Signed Photograph of Mary Astor - Real Name was Lucile Vasconcellos Langhanke - 1923 dated Autograph Photo

Photograph of Mary Astor in "Paramount Pictures" signed by her.

Lucile Vasconcellos Langhanke, better known by her screen name Mary Astor, was a prominent American actress who successfully transitioned from silent films to the Golden Age of Hollywood. Born in Quincy, Illinois, in 1906, she entered the film industry at just 14 years old, signing with Hollywood moguls after winning several beauty contests. Her talent was evident early on, and she quickly landed significant roles, including a breakthrough performance opposite John Barrymore in the 1924 film Beau Brummel. Throughout the silent era and the transition to sound film, Astor cultivated a reputation for her intelligent and natural acting style, enabling her to tackle a diverse range of parts.

Astor’s career spanned over four decades and encompassed more than 100 films. Despite personal turmoil and very public scandals, such as a sensational mid-1930s custody battle where her private diaries were leaked to the press, she persevered. Her most enduring performance came as the complex and devious femme fatale, Brigid O’Shaughnessy, in the 1941 film noir classic The Maltese Falcon. This role cemented her legacy, and she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Great Lie that same year. Astor retired from acting in 1964 and went on to become a successful author, publishing a bestselling autobiography and several novels before her death in 1987.