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Key Dates

Actress

Date of birth:19 November 1920
Brooklyn, New York, USA

Birth name: Gene Eliza Tierney

Height:5' 7"

Spouse:
W. Howard Lee (11 July 1960 - 17 February 1981) (his death)
Oleg Cassini (1 June 1941 - 28 February 1952) (divorced) 2 children

Date of death: 6 November 1991, Houston, Texas, USA. (emphysema)

Biography

Gene Tierney, who was better known for her beauty than her talent (unfairly so for she was a fine actress as anyone who has seen her in the enchanting The Ghost and Mrs. Muir would testify), was the daughter of a wealthy stockbroker, and started acting on stage in the late 1930s. A supporting role in the Broadway production of The Male Animal in 1940 brought Tierney to the attention of 20th Century Fox; she was signed and received a rapid star build-up in such pictures as The Return of Frank James, Hudson's Bay (all 1940), and Tobacco Road receiving star billing with Belle Starr (both 1941). She was loaned to director Josef von Sternberg for The Shanghai Gesture (also 1941), but was woefully miscast as an exotic dragon lady; at her home studio, her projects were carefully tailored to her talents.

Tierney was at her best in such films as Ernst Lubitsch's Heaven Can Wait (1943), Laura (1944), and the memorable The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947, opposite Rex Harrison); she earned an Oscar nomination for her persuasive performance as a venal woman who "just loves too much" in Leave Her to Heaven (1945), one of several films to capture her beauty with the full force of Technicolor.

Gallery :: Photos

A few photos of Gene Tierney. Looking at them, they don't really capture the astonishing beauty of this Hollywood legend. There was a depth to her where just a look from her could set a scene more than a 100 words could ever do. Very few of her contempories had that icy intenseness she possessed.

Reading back, I do think my comment above about her talent is harsh at the very least for she was a fine actress, always watchable. I first saw her by chance in Leave Her To Heaven and was blown away. It's now one of my favourite films. It seems to me that the Tecnicolour was turned up until we're awashed in the bright lights of Heaven. Moreover never has such an ethereal actress been better suited for such extravagant use of colour. Extraordinary. If you haven't seen it then you must.

A journey as poetic as anything you will ever see on film. If one of the great European directors had made it then it will be spoken of as the highest Art.

Gene Tierney autographs, photographs and more @ ebay.com (direct link to photographs).

Gallery :: Film Posters

Below are just a few posters from Gene Tierney's film career.

You won't be surprised to know but the company with the most varied of Tierney repro. film posters is amazon. There are a vast array of her posters there - far, far more than here.

They come in various sizes and usually work out to be less than $10 per poster which I don't think is too bad. You get an unusual and beautiful item to hang on your walls and I bet your friends won't have it.

Here, occasionally, you will find an original poster from the time of the release of the movie. They are obviously far more expensive but if you have the money they are worth it as they are works of art in their own right.

Gene Tierney Film Posters available @ amazon.com.