There's was one of the more unusual, but public romantic affairs in Hollywood history. Actress Marion Davies' relationship with newspaper magnet William Randolph Hearst as his live-in mistress had her acting career handled under his guidance (some say misguided). Davies, who found herself in the top tier of film actresses for years, saw her marketability come to a screeching halt in what would be her last film, the romantic comedy July 1937 "Ever Since Eve." Davis failed to receive any major offers after all the film studios decided she wasn't lead material.
The news was a big blow for Davies, who had stepped on to the stage, first as a chorus girl in 1914, then transitioned to the screen in 1916. Her popularity soared in the mid-1920s, reaching as film's number one box office star. As a much sought-after actress for twenty years, she appeared in both dramatic and comedy films.
In 1918, Davies, 18, began her affair with Hearst, 51, when she signed on to his independent production film company, Cosmopolitan Pictures, which was established for the sole purpose of handling her movies. Hearst previously had been married to former chorus girl, Millicent Willson in 1903. But after five children he was looking to divorce her when his romance with Davies took root.
Throughout the rest of her life Millicent refused to grant him one. Cosmopolitan thrived under Davies' long string of successful hits. But her marquee appeal began to wane when MGM selected producer Irving Thalberg's wife Norma Shearer to play in a couple period-piece films, 1934's "The Barretts of Wimpole Street" and 1938's "Marie Antoinette," two movies Davies was salivating over. Hearst's studio moved on to Warner Brothers where Davies made three films, including 1936's "Cain and Mabel" opposite Clark Gable, before her final one, "Ever Since Eve."
In her last screen appearance, Davies plays an attractive secretary who's constantly warding off advances from a number of her wolfish male supervisors. Fed up with such treatment, Marge Winton (Davies) decides to get a makeover, hiding her beauty by dressing in frumpy clothes and dark-rimmed glasses when she gets a job with a book publisher. She's assigned to work with lazy writer Freddie Matthews (Robert Montgomery), leading to all sorts of hilarious complications.
"Davies does a nice job and exhibits a winning personality, and she's also very convincing creating a completely separate alternate personality," writes film reviewer Laura Grieve.
Even though Davies, now 40, drew rave reviews from "Ever Since Eve," Hearst was unable to secure another lead role for her. She was offered secondary roles, but Hearst insisted she only accept major parts. Marion told friend Lita Grey, Charlie Chaplin's second wife, the reason she stayed with Hearst was because "he gives me the feeling I'm worth something to him. He's kind and he's good to me, and I'd never walk out on him." Both messed around with others, but Davies' loyalty to him remained steadfast right to his dying days in 1951 when he passed away at 88.
If there were any possibilities of rejuvenating her career, Davies saw them dashed when Orson Welles released his 1941 movie "Citizen Kane," an obvious parody on the life of William Hearst. In the film, Charles Kane supports his mistress-turned-wife, amateur singer Susan Alexander, to be an opera singer. The New York Times in 1961 discussed Davies' connection with "Citizen Kane," writing the myth developed from the movie showing her "not a great actress and the films she made were not among the more impressive or profitable releases," contrary to reality. Welles even wrote in the preface to Davies' autobiography published posthumously after her death in 1975 that his Susan was completely opposite of Marion. In Welles' film, she was a virtual reclusive prisoner in Kane's mansion while Davies was highly visible and an energetic hostess to many of Hearst's numerous parties where "the Beautiful People of the day fought for invitations," Welles noted. "She was the precious treasure of his (Hearst's) heart for more than 30 years, until his last breath of life. Theirs is truly a love story. Love is not the subject of Citizen Kane." Welles later attributed his inspiration for the Susan character to wealthy businessman Harold McCormick's second wife, Ganna Walska, whom he promoted lavishly to be an opera singer.
Davies, a heavy drinker once her film career ended, was a savvy investor after Hearst left her a fortune, buying several Palm Springs and New York City properties. She married a sea captain just three months after Hearst's death, but the marriage wasn't a happy one. The former starlet died of cancer on September 22, 1961, at 64.
Today, the life of Marion Davies still intrigues the public. Actresses such as Melanie Griffith, Kirsten Dunst and Chloe Fineman have portrayed Davies in movies. And Amanda Seyfried was nominated for the Academy Award Best Supporting Actress for her role as Marion in 2020's "Mank."
The news was a big blow for Davies, who had stepped on to the stage, first as a chorus girl in 1914, then transitioned to the screen in 1916. Her popularity soared in the mid-1920s, reaching as film's number one box office star. As a much sought-after actress for twenty years, she appeared in both dramatic and comedy films.
In 1918, Davies, 18, began her affair with Hearst, 51, when she signed on to his independent production film company, Cosmopolitan Pictures, which was established for the sole purpose of handling her movies. Hearst previously had been married to former chorus girl, Millicent Willson in 1903. But after five children he was looking to divorce her when his romance with Davies took root.
Throughout the rest of her life Millicent refused to grant him one. Cosmopolitan thrived under Davies' long string of successful hits. But her marquee appeal began to wane when MGM selected producer Irving Thalberg's wife Norma Shearer to play in a couple period-piece films, 1934's "The Barretts of Wimpole Street" and 1938's "Marie Antoinette," two movies Davies was salivating over. Hearst's studio moved on to Warner Brothers where Davies made three films, including 1936's "Cain and Mabel" opposite Clark Gable, before her final one, "Ever Since Eve."
In her last screen appearance, Davies plays an attractive secretary who's constantly warding off advances from a number of her wolfish male supervisors. Fed up with such treatment, Marge Winton (Davies) decides to get a makeover, hiding her beauty by dressing in frumpy clothes and dark-rimmed glasses when she gets a job with a book publisher. She's assigned to work with lazy writer Freddie Matthews (Robert Montgomery), leading to all sorts of hilarious complications.
"Davies does a nice job and exhibits a winning personality, and she's also very convincing creating a completely separate alternate personality," writes film reviewer Laura Grieve.
Even though Davies, now 40, drew rave reviews from "Ever Since Eve," Hearst was unable to secure another lead role for her. She was offered secondary roles, but Hearst insisted she only accept major parts. Marion told friend Lita Grey, Charlie Chaplin's second wife, the reason she stayed with Hearst was because "he gives me the feeling I'm worth something to him. He's kind and he's good to me, and I'd never walk out on him." Both messed around with others, but Davies' loyalty to him remained steadfast right to his dying days in 1951 when he passed away at 88.
If there were any possibilities of rejuvenating her career, Davies saw them dashed when Orson Welles released his 1941 movie "Citizen Kane," an obvious parody on the life of William Hearst. In the film, Charles Kane supports his mistress-turned-wife, amateur singer Susan Alexander, to be an opera singer. The New York Times in 1961 discussed Davies' connection with "Citizen Kane," writing the myth developed from the movie showing her "not a great actress and the films she made were not among the more impressive or profitable releases," contrary to reality. Welles even wrote in the preface to Davies' autobiography published posthumously after her death in 1975 that his Susan was completely opposite of Marion. In Welles' film, she was a virtual reclusive prisoner in Kane's mansion while Davies was highly visible and an energetic hostess to many of Hearst's numerous parties where "the Beautiful People of the day fought for invitations," Welles noted. "She was the precious treasure of his (Hearst's) heart for more than 30 years, until his last breath of life. Theirs is truly a love story. Love is not the subject of Citizen Kane." Welles later attributed his inspiration for the Susan character to wealthy businessman Harold McCormick's second wife, Ganna Walska, whom he promoted lavishly to be an opera singer.
Davies, a heavy drinker once her film career ended, was a savvy investor after Hearst left her a fortune, buying several Palm Springs and New York City properties. She married a sea captain just three months after Hearst's death, but the marriage wasn't a happy one. The former starlet died of cancer on September 22, 1961, at 64.
Today, the life of Marion Davies still intrigues the public. Actresses such as Melanie Griffith, Kirsten Dunst and Chloe Fineman have portrayed Davies in movies. And Amanda Seyfried was nominated for the Academy Award Best Supporting Actress for her role as Marion in 2020's "Mank."