, which raised concerns about her ability to have children. As a well-known stage star, she crossed the threshold of 30 before transitioning to film. She excelled in playing authoritative and powerful women. Her stunning beauty remained with her, not fading with age, allowing her to portray some of her most memorable roles - a self-sacrificing mother and a forty-year-old woman involved in a romance with a younger man. Frederick successfully transitioned to "talkies" in 1929 and in 1931, played Joan Crawford's mother in the drama "This Modern Age." In the film, Frederick portrayed an angry woman, the head of a matriarchal society. She was never afraid to take on roles that would generate conflicting opinions or debates. In honor of Frederick, she has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7000 Hollywood Boulevard.
