Gene Tierney
Gene Tierney was born in Brooklyn, New York on November 19, 1920 to well-to-do parents. Her father was a very successful insurance broker and her mother, a former teacher. Gene's childhood was lavish indeed. She also lived, at times, with her equally successful grandparents in Connecticut and New York. She was educated in the finest schools on the East Coast and at a finishing school in Switzerland.
After two years in Europe, Gene returned to the US where she completed her education. By 1939, she was performing on Broadway. Her wealthy father set up a corporation that was only to promote Gene theatrical pursuits. Her first role consisted of carrying a bucket of water across the stage prompting one critic to announce that "Miss Tierney is, without a doubt, the most beautiful water carrier I have ever seen!"
Her subsequent roles were more meatier and received praise from the tough critics of New York. After being spotted by the legendary Darryl Zanuck during a stage performance, Gene was signed to a contract with Fox studios. Her first role as Barbara Hall in 1940's HUDSON'S BAY would be the send-off vehicle for her career. Later that year she appeared in THE RETURN OF FRANK JAMES. 1941 would prove to be a very busy year for Gene as she appeared in THE SHANGHAI GESTURE, SUNDOWN, TOBACCO ROAD, and BELLE STARR. The performances in each of these productions was masterful.
Gene with Rex Harrison in "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir".
In 1944, Gene was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of Ellen Berent in LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN. Though she didn't win, it solidified her position in Hollywood society. The same year, Gene also turned in an outstanding performance in LAURA where she was a murder victim named Laura Hunt.
In 1947, Gene played Lucy Muir in the acclaimed THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR. Gene Tierney was the hottest player around and the 1950's saw no let up as she appeared in a number of good films such as NIGHT AND THE CITY (1951), PLYMOUTH ADVENTURE (1952), PERSONAL AFFAIR (1953), and THE LEFT HAND OF GOD (1955). The latter was to prove to be the last performance for Gene for seven years. Owing to a failed marriage to Oleg Cassini, the birth of a daughter who was mentally retarded in 1943, and several love affairs that didn't get off the ground, Gene was hospitalized for depression. When she returned to the screen in 1962 for ADVISE AND CONSENT her acting was as good as ever but there was no longer a big demand for her services. Her last film in the big screen was THE PLEASURE SEEKERS in 1964 and her final appearance in SCRUPLES, a TV mini-series, in 1980. Gene died of emphysema in Houston, Texas on November 6, 1991, just two weeks shy of her 71st birthday.
Biography Courtesy: Denny Jackson.
Gene with Vincent Price, Dana Andrews and Clifton Webb in "Laura".
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