Sister-in-law of John Ward.
Sister-in-law of Howard Hawks.
Six years after the death of first husband Irving Thalberg, she married a ski instructor 11 years her junior and retired from the screen forever.
Turned down the role of Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind (1939) and the title role in Mrs. Miniver (1942).
Was meticulous about her appearance. Early in her career, she spent money she could barely afford on the services on an eye doctor, who trained her to strengthen a weak eye. She swam everyday, had massages to firm her figure, and dieted religiously. She experimented with make-up until she decided on a light tone that would illuminate her face on screen.
Was offered the role of Norma Desmond in Sunset Blvd. (1950), but she turned it down. Gloria Swanson, who went on to receive a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her performance, was cast instead.