- Born
- Died
- Birth nameHelen Elizabeth MacGlashan
- Height1.57 m
- Bess Meredyth was born on February 12, 1890 in Buffalo, New York, USA. She was a writer and actress, known for Wonder of Women (1929), Morgan's Raiders (1918) and Intrigues (1928). She was married to Michael Curtiz, Wilfred Lucas and Burton Charles Leslie. She died on July 13, 1969 in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA.
- SpousesMichael Curtiz(December 7, 1929 - April 10, 1962) (his death)Wilfred Lucas(July 24, 1917 - October 25, 1926) (divorced, 1 child)Burton Charles Leslie(June 24, 1912 - ?) (annulled)
- Children
- ParentsJulia Laura GintherAndrew Fuller MacGlashan
- RelativesViola Martha MacGlashan(Sibling)William Frederick MacGlashan(Sibling)
- One of the 36 founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS)
- One of the most successful women screenwriters of her time, Meredyth began as a short story writer for various newspapers. She entered films in 1911 as an extra for D.W. Griffith at Biograph. She then moved to Hollywood and worked as both actress and a prolific contributor of scenarios. During the 1920's and 30's, she was under contract at most of the major studios, including MGM (1924-25; 1929-33), United Artists (1934-35), Warner Brothers and Columbia. She was famously brought in (along with Carey Wilson to replace June Mathis as scenarist for the blockbuster epic, Ben-Hur (1925).
- Third wife and widow of Michael Curtiz.
- Was one of the first woman to be nominated (though nominations that year were unofficial) for Best Adapted Screenplay at the Academy Awards. Both her nominated screenplays were the first screenplays adapted from novels to be nominated for the Oscars.
- Her first marriage resulted from a dare, after a high school football game. In his memoir, "Eighty Odd Years in Hollywood", her son John Meredyth Lucas claims it "may have been the shortest marriage in history".
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