Gloria Grey ~ The Silent Beauty

 

Gloria Grey was a silent film actress and a Wampas Baby Star who died young

She was born Maria Dragomanovic on October 23, 1909 in Portland, Oregon. When she was a child her family moved to Oakland, California. Gloria started her career vaudeville where she performed with the Gus Edwards revue. At the age of fourteen she made her film debut in the comedy Bag and Baggage. In 1924 she got rave reviews for her performance in A Girl Of The Limberlost. That same year she was chosen to be a Wampas Baby star along with Clara Bow. Gloria was signed by F.B.O. and co-starred with Jackie Coogan in Little Robinson Crusoe. She was also Lefty Flynn's leading lady in the westerns The Cowboy Millionaire and The No Gun Man. The blonde haired, blue eyed actress was signed by Universal in 1926. Gloria was given prominent roles in numerous films including The Broncho Buster, The Cloud Dodger, and the serial Blake Of Scotland Yard.

Like many silent stars she was unable to make the transition to sound film. She decided to quit making movies in 1929. Then playwright Ramon Romero cast her in his play The Missing Witness. Gloria and Ramon started dating and were married in 1934. The couple had a daughter named Lisa. Unfortunately their marriage was troubled and they separated in 1939. Soon after she went to Argentina where she made five Spanish language films. She moved into a modest home in Los Angeles with her mother and daughter. Sadly in early 1947 she was diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis. On November 22, 1947 she died from the disease at the young age of thirty-eight. Gloria was cremated and buried at Westwood Village Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.