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(17 October 1913, Trinidad, British
West Indies - 9 November 2006, Palm Desert, California)
 She
was best-known for films in the 1930s such as Svengali (1931), Five
Star Final (1931), and the Howard Hughes film, Hell's Angels (1930).
Violet Ethelred Krauth was born on 17 October 1913 in Trinidad,
British West Indies, the youngest of four children (including her
older sister, actress Jean Fenwick) of a German chocolate
manufacturer and his French/English wife.
With World War I, Violet's father moved the family to Boston,
Massachusetts. By the time Violet was ten, the family had relocated
to California where Violet's older sister, Jean, eventually landed a
job as a contract player with FBO Studios.
Violet attended La Conte Junior High School and Hollywood High
School. One day in 1928, Violet was approached by silent screen
actress, Nance O'Neil, who offered Violet speech and movement
lessons. With Jean's help, Violet soon entered the movies. Violet,
now known as Marilyn Morgan, secured a contract with Pathé where she
was featured in many short subjects under the name Marilyn Morgan.
Soon she was seen in a small role in Howard Hughes' classic "Hell's
Angels", as well as a role in Eddie Cantor's lavish, Technicolor
musical "Whoopee". Not long after, she was signed by Warner Bros.
and changed her name to Marian Marsh.
In early 1931, at age 17, she landed one of her most important roles
in Svengali opposite John Barrymore. Marsh was chosen by Barrymore,
himself, for the leading lady role of "Trilby". He coached Marsh's
performance throughout the pictures' filming. "Svengali" was based
on the 1894 gothic horror novel "Trilby" written by George du
Maurier. A popular play, likewise entitled "Trilby", followed one
year later in 1895. In the film version of the story, which Warner
Bros. had renamed "Svengali", Marsh plays the artists' model,
"Trilby", who is transformed into a great opera star by the sinister
hypnotist, Svengali (Barrymore). (The word "Svengali'" has since
entered the English language, meaning a person who, with sometimes
evil intent, tries to persuade another to do what he desires.)
She was selected as one of the WAMPAS Baby Stars of 1931. The
critical praise and the audiences' approval of Svengali led Marsh to
a string of successful films at Warner Bros. including Five Star
Final (1931) with Edward G. Robinson, The Mad Genius (1931), again
with John Barrymore, The Road to Singapore (1931) with William
Powell and the charming Beauty and the Boss (1932) with Warren
William. |
