Jean Arthur

Jean Arthur was born Gladys Georgianna Greene on October 17, 1900 in Plattsbourgh, New York.

She was known for a feminine yet husky voice, perfect comedy timing, and an independent spirit which made her a standout for 1930s - 40s Hollywood. After a silent-era start, she became a Columbia Pictures star and a Frank Capra favorite, excellent in Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936), You Can’t Take It with You (1938), and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939).

Equally deft opposite Gary Cooper, James Stewart, and Cary Grant, she earned an Oscar nomination for The More the Merrier (1943) and showed dramatic chops in Billy Wilder’s A Foreign Affair (1948), before giving a late turn in Shane (1953) and then mostly stepped away from her film career with some stage and television later.

Died June 19, 1991 at Carmel-by-the-Sea, California.

Her first film was Cameo Kirby in 1923, which was directed by John Ford.

Her name stage name of "Jean Arthur" was her combination of the names of King Arthur and Joan of Arc.

"Jean Arthur became a movie star twice. It didn't make her happy either time. She first reached the top during the silent era, mostly in low-budget westerns, but nevertheless a genuine leading lady. After leaving Hollywood "for good" in 1931, she returned and became a star a second time.

...It was a weird fate that moved the shy and insecure Jean Arthur into the most demanding of publicity arenas: movie stardom. It seems inexplicable, but although Arthur was shy and insecure, she was also ambitious and driven. She was able to resolve her schizoid dilemma - the need for privacy versus the desire to act - when she located a place of safety that allowed her to deal with both: the performance privacy of a movie set. By her own admission, she was happy while filming. "I hardly know how to explain myself," she said, "but when I am on the set, I am entirely a different person. I'm not afraid of anybody or anything."

...Fan magazines and press clippings validate how Columbia Pictures... promoted her from 1934 onward as someone quite possibly off her rocker but adorable and worthy of fan support."

The Star Machine, by Jeanine Basinger. Pages 297-299, published by Alfred Knopf, 2007

AMAZON: The Star Machine by Jeanine Basinger

More Jean Arthur:

1935 - The Whole Town's Talking

1941 - The Devil and Miss Jones

1943 – The More The Merrier

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