Florence Rice (Who’s Who at MGM, 1937) 🇺🇸

Proud of the fact that she is the daughter of Grantland Rice, noted sports commentator, Florence Rice still intends to strive for a career in motion pictures on her own merits.

Under contract to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, she appeared first in “Sworn Enemy,” with Joseph Calleia and Robert Young. She had important roles in “Women Are Trouble,” “The Longest Night,” Under Cover of Night, “Man of the People,” Married Before Breakfast, again with Young, Double Wedding and Navy Blue and Gold.

Miss Rice was born in Cleveland, and became interested in the theater as a child. She studied in the United States and abroad, after being graduated from private schools in New York, and the Dwight School for Girls at Englewood, N.J.

In 1934 she went to Hollywood and made her screen debut in “Fugitive Lady,” following in Death Flies East, “Panic on the Air,” “Carnival,” “Under Pressure” and “The Blackmailer,” after which she joined M-G-M.

Writes Good Verse

She is distinguished by a total lack of affectation. She writes verse for her own amusement and some of it has been judged by literary critics as excellent. But even in this, her private hobby. Miss Rice is without pretense. The trick of writing comes to her naturally.

Miss Rice is an excellent dancer a reliable bridge partner and plays a driving game of tennis. She also rides and plays golf. Her literary taste runs to fiction by the better contemporary writers and she is devoted to poetry.

In three years of existence in Hollywood, Miss Rice definitely established herself as one of the young actresses for whom the future is very promising. She is a gay hostess, popular in a widening circle of activities, and is unusually beautiful. Her eyes are clear horizon blue and her hair is blonde. Her voice is musical and in its tone there is usually a note of laughter.

Prefers Films to Stage

She idolizes her father and hopes to succeed without any assistance from him. Also, she scorns people who regard newspaper writing as second-rate.

“When you can write so that your facts are condensed, yet tell a story in clear English,” she said, “then you may write for a good newspaper. The finest books and the greatest verse were written according to that formula, from all that I can learn.”

Before she entered the field of pictures. Miss Rice might easily have won an opportunity on Broadway. She preferred the medium of the screen and has not changed her opinion.

Good Work Recognized

Miss Rice was assigned to a new important role in support of William Powell and Myrna Loy in the adaptation of Ferenc Molnar’s play, Great Love, which was released as the picture, Double Wedding. She started preparation for the part immediately after she finished Married Before Breakfast.

The new role was in recognition of her work in previous pictures and it marks a definite step forward in her career as a screen actress. The Molnar play, which critics rank with his two most successful efforts, The Swan and The Guardsman, has been produced with an all-star cast of which Miss Rice was among the first to be chosen.

Collection: Who’s Who at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (1937)