girls will be girls

Marjorie Main, unlikely movie star, was born on this day in 1890, gaining fame as an MGM company player of crusty old gals, best remembered as Ma Kettle in a series of films with Percy Kilbride.

A Hoosier from Acton, Indiana, born Mary Tomlinson, she took her stage name to avoid embarrassing her minister father — and into Vaudeville she went, making it to Broadway in 1916 where she worked with W.C. Fields, and hit it in pictures by 1937, with especially good notice in “Stella Dallas.”

She would appear in over 100 films in the next 20 years, playing salty dames, housekeepers and other no-nonsense, hard-bitten women. She stole nearly every scene in which she appeared.

She married Dr. Stanley Krebs, 25 years her senior, in 1921, and was widowed in 1934. She would often converse with her late husband, in public, asking him questions and getting answers. She developed OCD, leading to a pathological fear of germs. She would often wear white gloves and a surgical mask.

Director George Sidney claimed that Main donated most of her salary to support a school.

Marjorie was nominated for Best Supporting Actress of 1947 for her work as Ma Kettle. She lost to Celeste Holm in “Gentleman’s Agreement.” Holm is now 94.

Marjorie Main built a house in Palm Desert which is for sale here.

Biographer Keith Stern claims Main had a long-term relationship with actress Spring Byington, who also starred in dozens of Golden Era films as a lovely and concerned mom. They are listed in many sources as “longtime companions.”

Main’s last appearance was in 1974 at the L.A. premiere of “That’s Entertainment,” where she was greeted with wild cheering. She had not been seen since her retirement from films in 1957. She died of lung cancer at age 85 on April 10, 1975.

Marjorie Main is today’s Friday Face.

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