Ringside Report Puts the Spotlight on Gloria Stuart

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By Geoffrey Huchel

Hollywood darling Gloria Stuart was an American actress, visual artist, and activist. Although she made a name for herself in several films throughout the 1930s and 40s, it was her Oscar nominated role in one of the most successful blockbusters in film history that she will be best remembered for.

Born on July 4, 1910 in Santa Monica, California, Stuart began acting in high school, and after attending the University of California, Berkeley, she pursued a career in theatre, performing in local productions and summer stock in Los Angeles. Stuart eventually began winning roles in feature films. Her first being the comedy horror THE OLD DARK HOUSE (1932), with Boris Karloff. The same year she appeared in five additional films: THE COHENS AND THE KELLYS IN HOLLYWOOD, THE ALL-AMERICAN, STREET WOMEN, BACK STREET and AIR MAIL. The following year she starred in the mystery drama THE KISS BEFORE THE MIRROR (1933), with Frank Morgan, SWEEPINGS (1933), with Lionel Barrymore, and one of her more famous films, the horror classic THE INVISIBLE MAN (1933), with Claude Rains. Stuart costarred opposite James Cagney in the Oscar nominated comedy drama HERE COMES THE NAVY (1934).

Throughout the mid to late 1930s Stuart appeared in over two dozen films including GOLD DIGGERS (1935), THE GIRL ON THE FRONT PAGE (1936), POOR LITTLE RICH GIRL (1936), with Shirley Temple, GIRL OVERBOARD (1937), TIME OUT FOR MURDER (1938), REBECCA OF SUNNYBROOK FARM (1938), again opposite Shirley Temple, KEEP SMILING (1938), ISLAND IN THE SKY (1938), WINNER TAKE ALL (1939), THE THREE MUSKETEERS (1939) and IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU (1939).

Stuart appeared in less films in the 1940s, four total; including HERE COMES ELMER (1943), THE WHISTLER (1944), ENEMY OF WOMEN (1944) and SHE WROTE THE BOOK (1946). Stuart slowed her film career down to perform in reginal theatre in New England. In the mid 1940s Stuart abandoned her acting career to focus on a career as an artist, making paintings, miniature books, Bonsai, and decoupage for the next three decades. Many of her pieces are part of collections in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Stuart gradually returned to acting in the late 1970s. She was cast in several small parts, including THE WALTONS (1971), THE LEGEND OF LIZZIE BORDEN (1975), starring Elizabeth Montgomery, Richard Benjamin’s MY FAVORITE YEAR, with Peter O’Toole, WILDCATS (1986), starring Goldie Hawn, and MURDER, SHE WROTE (1984).

Stuart made a prominent return to mainstream cinema when she was cast in James Cameron’s epic Oscar winning film, TITANIC (1997). The film starred Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet as the doomed lovers Jack and Rose. Sharing the role with Winslet, Stuart portrayed the 101 year-old elder Rose Dawson Calvert. Stuart’s heartfelt performance earned her numerous accolades including Golden Globe and Oscar nominations, as well as a Screen Actors Guild Award. There is a moment in the film where Rose says, “Poor little rich girl. What does she know about misery?”, spoken by Winslet. There is no evidence of this, but this line could be a nod to one of Stuart’s earlier films.

I like to think it is. With her nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the age of 87, Stuart became the oldest person to ever be nominated for an Oscar. Following TITANIC, Stuart was cast as Eleanor in the comedy THE LOVE LETTER (1999), with Kate Capshaw, Tom Selleck and Ellen DeGeneres. She also made appearances on the television series TOUCHED BY AND ANGEL (1994), MURDER, SHE WROTE: THE LAST FREE MAN (2001), and GENERAL HOSPITAL (1963).

In addition to her acting and art careers, Stuart, was a lifelong environmentalist and political activist, who served as a co-founding member of the Screen Actors Guild.

Gloria Stuart died in her sleep of respiratory failure on September 26, 2010. She was 100 years old.

Essential Stuart:

THE OLD DARK HOUSE (1932)

HERE COMES THE NAVY (1934)

THE INVISIBLE MAN (1936) GOLD DIGGERS (1935)

REBECCA OF SUNNYBROOK FARM (1938)

TITANIC (1997)

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