Norma Shearer moved from Montreal to New York in 1920 to pursue a career in motion pictures, quickly transitioning from bit parts to major studio contracts. Active between 1919 and 1942, she became the first performer in industry history to earn six Academy Award nominations, establishing a reputation for portraying modern, independent women on screen.
Early Ambition and New York
Born in 1902, Shearer spent her childhood in Montreal, where she attended Roslyn Elementary School, the High School of Montreal, and Westmount High School. Following the collapse of her father’s construction business in 1918, she moved to New York with her mother and sister. Despite early rejections from figures like Florenz Ziegfeld and D.W. Griffith, who criticized her physical appearance and eye alignment, she persisted. She engaged in muscle-strengthening exercises to address her strabismus and supported herself through commercial modeling, appearing as the face of Kelly-Springfield Tires.
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Shearer secured a role in the 1920 B-movie The Stealers before relocating to California in 1923. She signed with Louis B. Mayer Pictures after receiving an invitation from Irving Thalberg, who had recently joined the studio as vice president. The contract provided a weekly salary of $250 and included a screen test for the feature film The Wanters. This move marked the beginning of a prolific period in which she balanced stage and film work, eventually cementing her status as a leading dramatic actor.
Professional Legacy and Recognition
Over her career, Shearer appeared in adaptations of works by William Shakespeare, Eugene O'Neill, and Noël Coward. She earned the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1930 for her role in The Divorcee and received the Volpi Cup for Best Actress in 1938. Her contributions were later recognized with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and an inclusion on Canada's Walk of Fame in 2008. She passed away in 1983 at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital and was interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park.
Fast facts
- Born: 1902, Montreal
- Died: 1983, Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital
- Primary Occupations: Actor, model
- Academy Award for Best Actress: 1930
- Volpi Cup for Best Actress: 1938
- Education: Westmount High School, High School of Montreal, Roslyn Elementary School
- Burial Site: Forest Lawn Memorial Park
- Citizenship: Canada, United States
Questions readers ask
What was Norma Shearer’s most significant acting award?
She won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1930 for her performance in The Divorcee.
Where is Norma Shearer buried?
She is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park.
Achievements
- Academy Award for Best Actress — 1930
- Educated at High School of Montreal, Westmount High School and Roslyn Elementary School
- Worked as model, stage actor and film actor
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