Marjorie Main Biography

Marjorie Main was an actress best known as the character of "Ma Kettle" in the "Ma and Pa Kettle" films. Marjorie Main was born Mary Tomlinson on February 24, 1890 in Acton, Indiana to Samuel Joseph and Jennie Tomlinson. Main's father worked as a minister in the church. Main had one sibling, a brother by the name of Samuel Tomlinson. Main studied to become a teacher in Lexington, Kentucky at the Hamilton School of Dramatic Expression. After Main graduated, she taught for a year. Shortly after, she started a career in vaudeville and appeared in "The Taming of the Shrew".

Main then moved to New York City and appeared on Broadway when she was twenty-six years old. On December 2, 1921, Main married Stanley LeFevre Krebs who worked in psychology. The marriage would endure until his death in 1935. Main's debut into film was in the 1931 drama, "A House Divided". She followed it up with the films, "Hot Saturday" with Cary Grant, "Crime Without Passion", "Music in the Air" with Gloria Swanson and the musical, "Naughty Marietta". Main also appeared in the shorts, "New Deal Rhythm" with Shirley Temple and "Art Trouble". Main then appeared on Broadway in "Dead End" in 1935 and as well as "The Women" in 1936.

The following year, Main appeared with Barbara Stanwyck in the romantic drama, "Stella Dallas". That same year, she starred in the film version of "Dead End" with Humphrey Bogart. Several films ensued such as, "The Shadow" with Rita Hayworth, "Test Pilot" with Clark Gable, Myrna Loy, Spencer Tracey and Lionel Barrymore, "Too Hot to Handle" and the drama, "The Angels Wash Their Faces" with Ronald Regan. In 1939, Main starred in the film version of "The Women" with Joan Crawford. The following year, Main signed a contract with MGM.

During the 1940's, Main starred in films such as, "A Woman's Face", "The Shepherd of the Hills" with John Wayne, "Honky Tonk" with Lana Turner, "Heaven Can Wait", "Meet Me in St. Louis" with Judy Garland and "Murder, He Says". In 1947, Main appeared as, "Ma Kettle" in the comedy film "The Egg and I" with Percy Kilbride. Main's performance earned her an Academy Award nomination for, "Best Actress in a Supporting Role". The next role she took on was, "The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap" with Bud Abbott and Lou Costello.

In 1949, Main reprised her role as "Ma Kettle" in the comedy, "Ma and Pa Kettle". Main would appear in eight more Kettle films with "The Kettles on Old McDonald's Farm" being the last in 1957. The previous year, Main had been nominated for a Golden Globe in the film drama, "Friendly Persuasion". Main's last acting role was in the television series, "Wagon Train" in 1958. On April 10, 1975, Main passed away from lung cancer. She was 85 years old. Marjorie Main is currently buried at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles, California.