Marian Marsh

Marian Marsh (born Violet Ethelred Krauth; October 17, 1913 – November 9, 2006) was an American film actress and later an environmentalist.

Early life Violet Ethelred Krauth was born on October 17, 1913, in Trinidad, British West Indies (now Trinidad and Tobago), the youngest of four children of a German chocolate manufacturer and, as noted by encyclopaedist Leslie Halliwell in his book The Filmgoer's Companion, his French-English wife.

Owing to World War I, Marsh's father moved his family to Boston, Massachusetts. By the time she was 10, the family had relocated to Hollywood, California. Her older sister, Harriet, an actress who went by the name of Jean Fenwick and Jean Morgan, landed a job as a contract player with FBO Studios.

Marsh attended Le Conte Junior High School and Hollywood High School. In 1928 she was approached by silent screen actress Nance O'Neil, who offered her speech and movement lessons, and with her sister Jean's help, she soon entered the movies. She secured a contract with Pathé, where she was featured in many short subjects under the name Marilyn Morgan.

She was seen in small roles in Howard Hughes's classic Hell's Angels (1930) and Eddie Cantor's lavish Technicolor musical Whoopee! (1930). Not long afterwards, she was signed by Warner Bros. and her name was changed to Marian Marsh.

In 1930, at age 17, Marsh had the female lead in Young Sinners, a play at the Belasco Theater. A contemporary news article reported that she "has scored a distinct hit" in her first stage production.

Hollywood success

In 1931, after appearing in a number of short films, Marsh landed one of her most important roles in Svengali opposite John Barrymore. Marsh was chosen by Barrymore for the role of Trilby.

In the 1960s, Marsh founded Desert Beautiful, a non-profit all-volunteer conservation organization to promote environmental and beautification programs.

Cliff Henderson died in 1984 and Marsh remained in Palm Desert until her death.

Death In 2006, at age 93, Marsh died of respiratory arrest while sleeping at her home in Palm Desert. She is buried at Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City, California.

Complete filmography

The Sophomore (1929) (uncredited) Don't Believe It (1930 short) Hell's Angels (1930) as Girl Selling Kisses Whoopee! (1930) as Harriett Underwood (uncredited) The Naughty Flirt (1931) as Kay's Friend (uncredited) Svengali (1931) as Trilby O'Farrell Under Eighteen (1931) as Margie Evans Five Star Final (1931) as Jenny Townsend The Road to Singapore (1931) as Rene March The Mad Genius (1931) as Nana Carlova Alias the Doctor (1932) as Lotti Brenner Beauty and the Boss (1932) as Susie Sachs Strange Justice (1932) as Rose The Sport Parade (1932) as Irene Stewart The Eleventh Commandment (1933) as Corinne Ross Daring Daughters (1933) as Terry Cummings Notorious But Nice (1933) as Jenny Jones A Man of Sentiment (1933) as Julia Wilkens Love at Second Sight (1934) as Juliet I Like It That Way (1934) as Joan Anderson Over the Garden Wall (1934) as Mary The Prodigal Son (1934) as Miss Lillian Comstock A Girl of the Limberlost (1934) as Elnora Comstock In Spite of Danger (1935) as Sally Sullivan Unknown Woman (1935) as Helen Griffith The Black Room (1935) as Thea Hassel Crime and Punishment (1935) as Sonya Lady of Secrets (1936) as Joan Counterfeit (1936) as Verna Maxwell The Man Who Lived Twice (1936) as Janet Haydon Come Closer, Folks (1936) as Peggy Woods When's Your Birthday? (1937) as Jerry Grant The Great Gambini (1937) as Ann Randall Youth on Parole (1937) as "Bobbie" Blake Saturday's Heroes (1937) as Frances Thomas Prison Nurse (1938) as Judy A Desperate Adventure (1938) as Ann Carrington Missing Daughters (1939) as Josie Lamonte Fugitive from a Prison Camp (1940) as Ann Baldwin Murder by Invitation (1941) as Nora O'Brien Gentleman from Dixie (1941) as Margaret Terrill House of Errors (1942) as Florence Randall