Marguerite De La Motte — Blue Book of the Screen (1923) 🇺🇸

If the stars had been consulted when Marguerite De La Motte first saw the light of day, in June, 1903, they would have foretold great beauty, great sorrow and great success for her before she reached the age of twenty.

While “Peggy” was a small child her father, a Duluth attorney, moved with his family to San Diego. Here she received her education and made her first public appearance as a dancer.

When she came to Los Angeles “Peggy” was established as a dancer, and at the age of fourteen appeared at a local theater in a solo dance created by herself.

Already she showed signs of becoming a great beauty — a figure slim and tiny, light brown hair that hung in long curls, small chiseled features, a brilliant smile and teeth, large, luminous hazel eyes, and long curling lashes.

It was this school girl of fifteen who attracted the attention of Douglas Fairbanks [Douglas Fairbanks Sr.]. The famous star engaged her for the part of Lena in his production of “Arizona,” and — she had “arrived.” Her next picture work was in “The Sagebrusher” and “The U. P. Trail” in the featured roles.

Then J. L. Frothingham, known as “a picker of stars,” engaged her for a part in one of his productions, and it was while engaged in this picture that Marguerite lost her parents through a tragic automobile accident which left the little girl of sixteen and her younger brother orphans.

Mr. Frothingham was appointed guardian of the two children and it was this guardianship and later managership which piloted little “Peggy” to phenomenal heights and success.

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Portrait by Evans • Los Angeles

Collection: The Blue Book of the Screen (1923)