Marguerite De La Motte

Marguerite De La Motte June 22 1902 March 10 1950 was an American film actress most notably of the silent film era Born in Duluth Minnesota De La Motte was the daughter of Mr and Mrs Joseph De La Motte She was a 1917 graduate of the Egan School of drama music and dancing De La Motte began her entertainment career studying ballet under Anna Pavlova In 1919 she became the dance star of Sid Grauman on the stage of his theater In 1918 at the age of 16 she made her screen debut in the Douglas Fairbanksdirected romantic comedy film Arizona In 1920 both of her parents died her mother in January in an automobile accident and her father in August from heart disease Film producer JL Frothingham assumed guardianship of her and her younger brother De La Motte spent the 1920s appearing in numerous films often cast by Douglas Fairbanks to play opposite him in swashbuckling adventure films such as 1920s The Mark of Zorro and The Three Musketeers She developed a close friendship with Fairbanks and his wife actress Mary Pickford Her career as an actress slowed dramatically at the end of the silent film era of the 1920s She did continue acting in bit parts through the sound era and made her final appearance in the 1942 film Overland Mail opposite both Noah Beery Sr and Noah Beery Jr as well as Lon Chaney Jr After her film career ended De La Motte worked as an inspector in a southern California war plant during World War II Later she came to San Francisco California where she worked in the Red Cross office On February 8 1960 De La Motte was awarded a star in the Motion Pictures section of the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6902 Hollywood Blvd in Hollywood California