Marie Pauline Garon (September 9, 1900 – August 30, 1965) was a Canadian silent film, feature film, and stage actress.
Early life
Marie Pauline Garon was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on September 9, 1898, the daughter of Pierre-Auguste Garon & Victoria Connick. She was of French and Irish descent and Canadian nationality. 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 Sacré-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 theatre. Pauline Garon did not learn English until she was ten years old. At around 20 years old, Pauline Garon ran away to New York City where she began work on Broadway theatre New York, USA.
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. She had been chosen for this role by King after he saw her portray the role in the stage production on Broadway. She co-starred with Richard Barthelmess in the First National Pictures release.[citation needed]
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. She co-starred with Gloria Swanson and John Boles in The Love of Sunya (1927).
By 1928, Garon's career began to decline dramatically. 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 small uncredited roles. By 1934, she had vanished from film. Garon played a bit part in How Green Was My Valley (1941) and appeared briefly in two westerns, Song of the Saddle (1936) and The Cowboy and the Blonde (1941).[citation needed]
Personal life
On February 20, 1928, Garon became an American citizen.[1]
While filming The Average Woman in 1924 rumors began to spread that Garon had become engaged to Gene Sarazen, the professional golfer. In March 1924 she issued a complete denial of the rumors.[2]
Garon married three times. She wed Lowell Sherman on February 15, 1926.[1] Sherman's influence led Garon to refuse a long-term contract with Paramount.
She separated from Sherman in August 1927.[citation needed] In February 1940 she eloped with radio star and actor, Clyde Harland Alban, to Yuma, Arizona.[3] Garon and Alban divorced in 1942. She married Ross Forrester, widower of actress Marion Aye, in May 1953 and remained with him until he died.[citation needed]
Death
Garon died on August 30, 1965, at Patton State Hospital, a psychiatric institution in San Bernardino, California, ten days before her 65th birthday. The cause of death was a brain disorder. Garon's health had been precarious for some time. She collapsed at the 20th Century Fox studios on June 5, 1952.[citation needed]
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