Marjorie Rambeau (1998 – 1970)
Marjorie Rambeau was born in San Francisco to parents Marcel and Lillian Garlinda Rambeau. Her parents separated when she was young.1) Marjorie accompanied her mother to the Nome gold rush when she was ten years old. She dressed like a young boy, played the banjo and collected gold in her cap.2)
Marjorie started performing in live theatre when she was twelve. In her middle teens, she came to Dawson in 1906 as part of the Thorpe-Southard Troupe. They were booked to perform a number of stage plays and opened at the Auditorium now the Palace Grand. Marjorie starred in Merely Mary Ann, a play which was successful in London and New York. The principles of the troop were Dick Thorpe and Ray Southard. The company included Fatty Arbuckle who later became a famous silent movie actor. The first play was followed a week later by Captain Racket and then a comedy Two Married Men.3)
The company fell apart after this and most of the actors left Dawson leaving Marjorie and her mother stranded. The town's actors put on a benefit performance of The Maid of Croissy and Marjorie played the lead role. Marjorie gave private instructions in elocution and directed amateur plays through the fall and winter, ten months in total.4)
Marjorie and her mother left town in April 1907 headed for a role in an Ogden stock company. Marjorie went on to a colourful and successful career in film and stage. She was noted for her love of fast cars and was married three times, the last time for more than thirty years. She was twice nominated for Oscars awards.5)