Marguerite De La Motte

File:Marguerite De La Motte Face detail, from- The Nut 1921 (cropped).jpg

Born in Duluth, Minnesota,{{cite book|last1=Katchmer|first1=George A.|title=A Biographical Dictionary of Silent Film Western Actors and Actresses|date=2009|publisher=McFarland|isbn=9781476609058|page=92|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VnGeCQAAQBAJ&q=%22Marguerite+De+La+Motte%22&pg=PA92|accessdate=27 September 2017|language=en}} De La Motte was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph De La Motte.{{cite news|title=(photo caption)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/14047310/marguerite_de_la_motte/|work=The New York Times|date=January 28, 1917|location=New York, New York City|page=42|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = September 27, 2017}} {{Open access}} She was a 1917 graduate of the Egan School of drama, music, and dancing.{{cite news|title=(Egan School advertisement)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/14047679/marguerite_de_la_motte/|work=The Los Angeles Times|date=September 9, 1919|location=California, Los Angeles|page=56|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = September 27, 2017}} {{Open access}}

De La Motte began her entertainment career studying ballet under Anna Pavlova.{{cite news|title=Miss de la Motte, Once Dancer, Now Shines as Dramatic Screen Star|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/14048650/marguerite_de_la_motte/|work=Star Tribune|date=April 25, 1920|location=Minnesota, Minneapolis|page=54|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = September 27, 2017}} {{Open access}} 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{{cite news|title=Here and There With the Stars|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/14047874/marguerite_de_la_motte/|work=Vancouver Daily World|date=January 17, 1920|location=Canada, Vancouver, British Columbia|page=19|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = September 27, 2017}} {{Open access}} and her father in August from heart disease. Film producer J.L. Frothingham assumed guardianship of her{{cite news|title=Movie Star Can's Spend Her Pay Check Unless Guardian Says So|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/14048821/marguerite_de_la_motte/|work=Oakland Tribune|date=September 6, 1920|location=California, Oakland|page=18|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = September 27, 2017}} {{Open access}} and her younger brother.

File:Margueritedelamotte.jpg

File:The Sagebrusher (1920) - 8.jpg and Marguerite De La Motte|alt=]]

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.

De La Motte was married twice. She first wed silent film actor John Bowers in 1924, who was then a matinee idol of the silver screen. That marriage ended with Bowers's suicide in 1936. De La Motte later married attorney Sidney H. Rivkin whom she divorced after four years of marriage. Her cousin,{{Citation needed|date=May 2022}} Clete Roberts, was an American war correspondent and journalist, who appeared in two episodes of the television series M*A*S*H* in the 1970s.{{Cite web |title=Clete Roberts |url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/clete-roberts/credits/3030350554/ |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=TVGuide.com |language=en}}

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.{{cite book|last=Brettell|first=Andrew|author2=King, Noel|author3=Kennedy, Damien|author4= Imwold, Denise|others=Leonard, Warren Hsu; von Rohr, Heather|title=Cut!: Hollywood Murders, Accidents, and Other Tragedies|publisher=Barrons Educational Series|year=2005|page=71|isbn=0-7641-5858-9}}

On March 10, 1950, De La Motte died of cerebral thrombosis in San Francisco at the age of 47.{{cite news|title=Miss De La Motte, 47, Star of Silent Films|date=1950-03-11|newspaper=The New York Times|pages=15}}

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.{{cite web|title=Marguerite De La Motte|url=http://www.walkoffame.com/marguerite-de-la-motte|website=Hollywood Walk of Fame|accessdate=28 September 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170928013326/http://www.walkoffame.com/marguerite-de-la-motte|archivedate=28 September 2017}}

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;Bibliography

• {{cite news|newspaper=New York Times|title=Marguerite De La Motte III|date=February 28, 1950|page=21}}

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• {{IMDb name|0209323}}
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Category:1902 births

Category:1950 deaths

Category:Actresses from Duluth, Minnesota

Category:American film actresses

Category:American silent film actresses

Category:Deaths from cerebral thrombosis

Category:20th-century American actresses