Image of Constance Bennett

Constance Bennett

From Wikipedia Constance Campbell Bennett (October 22, 1904 – July 24, 1965) was an American actress. She started off with a spell in a convent but decided to go into the family business. Independent, cultured, ironic and outspoken, Constance, the first Bennett sister to enter motion pictures, appeared in New York-produced silent movies before a meeting with Samuel Goldwyn led to her Hollywood debut in Cytherea (1924). She abandoned a burgeoning career in silents for marriage to Philip Plant in 1925; She resumed her film career after their divorce, with the advent of talking pictures (1929), and with her delicate blonde features and glamorous fashion style, she quickly became a popular film star. In 1931, a short-lived contract with Metro Goldwyn Mayer earned her $300,000 for two movies which included The Easiest Way and made her one of the highest paid stars in Hollywood. Warner Brothers paid her the all-time high salary of $30,000 a week for "Bought!" in 1931. Richard Bennett, her father, was also cast in this film. The next year she moved to RKO, where she acted in What Price Hollywood? (1932), directed by George Cukor, an ironic and at the same time tragic behind-the-scenes looks at the old Hollywood studio system, in which she gave one of her finest performances. Bennett next showed her versatility in the likes of Our Betters (1933), Bed of Roses (1933) with Pert Kelton, After Tonight (1933) (co-starring with future husband Gilbert Roland), The Affairs of Cellini (1934), After Office Hours (1935) with Clark Gable, the original Topper (1937, in a career standout as Marian Kerby opposite Cary Grant, a role she repeated in the 1939 sequel, Topper Takes a Trip), the ultimate madcap family comedy Merrily We Live (1938) and Two-Faced Woman (1941, supporting Greta Garbo). By the 1940s, Bennett was working less frequently in film but was in demand in both radio and theatre. Shrewd investments had made her a wealthy woman, and she founded a cosmetics and clothing company. She had a major supporting role in Warner Bros.'s The Unsuspected (1947) opposite Claude Rains, in which she played the program director who helps prove that Rains is guilty of murder. She made no films from the early 1950s until 1965 when she made a comeback in the film Madame X (released posthumously in 1966) playing Lana Turner's mother-in-law. Shortly after filming was completed, Bennett collapsed and died from a cerebral haemorrhage at the age of 60. In recognition of her military contributions, and as the wife of Theron John Coulter, who had achieved the rank of brigadier general, she was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Coulter died in 1995 and was buried with her. Bennett has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contribution to motion pictures, at 6250 Hollywood Boulevard, a short distance from the star of her sister, Joan.


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Born:
Oct 22, 1904 In New York City, New York, USA
Movie/TV Credits:
68
First Appeared:
In the movie The Valley of Decision 1916-12-04
Latest Project:
Movie Hollywood, la vie rêvée de Lana Turner 2019-05-22
Known For
Poster of Hollywood, la vie rêvée de Lana Turner
Poster of Daily Beauty Rituals
Poster of Married?
Poster of Sally, Irene and Mary
Filmography
Movie Hollywood, la vie rêvée de Lana Turner Self (archive footage) 2019-05-22
Movie Becoming Cary Grant Self (archive footage) 2017-05-23
Movie Thou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywood Valerie West (archive footage) 2008-03-03
Movie Going Hollywood: The '30s (archive footage) 1984-01-01
Movie Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage Self (archive footage) (uncredited) 1983-02-25
Movie That's Entertainment, Part II (archive footage) 1976-05-16
Movie Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? Self (archive footage) 1975-08-06
Movie Madame X Estelle Anderson 1966-03-03
Series The Ann Sothern Show Unknown 1958-10-06
Movie It Should Happen to You Guest Panelist 1954-01-15
Movie As Young as You Feel Lucille McKinley 1951-06-15
Series Robert Montgomery Presents Unknown 1950-01-30
Series Your Show of Shows Unknown 1950-02-25
Series Suspense Unknown 1949-01-06
Series The Ed Sullivan Show Unknown 1948-06-20
Movie Smart Woman Paula Rogers 1948-04-30
Movie Angel on the Amazon Dr. Karen Lawrence 1948-11-01
Movie The Unsuspected Jane Moynihan 1947-10-11
Movie Centennial Summer Zenia Lascalles 1946-07-10
Movie Paris Underground Kitty de Mornay 1945-10-18
Movie Wild Bill Hickok Rides Belle Andrews 1942-01-31
Movie Sin Town Kye Allen 1942-09-25
Movie Madame Spy Joan Bannister 1942-12-11
Movie Law of the Tropics Joan Madison aka Miss Moore and Laura 1941-10-04
Movie Two-Faced Woman Griselda Vaughn 1941-12-31
Movie Escape to Glory Christine Blaine 1940-05-20
Movie Tail Spin Gerry Lester 1939-02-19
Movie Merrily We Live Jerry Kilbourne 1938-03-04
Movie Service de Luxe Helen Murphy 1938-10-12
Movie Topper Takes a Trip Marion Kerby 1938-12-29
Movie Daily Beauty Rituals Herself 1937-01-23
Movie Topper Marion Kerby 1937-07-16
Movie Screen Snapshots: Series 16, No. 12 Self (uncredited) 1937-08-13
Movie Everything Is Thunder Anna von Stucknadel 1936-09-30
Movie Ladies In Love Yoli Haydn 1936-10-09
Movie Starlit Days at the Lido Self 1935-09-28
Movie After Office Hours Sharon Norwood 1935-02-22
Movie The Affairs of Cellini Duchess of Florence 1934-08-24
Movie Moulin Rouge Helen Hall / Raquel 1934-01-10
Movie Outcast Lady Iris 1934-09-28
Movie Our Betters Lady Pearl Grayston 1933-03-17
Movie Bed of Roses Lorry Evans 1933-06-29
Movie After Tonight Carla Vanirska 1933-11-10
Movie Lady with a Past Venice Muir 1932-02-19
Movie What Price Hollywood? Mary Evans 1932-06-24
Movie Rockabye Judy Carroll 1932-11-25
Movie Two Against the World Adele Hamilton 1932-09-03
Movie The Easiest Way Laura Murdock 1931-02-07
Movie Born to Love Doris Kendall 1931-04-17
Movie The Common Law Valerie West 1931-07-17
Movie Bought! Stephanie Dale 1931-08-22
Movie Son of the Gods Allana Wagner 1930-03-09
Movie Three Faces East Frances Hawtree / Z-1 1930-07-18
Movie Sin Takes a Holiday Sylvia Brenner 1930-11-10
Movie Common Clay Ellen Neal 1930-08-01
Movie This Thing Called Love Ann Marvin 1929-12-13
Movie Married? Marcia Livingston 1926-02-17
Movie The Goose Woman Hazel Woods 1925-08-02
Movie Code of the West Georgie May 1925-04-06
Movie My Son Betty Smith 1925-04-19
Movie Sally, Irene and Mary Sally Fitzgerald 1925-12-27
Movie The Pinch Hitter Abby Nettleton 1925-12-13
Movie Cytherea Annette Sherman 1924-05-04
Movie Into the Net Madge Clayton, his sister 1924-08-03
Movie Reckless Youth Chorus Girl 1922-03-30
Movie Evidence Edith 1922-05-05
Movie What's Wrong with the Women? Elise Bascom 1922-09-12
Movie The Valley of Decision Unborn soul 1916-12-04