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Marion Davies

Marion Davies

Actor and producer · Died September 22, 1961, aged 64 · Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

From Wikipedia Marion Davies (January 3, 1897 – September 22, 1961) was an American film actress, producer, screenwriter, and philanthropist. Davies was already building a solid reputation as a film comedienne when newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst, with whom she had begun a romantic relationship, took over management of her career. Hearst financed Davies' pictures, promoted her heavily through his newspapers and Hearst Newsreels, and pressured studios to cast her in historical dramas for which she was ill-suited. For this reason, Davies is better remembered today as Hearst's mistress and the hostess of many lavish events for the Hollywood elite. In particular, her name is linked with the 1924 scandal aboard Hearst's yacht where one of his guests, film producer Thomas Ince, became ill. Despite the legend surrounding Ince's death, likely from alcohol consumption, he did not die on the Hearst yacht. The producer died a few days later in the arms of his wife. In the film Citizen Kane (1941), the title character's wife—an untalented singer whom he tries to promote—was widely assumed to be based on Davies. But many commentators, including Citizen Kane writer/director Orson Welles himself, have defended Davies' record as a gifted actress, to whom Hearst's patronage did more harm than good. She retired from the screen in 1937, choosing to devote herself to Hearst and charitable work. In Hearst's declining years, Davies provided financial as well as emotional support until his death in 1951. She married for the first time eleven weeks after his death, a marriage which lasted until Davies died of stomach cancer in 1961 at the age of 64.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 3, 1897
Died
September 22, 1961 (aged 64)
From
Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Actor and producer
Titles
14 on MovieCove · 54 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 43% in 30 days

What are Marion Davies' films like?

Across their 11 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Society.

Genres

Comedy7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 80th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Documentary3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 66th percentile
: browse their Documentary movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
37%
Society
21%
Self
18%
Morality
12%
Power
7%
Ideas
5%
Romantic love7 titles, browse their movies with this themeFame5 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this themeLegacy2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 11 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 10 · Serious 1 · Dark 0

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 8 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 0

Gentle: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their gentle movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 8 · Charged 3 · Intense 0

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 9 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 5

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 5 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 9 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 11 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

7 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 7 of 7 analyzed roles.

Hero
7 of 7
Show the 7 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
6
Romantic
7
Warm
5
Absurd
2
Melancholic
2
Other
9

How their films linger

Feel-good9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy8
  • Bittersweet3

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Marion Davies' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 4 of their 14 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (2).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Marion Davies' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

54 credits, 14 with a MovieCove page; 14 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Checking Out: Grand Hotel(2004)

    as (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • Captured on Film: The True Story of Marion Davies(2001)

    as (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • The Casting Couch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Actor

  • That's Entertainment! III(1994)

    as (archive footage) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The Big Parade of Comedy(1964)

    as Tina in 'The Red Mill' (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Meet the Family (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Original Story

  • Ever Since Eve (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Marge Winton

  • Cain and Mabel(1936)

    as Mabel O'Dare

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Hearts Divided (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Producer · as Betsy Patterson

  • Pirate Party on Catalina Isle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Marion Davies

  • Page Miss Glory (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Producer · as Loretta

  • Operator 13 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Gail Loveless

  • Going Hollywood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Sylvia Bruce

  • Peg o' My Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Margaret 'Peg' O'Connell

  • Blondie of the Follies(1932)

    Producer · as Blondie McClune

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Polly of the Circus(1932)

    Producer · as Polly Fisher

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Five and Ten (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Jennifer Rarick

  • It's a Wise Child(1931)

    Producer · as Joyce Stanton

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The Bachelor Father (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Producer · as Antoinette "Tony" Flagg

  • The Florodora Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    as Daisy Dell

  • Not So Dumb (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Producer · as Dulcy

  • Marianne (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as Marianne

  • Show People(1928)

    Producer · as Peggy Pepper

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • The Cardboard Lover (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Executive Producer · as Sally

  • The Patsy(1928)

    Producer · as Patricia Harrington

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Quality Street (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Producer · as Phoebe Throssel

  • The Fair Co-Ed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    as Marion

  • Tillie the Toiler (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    as Tillie Jones

  • The Red Mill(1927)

    as Tina

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Beverly of Graustark (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    as Beverly Calhoun

  • Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ(1925)

    as Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Lights of Old Broadway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    as Fely / Anne

  • Zander the Great (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    as Mamie Smith

  • Janice Meredith (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    as Janice Meredith

  • The Wife of the Centaur (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    as Cameo in chorus line

  • Yolanda (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    as Princess Mary / Yolanda

  • Little Old New York(1923)

    as Patricia O'Day

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • The Pilgrim(1923)

    as Congregation Member (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Adam and Eva (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    as Eva King

  • When Knighthood Was in Flower (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    as Mary Tudor

  • The Young Diana (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    as Diana May

  • Beauty's Worth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    as Prudence Cole

  • The Bride's Play (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    as Enid of Cashell / Aileen Barrett

  • Enchantment (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    as Ethel Hoyt

  • Buried Treasure (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    as Pauline Vandermuellen

  • The Restless Sex (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    as Stephanie

  • April Folly (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    Producer · as April Poole

  • The Cinema Murder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

    as Elizabeth Dalston

  • The Dark Star (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

    as Rue Carew

  • Getting Mary Married (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

    Producer · as Mary Bussard

  • The Belle of New York (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

    Producer · as Violet Gray

  • The Burden of Proof (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1918)

    as Elaine Brooks

  • Cecilia of the Pink Roses (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1918)

    Producer · as Cecilia

  • Runaway Romany (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1917)

    Writer · as Romany

Career shape

Star power in the 78th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 54 titles from 1917 to 2004.

Highest rated

Show People (1928)

Midcredits 93rd

Film career

  • 1923Screen debut· The Pilgrim
  • 1928First top-billed film· Show People

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting53 of 54: 38 only acting, 15 with another role · typical Midcredits score77thWriting2 of 54: 1 only writing, 1 with another roleProducing14 of 54: 0 only producing, 14 with another role

54 titles, 15 with more than one role — acting and producing overlap on 14 of them.

By decade

1910s7 · 7 acting · 4 crew1920s26 · 26 acting · 5 crew1930s15 · 15 acting · 6 crew1950s1 · crew1960s1 · acting1990s2 · acting2000s2 · acting

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Marion Davies' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 77th percentile, the median of all 14; across their 11 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 64th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Approval · how many liked their films

85thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Reach · how many have seen their films

36thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Midcredits score across 14 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up7
  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th1
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

6 of their 14 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser4
  • Mixed6

Most divisive · actor, producer

It's a Wise Child (1931)

81st percentile spread · 12% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925)

Midcredits 93rd · 82% liked

Reviewers score the acting 74/100 in their films, across 9 reviewed titles; fans 81, detractors 52. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Marion Davies work with?

People who share at least 2 of Marion Davies' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; King Vidor shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers