Mildred Shay
Encyclopedia
Mildred Helen Shay was an American
film actress, most famous for her 1930s off-camera exploits. The five-foot-two actress was dubbed "Pocket Venus" by gossip columnist Walter Winchell
.
Mildred attended schools in New York and France
until age 14, when her father sent her and her younger sister Adeline to London, England. They also had homes in Nice, France and Florence, Italy, the latter being stocked with servants who had once been Russian aristocrats but had to flee the revolution.
Eventually, due to Joseph's work on behalf of various movie studios, the family settled down in Hollywood, and mother and sisters moved into a two-story apartment at Alla Nazimova
's former home. While there Mildred mingled with Laurence Olivier
and Harpo Marx
and went skinny dipping with Ginger Rogers
. Shay was soon bitten by the acting bug and asked her father for help. He contacted the head of Fox Studios; she had her first screen test with Douglas Fairbanks Jr..
Shay became close friends with Norma Shearer
and Irving Thalberg
(the head of MGM), and studied acting with Clark Gable
's then-wife, Josephine Dillon, who filled her in on all the gossip. Her first screen roles were small parts in 1932's The Age of Consent
and A Bill of Divorcement
(the latter starred John Barrymore
, Billie Burke
, and in her film debut, Katharine Hepburn
).
Mildred was tied to a chariot in 1933's Roman Scandals
and was a voice double for Greta Garbo
in the 1932 epic Grand Hotel
.
Shay would go to the studios every day in a Mercedes-Benz
then leave to attend various parties. Her great beauty ensured her many male admirers, and she was often known more for her romantic life than any onscreen performances (costume designer Adrian
made a dress and false bust for her). She was pursued by, among others, Errol Flynn
, who cornered her in his apartment ("It was a good job I had strong legs. I kept them crossed, not daring to move. He was a big man."), Howard Hughes
, and Johnny Weismuller. Director Cecil B. DeMille
invited her to his private ranch, feeding her oysters with the pearls still attached.
In spite of this constant activity, Shay said she was "the last virgin in captivity". Her first husband was one Thomas Francis Murphy, who "woke up drunk" and was jealous of her Hollywood friends. He ran up huge debts she could not pay, and would often send them to her studio or her father's office. Finally one night when she returned from a party, Murphy stubbed a cigarette into her leg. She went into shock and got pneumonia
, needless to say, their marriage was over. Her second husband was Winthrop Gardiner Junior, a descendant of Lord Lion Gardiner
. He gave her a huge diamond ring (Walter Winchell
told her she could "house Manhattan
on that rock") and many other jewels and furs, but the marriage was not a happy one. He began sleeping with ice skater/film star Sonja Henie
and within 6 months Shay was with her sister in Reno, Nevada
, getting a divorce. The split made huge headlines. She complained to Winchell about the publicity; when he told her that her crossing the street would make news, she asked him to make her "un-news".
Her family shunned her due to the negative publicity, and after a short attempt at Broadway
she returned to Hollywood. In 1939 she played Joan Crawford
's scene-stealing French maid in The Women
, and was one of the few actresses to get along with the difficult star. Around this time she had relationships with Roy Rogers
and Victor Mature
, among others, the latter making headlines.
In 1940 Shay met tall, dark and handsome British officer Geoffrey Steele, and fell in love instantly. They quickly married - while on their honeymoon, the gossip magazines placed bets on how long the union would last. Shay said, "Most gave it 3 to 6 months. Nobody gave us forty years" (he died in 1987).
Steele formed a Hollywood cricket club which included fellow British expatriates such as David Niven
, and to Shay's discomfort, Errol Flynn
. Around this time Groucho Marx
told Shay she was one of the funniest people he had ever met and offered to write material for her in nightclubs - she refused, claiming she was a dramatic actress. She later said that was the biggest mistake of her career.
Geoffrey Steele returned to England for World War II
and Shay went with him. She had a daughter, Georgiana (who went on to marry Gordon Waller of Peter and Gordon), and chose to limit her film activities. 1948's I Killed the Count
was her last acting work for some time. Over the next few decades she frequently visited Buckingham Palace
and was a prominent figure in London society circles.
In 1968 she returned to acting with a small role in the Julie Andrews
film Star (based on Gertrude Lawrence
). She appeared in 1974's remake of The Great Gatsby
(with Mia Farrow
) and soon after, avant garde director Ken Russell
asked her to play an "aged American desperate for attention" in his biography of Rudolph Valentino
, in which she got to dance with the film's star, Rudolph Nureyev. Shay continued to act and make appearances over the next 30 years. She appeared in the 1983 hit sequel film Superman III
. Her last film was in 1999's
Parting Shots
; her last Hollywood appearance was at the 2003 Academy Awards telecast.
She had a serious stroke in her final years, but still managed to attend some functions and was at National Film Theatre's 2004 tribute to her favorite director, George Cukor
. One of her final outings was a friend's wedding - she danced and drank, and when she saw her reflection in a mirror, joked, "Vanity got me in the end."
Shay died in California while visiting her daughter, Georgiana Waller, at the age of 94 from natural causes.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film actress, most famous for her 1930s off-camera exploits. The five-foot-two actress was dubbed "Pocket Venus" by gossip columnist Walter Winchell
Walter Winchell
Walter Winchell was an American newspaper and radio gossip commentator.-Professional career:Born Walter Weinschel in New York City, he left school in the sixth grade and started performing in a vaudeville troupe known as Gus Edwards' "Newsboys Sextet."His career in journalism was begun by posting...
.
Life and career
The daughter of wealthy lawyer Joseph A. Shay and his socialite wife Lillian, Mildred dealt with tragedy from an early age, as her older brother was killed by a drunken chauffeur a year after she was born. She would attribute her later desire to "dance, dance, dance and have fun" to her unhappy early years.Mildred attended schools in New York and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
until age 14, when her father sent her and her younger sister Adeline to London, England. They also had homes in Nice, France and Florence, Italy, the latter being stocked with servants who had once been Russian aristocrats but had to flee the revolution.
Eventually, due to Joseph's work on behalf of various movie studios, the family settled down in Hollywood, and mother and sisters moved into a two-story apartment at Alla Nazimova
Alla Nazimova
Alla Nazimova , was a Russian American film and theatre actress, a screenwriter and film producer. She is perhaps best known as simply Nazimova, but also went under the name Alia Nasimoff.-Early life:...
's former home. While there Mildred mingled with Laurence Olivier
Laurence Olivier
Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier, OM was an English actor, director, and producer. He was one of the most famous and revered actors of the 20th century. He married three times, to fellow actors Jill Esmond, Vivien Leigh, and Joan Plowright...
and Harpo Marx
Harpo Marx
Adolph "Harpo" Marx was an American comedian and film star. He was the second oldest of the Marx Brothers. His comic style was influenced by clown and pantomime traditions. He wore a curly reddish wig, and never spoke during performances...
and went skinny dipping with Ginger Rogers
Ginger Rogers
Ginger Rogers was an American actress, dancer, and singer who appeared in film, and on stage, radio, and television throughout much of the 20th century....
. Shay was soon bitten by the acting bug and asked her father for help. He contacted the head of Fox Studios; she had her first screen test with Douglas Fairbanks Jr..
Shay became close friends with Norma Shearer
Norma Shearer
Edith Norma Shearer was a Canadian-American actress. Shearer was one of the most popular actresses in North America from the mid-1920s through the 1930s...
and Irving Thalberg
Irving Thalberg
Irving Grant Thalberg was an American film producer during the early years of motion pictures. He was called "The Boy Wonder" for his youth and his extraordinary ability to select the right scripts, choose the right actors, gather the best production staff and make very profitable films.-Life and...
(the head of MGM), and studied acting with Clark Gable
Clark Gable
William Clark Gable , known as Clark Gable, was an American film actor most famous for his role as Rhett Butler in the 1939 Civil War epic film Gone with the Wind, in which he starred with Vivien Leigh...
's then-wife, Josephine Dillon, who filled her in on all the gossip. Her first screen roles were small parts in 1932's The Age of Consent
The Age of Consent
The Age of Consent is a synthpop album by Bronski Beat , released at the end of 1984 on London Records.-Overview:...
and A Bill of Divorcement
A Bill of Divorcement
A Bill of Divorcement is a 1932 American drama film, directed by George Cukor and starring John Barrymore and Katharine Hepburn in her movie debut. It is based on the British play of the same name, written by Clemence Dane as a reaction to a law passed in Britain in the early 1920s that allowed...
(the latter starred John Barrymore
John Barrymore
John Sidney Blyth , better known as John Barrymore, was an acclaimed American actor. He first gained fame as a handsome stage actor in light comedy, then high drama and culminating in groundbreaking portrayals in Shakespearean plays Hamlet and Richard III...
, Billie Burke
Billie Burke
Mary William Ethelbert Appleton "Billie" Burke was an American actress. She is primarily known to modern audiences as Glinda the Good Witch of the North in the musical film The Wizard of Oz. She was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance as Emily Kilbourne in Merrily We Live...
, and in her film debut, Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Houghton Hepburn was an American actress of film, stage, and television. In a career that spanned 62 years as a leading lady, she was best known for playing strong-willed, sophisticated women in both dramas and comedies...
).
Mildred was tied to a chariot in 1933's Roman Scandals
Roman Scandals
Roman Scandals is a 1933 black-and-white American musical film starring Eddie Cantor, Ruth Etting, Gloria Stuart, Edward Arnold and David Manners. It was directed by Frank Tuttle....
and was a voice double for Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo , born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson, was a Swedish film actress. Garbo was an international star and icon during Hollywood's silent and classic periods. Many of Garbo's films were sensational hits, and all but three were profitable...
in the 1932 epic Grand Hotel
Grand Hotel (film)
Grand Hotel is a 1932 American drama film directed by Edmund Goulding. The screenplay by William A. Drake and Béla Balázs is based on the 1930 play of the same title by Drake, who had adapted it from the 1929 novel Menschen im Hotel by Vicki Baum...
.
Shay would go to the studios every day in a Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
then leave to attend various parties. Her great beauty ensured her many male admirers, and she was often known more for her romantic life than any onscreen performances (costume designer Adrian
Adrian (costume designer)
Adrian Adolph Greenberg , most widely known as Adrian, was an American costume designer whose most famous costumes were for The Wizard of Oz and other Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films of the 1930s and 1940s. During his career, he designed costumes for over 250 films and his screen credits usually read as...
made a dress and false bust for her). She was pursued by, among others, Errol Flynn
Errol Flynn
Errol Leslie Flynn was an Australian-born actor. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles in Hollywood films, being a legend and his flamboyant lifestyle.-Early life:...
, who cornered her in his apartment ("It was a good job I had strong legs. I kept them crossed, not daring to move. He was a big man."), Howard Hughes
Howard Hughes
Howard Robard Hughes, Jr. was an American business magnate, investor, aviator, engineer, film producer, director, and philanthropist. He was one of the wealthiest people in the world...
, and Johnny Weismuller. Director Cecil B. DeMille
Cecil B. DeMille
Cecil Blount DeMille was an American film director and Academy Award-winning film producer in both silent and sound films. He was renowned for the flamboyance and showmanship of his movies...
invited her to his private ranch, feeding her oysters with the pearls still attached.
In spite of this constant activity, Shay said she was "the last virgin in captivity". Her first husband was one Thomas Francis Murphy, who "woke up drunk" and was jealous of her Hollywood friends. He ran up huge debts she could not pay, and would often send them to her studio or her father's office. Finally one night when she returned from a party, Murphy stubbed a cigarette into her leg. She went into shock and got pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
, needless to say, their marriage was over. Her second husband was Winthrop Gardiner Junior, a descendant of Lord Lion Gardiner
Lion Gardiner
Lion Gardiner , an early English settler and soldier in the New World, founded the first English settlement in what became the state of New York on Long Island. His legacy includes Gardiners Island, which is held by his descendants.-Early life:...
. He gave her a huge diamond ring (Walter Winchell
Walter Winchell
Walter Winchell was an American newspaper and radio gossip commentator.-Professional career:Born Walter Weinschel in New York City, he left school in the sixth grade and started performing in a vaudeville troupe known as Gus Edwards' "Newsboys Sextet."His career in journalism was begun by posting...
told her she could "house Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
on that rock") and many other jewels and furs, but the marriage was not a happy one. He began sleeping with ice skater/film star Sonja Henie
Sonja Henie
Sonja Henie was a Norwegian figure skater and film star. She was a three-time Olympic Champion in Ladies Singles, a ten-time World Champion and a six-time European Champion . Henie won more Olympic and World titles than any other ladies figure skater...
and within 6 months Shay was with her sister in Reno, Nevada
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
, getting a divorce. The split made huge headlines. She complained to Winchell about the publicity; when he told her that her crossing the street would make news, she asked him to make her "un-news".
Her family shunned her due to the negative publicity, and after a short attempt at Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
she returned to Hollywood. In 1939 she played Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford , born Lucille Fay LeSueur, was an American actress in film, television and theatre....
's scene-stealing French maid in The Women
The Women (1939 film)
The Women is a 1939 American comedy-drama film directed by George Cukor. The film is based on Clare Boothe Luce's play of the same name, and was adapted for the screen by Anita Loos and Jane Murfin, who had to make the film acceptable for the Production Code in order for it to be released.The film...
, and was one of the few actresses to get along with the difficult star. Around this time she had relationships with Roy Rogers
Roy Rogers
Roy Rogers, born Leonard Franklin Slye , was an American singer and cowboy actor, one of the most heavily marketed and merchandised stars of his era, as well as being the namesake of the Roy Rogers Restaurants franchised chain...
and Victor Mature
Victor Mature
Victor John Mature was an American stage, film and television actor.-Early life:Mature was born in Louisville, Kentucky to an Italian-speaking father from the town Pinzolo, in the Italian part of the former County of Tyrol , Marcello Gelindo Maturi, later Marcellus George Mature, a cutler,...
, among others, the latter making headlines.
In 1940 Shay met tall, dark and handsome British officer Geoffrey Steele, and fell in love instantly. They quickly married - while on their honeymoon, the gossip magazines placed bets on how long the union would last. Shay said, "Most gave it 3 to 6 months. Nobody gave us forty years" (he died in 1987).
Steele formed a Hollywood cricket club which included fellow British expatriates such as David Niven
David Niven
James David Graham Niven , known as David Niven, was a British actor and novelist, best known for his roles as Phileas Fogg in Around the World in 80 Days and Sir Charles Lytton, a.k.a. "the Phantom", in The Pink Panther...
, and to Shay's discomfort, Errol Flynn
Errol Flynn
Errol Leslie Flynn was an Australian-born actor. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles in Hollywood films, being a legend and his flamboyant lifestyle.-Early life:...
. Around this time Groucho Marx
Groucho Marx
Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx was an American comedian and film star famed as a master of wit. His rapid-fire delivery of innuendo-laden patter earned him many admirers. He made 13 feature films with his siblings the Marx Brothers, of whom he was the third-born...
told Shay she was one of the funniest people he had ever met and offered to write material for her in nightclubs - she refused, claiming she was a dramatic actress. She later said that was the biggest mistake of her career.
Geoffrey Steele returned to England for World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and Shay went with him. She had a daughter, Georgiana (who went on to marry Gordon Waller of Peter and Gordon), and chose to limit her film activities. 1948's I Killed the Count
I Killed the Count
I Killed the Count is a 1939 British, black-and-white, comedy, crime, mystery film, directed by Frederic Zelnik and starring Ronald Shiner as Mullet, Ben Lyon, Syd Walker, Terence de Marney, Barbara Blair and Athole Stewart. It was produced by Grafton Films...
was her last acting work for some time. Over the next few decades she frequently visited Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
and was a prominent figure in London society circles.
In 1968 she returned to acting with a small role in the Julie Andrews
Julie Andrews
Dame Julia Elizabeth Andrews, DBE is an English film and stage actress, singer, and author. She is the recipient of Golden Globe, Emmy, Grammy, BAFTA, People's Choice Award, Theatre World Award, Screen Actors Guild and Academy Award honors...
film Star (based on Gertrude Lawrence
Gertrude Lawrence
Gertrude Lawrence was an English actress, singer and musical comedy performer known for her stage appearances in the West End theatre district of London and on Broadway.-Early life:...
). She appeared in 1974's remake of The Great Gatsby
The Great Gatsby (1974 film)
The Great Gatsby is a 1974 romantic drama film distributed by Newdon Productions and Paramount Pictures. It was directed by Jack Clayton and produced by David Merrick, from a screenplay by Francis Ford Coppola based on F...
(with Mia Farrow
Mia Farrow
Mia Farrow is an American actress, singer, humanitarian, and fashion model.Farrow first gained wide acclaim for her role as Allison Mackenzie in the soap opera Peyton Place, and for her subsequent short-lived marriage to Frank Sinatra...
) and soon after, avant garde director Ken Russell
Ken Russell
Henry Kenneth Alfred "Ken" Russell was an English film director, known for his pioneering work in television and film and for his flamboyant and controversial style. He attracted criticism as being obsessed with sexuality and the church...
asked her to play an "aged American desperate for attention" in his biography of Rudolph Valentino
Rudolph Valentino
Rudolph Valentino was an Italian actor, and early pop icon. A sex symbol of the 1920s, Valentino was known as the "Latin Lover". He starred in several well-known silent films including The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, The Sheik, Blood and Sand, The Eagle and Son of the Sheik...
, in which she got to dance with the film's star, Rudolph Nureyev. Shay continued to act and make appearances over the next 30 years. She appeared in the 1983 hit sequel film Superman III
Superman III
Superman III is a 1983 superhero film and the third film in the Superman film series based upon the long-running DC Comics superhero. Christopher Reeve, Jackie Cooper, Marc McClure and Margot Kidder are joined by new cast members Annette O'Toole, Annie Ross, Pamela Stephenson, Robert Vaughn and...
. Her last film was in 1999's
Parting Shots
Parting Shots
Parting Shots is a 1999 film starring Chris Rea, Felicity Kendal, Oliver Reed and Joanna Lumley. It was the last film directed by Michael Winner to date....
; her last Hollywood appearance was at the 2003 Academy Awards telecast.
She had a serious stroke in her final years, but still managed to attend some functions and was at National Film Theatre's 2004 tribute to her favorite director, George Cukor
George Cukor
George Dewey Cukor was an American film director. He mainly concentrated on comedies and literary adaptations. His career flourished at RKO and later MGM, where he directed What Price Hollywood? , A Bill of Divorcement , Dinner at Eight , Little Women , David Copperfield , Romeo and Juliet and...
. One of her final outings was a friend's wedding - she danced and drank, and when she saw her reflection in a mirror, joked, "Vanity got me in the end."
Shay died in California while visiting her daughter, Georgiana Waller, at the age of 94 from natural causes.