Pauline Garon
Encyclopedia
Pauline Garon was a Canadian-born American silent film
, feature film
and stage
actress.
, Quebec
as Marie Pauline Garon, Garon was the daughter of Pierre and Victoria Garon. Pierre was of French
descent and Victoria's heritage was Irish
. Her father first worked for the Canadian postal department, then worked at an insurance agency, where he managed to gain enough money to send his youngest child (out of eleven children) to the Couvent Sacre-Coeur (Sacred Heart Convent) in Montreal, one of the most prestigious schools in the city. Garon attended this school for seven years. She was the first graduate of the institution to perform in the theater. Garon did not learn English until she was ten years old.
Around age 20, Garon ran away to New York
where she began work on Broadway
, appearing in such productions as Buddies and Sonny. Garon debuted in films in Remodeling Her Husband as a body double
for Dorothy Gish
. She was said to be a protégé of Lillian Gish
.
in Doubling for Romeo (1921).
In 1923, she was hailed as Cecil B. DeMille
's big new discovery. He cast her in only two films. One was Adam's Rib
(1923). She was selected as one of the WAMPAS Baby Stars
in 1923. Even before her "discovery", Garon had been a steadily rising star. She appeared opposite Owen Moore
in Reported Missing (1922). Garon received much praise for her role in Henry King
's adaptation of Sonny
(1922). She had been chosen for this role by King after he saw her portray the role in the stage production on Broadway.
In 1922 she played with Richard Barthelmess
in the First National Pictures release, Sonny. Her role as Florence Crosby brought her to the brink of stardom. However the ingenue
professed no real desire to be a celebrity. Garon admitted that the thought of the responsibilities of being a star frightened her.
Garon was making at least five films a year after her popularity soared. She was playing many lead roles in B movies and supporting roles in more glamorous films. The 1920s was a wonderful decade for the actress. She co-starred with Gloria Swanson
and John Boles
in The Love of Sunya
which opened the lavish Roxy Theater in New York City on March 11, 1927.
By 1928 Garon's career began to decline dramatically. By the end, She appeared mostly in French renditions of Paramount Pictures
movies. She was cast in less popular English films as well.
By the early 1930s, Garon was given very small uncredited roles. By 1934 she had vanished from film. Garon played a bit part in How Green Was My Valley
(1941). She was in two westerns, Song Of The Saddle (1936) and The Cowboy and the Blonde (1941).
Lowell Sherman
in February 1926. Sherman's influence led Garon to refuse a long-term contract with Paramount
. In February 1928 Garon became a citizen of the United States
. She separated from Sherman in August 1927. In February 1940 she eloped with radio star and actor, Clyde Harland John Alban, to Yuma, Arizona
. Garon and Alban divorced in 1942. She wed comedian Ross Forester and remained with him until she died.
Golfer Gene Sarazen
remembered escorting Garon to the Cocoanut Grove in the first dinner clothes he ever owned. Sarazen married Catherine Mary Peck in 1924.
At the peak of her career, in 1923, Garon's mailing address was Famous Players-Lasky Corporation, Hollywood, California.
, in 1965. The cause of death was a brain disorder. She was 63 years old. Garon's health had been precarious for some time. She collapsed at the 20th Century Fox
studios in June 1952.
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
, feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
and stage
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
actress.
Early life
Born in MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
as Marie Pauline Garon, Garon was the daughter of Pierre and Victoria Garon. Pierre was of French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
descent and Victoria's heritage was Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Her father first worked for the Canadian postal department, then worked at an insurance agency, where he managed to gain enough money to send his youngest child (out of eleven children) to the Couvent Sacre-Coeur (Sacred Heart Convent) in Montreal, one of the most prestigious schools in the city. Garon attended this school for seven years. She was the first graduate of the institution to perform in the theater. Garon did not learn English until she was ten years old.
Around age 20, Garon ran away to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
where she began work on 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...
, appearing in such productions as Buddies and Sonny. Garon debuted in films in Remodeling Her Husband as a body double
Body double
A body double is a general term for someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character in any recorded visual medium, in shots where the character's body is shown but the face is either not visible or shown indistinctly, or in shots where the image of the credited actor's face is joined,...
for Dorothy Gish
Dorothy Gish
Dorothy Elizabeth Gish was an American actress, and the younger sister of actress Lillian Gish.-Early life:...
. She was said to be a protégé of Lillian Gish
Lillian Gish
Lillian Diana Gish was an American stage, screen and television actress whose film acting career spanned 75 years, from 1912 to 1987....
.
Film career
She was associated with D.W. Griffith when she first came to Hollywood in 1920. Garon's first important role came in 1921's The Power Within. She also played the body double for Sylvia BreamerSylvia Breamer
Sylvia Breamer was an Australian actress who performed in American silent motion pictures beginning in 1917. Her father was Sir James De Courcey Breamer, a commander in the Royal Navy. After his death her mother married Judge A.G. Plunkett, formerly of Sydney, Australia.-Silent Screen...
in Doubling for Romeo (1921).
In 1923, she was hailed as 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...
's big new discovery. He cast her in only two films. One was Adam's Rib
Adam's Rib (1923 film)
Adam's Rib is a 1923 drama film directed by Cecil B. DeMille. This film is considered lost. The story has nothing to do with the 1948 George Cukor film starring Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy.-Cast:* Milton Sills - Michael Ramsay...
(1923). She was selected as one of the WAMPAS Baby Stars
WAMPAS Baby Stars
The WAMPAS Baby Stars was a promotional campaign sponsored by the Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers in the United States which honored thirteen young women each year whom they believed to be on the threshold of movie stardom. They were selected from 1922 to 1934, and annual...
in 1923. Even before her "discovery", Garon had been a steadily rising star. She appeared opposite Owen Moore
Owen Moore
Owen Moore was an Irish-born actor in American films, appearing in more than 279 movies spanning from 1908 to 1937.-Life and career:...
in Reported Missing (1922). Garon received much praise for her role in Henry King
Henry King (director)
Henry King was an American film director.Before coming to film, King worked as an actor in various repertoire theatres, and first started to take small film roles in 1912. He directed for the first time in 1915, and grew to become one of the most commercially successful Hollywood directors of the...
's adaptation of Sonny
Sonny
-Athletes:* Sonny Ates, retired American racecar driver* Sonny Bishop, American college and professional football player* Sonny Chiba, Japanese martial artist and actor* Sonny Hertzberg, American NBA basketball point guard, original NY Knickerbocker...
(1922). She had been chosen for this role by King after he saw her portray the role in the stage production on Broadway.
In 1922 she played with Richard Barthelmess
Richard Barthelmess
Richard Semler "Dick" Barthelmess was an Oscar-nominated silent film star.-Early life:Barthelmess was educated at Hudson River Military Academy at Nyack and Trinity College at Hartford, Connecticut...
in the First National Pictures release, Sonny. Her role as Florence Crosby brought her to the brink of stardom. However the ingenue
Ingenue (stock character)
See also Disingenuous, which is not quite the antonym that it may seem!The ingénue is a stock character in literature, film, and a role type in the theatre; generally a girl or a young woman who is endearingly innocent and wholesome. Ingenue may also refer to a new young actress or one typecast in...
professed no real desire to be a celebrity. Garon admitted that the thought of the responsibilities of being a star frightened her.
Garon was making at least five films a year after her popularity soared. She was playing many lead roles in B movies and supporting roles in more glamorous films. The 1920s was a wonderful decade for the actress. She co-starred with Gloria Swanson
Gloria Swanson
Gloria Swanson was an American actress, singer and producer. She was one of the most prominent stars during the silent film era as both an actress and a fashion icon, especially under the direction of Cecil B. DeMille, made dozens of silents and was nominated for the first Academy Award in the...
and John Boles
John Boles (actor)
-Early life:Boles was born in Greenville, Texas, into a middle-class family. He graduated with honors from the University of Texas in 1917 and married Marielite Dobbs in that same year. His parents wanted him to be a doctor and Boles studied and finally got his B.A. degree, but the stage called...
in The Love of Sunya
The Love of Sunya
The Love of Sunya is a silent film directed by Albert Parker, and based on the play The Eyes of Youth by Max Marcin and Charles Guernon. Produced by and starring Gloria Swanson, it also stars John Boles and Pauline Garon. It premiered at the grand opening of the Roxy Theatre in New York City on...
which opened the lavish Roxy Theater in New York City on March 11, 1927.
By 1928 Garon's career began to decline dramatically. By the end, She appeared mostly in French renditions of Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
movies. She was cast in less popular English films as well.
By the early 1930s, Garon was given very small uncredited roles. By 1934 she had vanished from film. Garon played a bit part in How Green Was My Valley
How Green Was My Valley (film)
How Green Was My Valley is a 1941 drama film directed by John Ford. The film, based on the 1939 Richard Llewellyn novel, was produced by Darryl F. Zanuck and written by Philip Dunne. The film stars Walter Pidgeon, Maureen O'Hara, Anna Lee, Donald Crisp, and Roddy McDowall...
(1941). She was in two westerns, Song Of The Saddle (1936) and The Cowboy and the Blonde (1941).
Marriages
Garon married three times. She wed actorActor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
Lowell Sherman
Lowell Sherman
Lowell Sherman was an American actor and film director....
in February 1926. Sherman's influence led Garon to refuse a long-term contract with Paramount
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
. In February 1928 Garon became a citizen of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. She separated from Sherman in August 1927. In February 1940 she eloped with radio star and actor, Clyde Harland John Alban, to Yuma, Arizona
Yuma, Arizona
Yuma is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. It is located in the southwestern corner of the state, and the population of the city was 77,515 at the 2000 census, with a 2008 Census Bureau estimated population of 90,041....
. Garon and Alban divorced in 1942. She wed comedian Ross Forester and remained with him until she died.
Golfer Gene Sarazen
Gene Sarazen
Gene Sarazen was an American professional golfer, one of the world's top players in the 1920s and 1930s. He is one of five golfers to win all the current major championships in his career, the Career Grand Slam:U.S...
remembered escorting Garon to the Cocoanut Grove in the first dinner clothes he ever owned. Sarazen married Catherine Mary Peck in 1924.
At the peak of her career, in 1923, Garon's mailing address was Famous Players-Lasky Corporation, Hollywood, California.
Death
Garon died at Patton State Hospital, a psychiatric institution in San Bernardino, CaliforniaSan Bernardino, California
San Bernardino is a city located in the Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan area , and serves as the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States...
, in 1965. The cause of death was a brain disorder. She was 63 years old. Garon's health had been precarious for some time. She collapsed at the 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
studios in June 1952.