Greta Garbo[a] (born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson;[b] 18 September 1905 â€"
15 April 1990) was a Swedish-American actress. Regarded as one of the
greatest actresses of all time, Garbo was known for her melancholic,
somber persona due to her many portrayals of tragic characters in her
films and for her subtle and understated performances. In 1999, the
American Film Institute ranked Garbo fifth on its list of the greatest
female stars of classic Hollywood cinema.Garbo launched her career
with a secondary role in the 1924 Swedish film The Saga of Gösta
Berling. Her performance caught the attention of Louis B. Mayer, chief
executive of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), who brought her to Hollywood
in 1925. She stirred interest with her first American silent film,
Torrent (1926). Garbo's performance in Flesh and the Devil (1927), her
third movie, made her an international star. Garbo's other well known
films from the silent era are A Woman of Affairs which catapulted her
into becoming MGM's highest box-office grossing star usurping the long
reigning Lillian Gish, The Single Standard and The Kiss.Garbo's first
sound film was Anna Christie (1930). MGM marketers enticed the public
with the tagline "Garbo talks!" That same year, she starred in
Romance. For her performances in these films, she received her first
of the three nominations for the Academy Award for Best Actress. In
1932, her success allowed her to dictate the terms of her contract,
and she became increasingly selective about her roles. She continued
in films such as Mata Hari (1931), Inspiration (1931), Grand Hotel
(1932), Queen Christina (1933), and Anna Karenina (1935).
15 April 1990) was a Swedish-American actress. Regarded as one of the
greatest actresses of all time, Garbo was known for her melancholic,
somber persona due to her many portrayals of tragic characters in her
films and for her subtle and understated performances. In 1999, the
American Film Institute ranked Garbo fifth on its list of the greatest
female stars of classic Hollywood cinema.Garbo launched her career
with a secondary role in the 1924 Swedish film The Saga of Gösta
Berling. Her performance caught the attention of Louis B. Mayer, chief
executive of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), who brought her to Hollywood
in 1925. She stirred interest with her first American silent film,
Torrent (1926). Garbo's performance in Flesh and the Devil (1927), her
third movie, made her an international star. Garbo's other well known
films from the silent era are A Woman of Affairs which catapulted her
into becoming MGM's highest box-office grossing star usurping the long
reigning Lillian Gish, The Single Standard and The Kiss.Garbo's first
sound film was Anna Christie (1930). MGM marketers enticed the public
with the tagline "Garbo talks!" That same year, she starred in
Romance. For her performances in these films, she received her first
of the three nominations for the Academy Award for Best Actress. In
1932, her success allowed her to dictate the terms of her contract,
and she became increasingly selective about her roles. She continued
in films such as Mata Hari (1931), Inspiration (1931), Grand Hotel
(1932), Queen Christina (1933), and Anna Karenina (1935).
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