Q. When and where was Norma Shearer born?
A. Ms. Shearer was born on August 11, 1902 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Q. Did she have any siblings?
A. She had two older siblings. The oldest, Douglas, became a sound recorder at MGM. Their sister, Athole, was married to director Howard Hawkes for a time.

Q. How did Ms. Shearer become an actress?
A. Norma Shearer started out as an extra in silent films. She soon got larger parts in films with various companies. Norma Shearer caught the attention of the great producer, Irving Thalberg and soon was signed to MGM. After more and more films she became recognized as a talented star. After marrying Irving Thalberg in 1928, Ms. Shearer had a better pick of roles. She soon became "First Lady of MGM".

Q. How many times was Norma Shearer married?
A. Ms. Shearer was married twice. The first time to producer Irving Thalberg, in 1928. They stayed happily married until his untimely death in 1936. In 1942 she married Marti Arrouge, a ski instructor, until her death in 1983.

Q. How many children did she have?
A. Norma Shearer had two children by Irving Thalberg. The oldest, Irving Thalberg, Jr. was born in 1930. The second, Katherine Thalberg was born in 1935.

Q. When was Ms. Shearer's last film made?
A. Her last film, Her Cardboard Lover, was made in 1942.

Q. What did she do after retiring?
A. Norma Shearer spent time with her family and vacationing in fashionable European resorts, but slowly declined from the public eye.

Q. How did you become interested in Norma Shearer?
A. I had been long fascinated with the life of the tragic Queen Marie Antoinette. I bought the 1938 version of Marie Antoinette not knowing any of the actors in it. Slowly, I became more and more interested in the major actress in it, Norma Shearer.

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