Greta Garbo Biography

While there, she was spotted by director Mauritz Stiller, an important filmmaker in the early 1920s. Stiller cast Greta in 'The Atonement of Gosta Berling', in 1923, which made her a minor star, and became Greta's mentor and lover, glamorising her image and changing her professional name to Garbo.

She was then cast in a German film drama, 'The Joyless Street', in 1925, which was directed by G. W. Pabst.

Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios hired Stiller, who brought Garbo with him, even though Louie B. Mayer was unimpressed by her. It was only after shooting her first American film, 'The Torrent', in 1926, that MGM realized they had a potential gold mine.

In 'Flesh and the Devil', 1927, Garbo co-starred with John Gilbert for the first time, and they fell in love. They made many films together and lived together for a time. She agreed to marry him, but changed her mind at the last minute. Although Garbo had many affairs, including relationships with Leopold Stokowsky and director Rouben Mamoulien, she never married.

There was much concern about Garbo's first talking picture, since she had such a thick Swedish accent. However, 'Anna Christie' was very successful, heralded by the famous "Garbo Talks" advertising campaign.

Her aloofness and desire to "be alone" only increased her following.

As World War II began, Garbo became less and less popular, even though the 1939 comedy 'Ninotchka' was popular.

Her last film 'Two Faced Woman', in 1941, was not a success. She retired from movies permanently, despite an invitation to make Hitchcock's 'The Paradine Case'.

She lived in New York city and was often seen strolling the streets near her apartment. She died in 1990.