Marguerite De La Motte

Birthday: 1902-06-22
Deathday: 1950-03-10
Birthplace: Duluth, Minnesota, USA
Gender: Female
Owned By: Unowned

Marguerite De La Motte (June 22, 1902 – March 10, 1950) was an American film actress, most notably of the silent film era.

Born in Duluth, Minnesota, De La Motte was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph De La Motte. She was a 1917 graduate of the Egan School of drama, music, and dancing.

De La Motte began her entertainment career studying ballet under Anna Pavlova. In 1919, she became the dance star of Sid Grauman on the stage of his theater. In 1918, at the age of 16, she made her screen debut in the Douglas Fairbanks-directed romantic comedy film Arizona. In 1920, both of her parents died, her mother in January in an automobile accident and her father in August from heart disease. Film producer J.L. Frothingham assumed guardianship of her and her younger brother.

De La Motte spent the 1920s appearing in numerous films, often cast by Douglas Fairbanks to play opposite him in swashbuckling adventure films such as 1920's The Mark of Zorro and The Three Musketeers. She developed a close friendship with Fairbanks and his wife, actress Mary Pickford. Her career as an actress slowed dramatically at the end of the silent film era of the 1920s. She did continue acting in bit parts through the sound era and made her final appearance in the 1942 film Overland Mail opposite both Noah Beery Sr. and Noah Beery Jr., as well as Lon Chaney Jr.

After her film career ended, De La Motte worked as an inspector in a southern California war plant during World War II. Later she came to San Francisco, California, where she worked in the Red Cross office.

On February 8, 1960, De La Motte was awarded a star in the Motion Pictures section of the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6902 Hollywood Blvd., in Hollywood, California.

Credits

Year Title Character
1942-09-22 Overland Mail Rose - the Waitress [Chs. 1, 8]
1942-02-05 The Man Who Returned to Life Mrs. Hibbard
1941-09-05 Reg'lar Fellers Mrs. Dugan
1934-02-06 A Woman's Man Gloria Jordan - Star
1930-09-27 Shadow Ranch Ruth Cameron
1929-04-01 Montmartre Rose Jeanne
1929-02-21 The Iron Mask Constance Bonacieux
1927-02-07 The Final Extra Ruth Collins
1926-11-22 Pals in Paradise Geraldine 'Jerry' Howard
1926-05-29 The Unknown Soldier Mary Phillips
1926-03-14 Red Dice Beverly Vane
1926-01-24 Fifth Avenue Barbara Pelham
1925-08-18 The Girl Who Wouldn't Work Mary Hale
1925-08-15 Children of the Whirlwind Maggie
1925-05-10 Daughters Who Pay Sonia Borisoff / Margaret Smith
1925-02-09 Cheaper to Marry Doris
1924-11-15 Those Who Dare Marjorie
1924-11-09 The Beloved Brute Jacinta
1924-09-15 The Clean Heart Essie Bickers
1923-10-15 Richard the Lion-Hearted Lady Edith Plantagenet
1923-07-01 Wandering Daughters Bessie Bowden
1923-06-03 A Man of Action Helen Sumner
1923-03-05 Scars of Jealousy Helen Meanix
1923-02-19 The Famous Mrs. Fair Sylvia Fair
1923-01-28 What a Wife Learned Sheila Dorne
1922-11-10 Shadows Sympathy Gibbs
1922-02-06 Shattered Idols Sarasvati
1921-08-28 The Three Musketeers Constance
1921-03-06 The Nut Estrell Wynn
1920-12-05 The Mark of Zorro Lolita Pulido
1920-12-01 The Broken Gate Anne Oglesby
1920-11-01 The U.P. Trail Allie Lee
1920-09-07 The Hope Lady Brenda Carylon
1920-09-01 Trumpet Island Eve de Merincourt
1920-01-01 The Sagebrusher Mary Warren
1919-10-31 In Wrong Millie Fields
1919-08-04 The Pagan God Beryl Addison
1919-08-03 A Sage Brush Hamlet Dora Lawrence
1919-05-05 Josselyn's Wife Lizzie