Name
Greta Garbo
Known For
Acting
Birthday
1905-09-18
Deathday
1990-04-15 (85 years old)
Place of Birth
Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden
Biography
Greta Garbo (born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson; September 18, 1905 – April 15, 1990) was a Swedish-American actress, widely regarded as one of the greatest stars of classic Hollywood cinema. Known for her melancholic and enigmatic screen presence, she starred in iconic films such as Anna Karenina, Queen Christina, Camille, and Ninotchka. Throughout her career, she was celebrated for her subtle and understated performances, earning three Academy Award nominations and an honorary Oscar in 1954.
Garbo was famously private, avoiding the Hollywood social scene and retiring from acting at the age of 35. Her personal life has long been the subject of speculation, particularly regarding her sexuality. She was romantically linked to several women, including writer Mercedes de Acosta and actress Marlene Dietrich, fueling rumors that she may have been lesbian or bisexual. However, Garbo never publicly addressed these rumors, maintaining an air of mystery that only added to her legendary status.
Her legacy continues to captivate audiences, with her influence extending beyond film into discussions of gender, sexuality, and Hollywood’s golden age.
Known For
6.1
A young woman runs away from an abusive home and pre-arranged marriage only to be frustrat...
7
Guests at a posh Berlin hotel struggle through worry, scandal, and heartache....
7.2
When lifelong best friends Leo and Ulrich return home after completing their military trai...
6.6
In Imperial Russia, Anna, wife of the officer Karenin, goes to Moscow to visit her brother...
- 1939 Ninotchka as Nina "Ninotchka" Ivanovna Yakushova
- 1929 Wild Orchids as Lillie Sterling
- 1937 Conquest as Countess Marie Walewska
- 1929 The Kiss as Irene
- 1931 Inspiration as Yvonne Valbret
- 1934 Queen Christina as Christina
- 1925 Joyless Street as Greta Rumfort
- 1932 Grand Hotel as Grusinskaya
- 1931 Mata Hari as Mata Hari
- 1928 A Woman of Affairs as Diana Merrick
- 1969 Garbo, by Joan Crawford as Self (archive footage)
- 1930 Anna Christie as Anna Christie
- 1936 Camille as Marguerite Gautier
- 1993 Minns ni? as (archive footage)
- 1926 Flesh and the Devil as Felicitas
- 1924 The Saga of Gösta Berling as Elizabeth Dohna
- 2012 Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen as (archive footage)
- 1929 A Man's Man as Greta Garbo
- 1934 The Painted Veil as Katrin Koerber Fane
- 1935 Anna Karenina as Anna Karenina
- 1949 Testfilm Greta Garbo as Self
- 1930 Romance as Rita Cavallini
- 1941 Two-Faced Woman as Karin Borg Blake
- 1926 The Temptress as Elena
- 1929 The Single Standard as Arden Stuart
- 1927 Love as Anna Karenina
- 1972 Hollywood: The Dream Factory as Self (archive footage)
- 1928 The Mysterious Lady as Tania Fedorova
- 1932 As You Desire Me as Zara, a.k.a. Maria
- 2008 Thou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywood as Queen Christina (archive footage)
- 1931 Susan Lenox as Helga, aka Susan Lenox
- 2018 Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood as Self (archive footage)
- 1926 Torrent as Leonora Moreno
- 2022 Prejudice and Pride: Swedish Film Queer as Self (archive footage)
- 1928 The Divine Woman as Marianne
- 1920 Mr. and Mrs. Stockholm Out Shopping as Elder Sister/Mannequin
- 1921 Our Daily Bread as Companion
- 1922 Peter the Tramp as Greta
- 1930 Anna Christie as Anna Christie
- 2004 Checking Out: Grand Hotel as Self / Various roles (archive footage)
- 1935 Do You Remember? as (archive footage)
- 1995 Stjärnbilder as (archive footage)
- 2005 Garbo as Self (archive footage)
- 1990 The Divine Garbo as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 2003 Cole Porter in Hollywood: Satin and Silk as Self (archive footage)
- 2024 Garbo: Where Did You Go? as Self (archive footage)
- 1996 Joan Crawford: Always the Star as Self (archive footage)
- 1931 Fröken, Ni liknar Greta Garbo! as (archive footage)
- 1929 With Greta Garbo on the Swedish American Line's Ship
- 1986 Greta Garbo: The Temptress and the Clown as Self (archive footage)
- 1937 The Romance of Celluloid as Self (archive footage)
- 1939 From the Ends of the Earth as Self
- 1940 Hollywood: Style Center of the World as Self
- 2003 Complicated Women as Self (archive footage)
- 1976 That's Entertainment, Part II as (archive footage)
- 1940 A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound as Self
- 2010 Sigrid Holmquist as Sigrid Holmquist (archive footage)
- 2007 Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema as Self (archive footage)
- 1964 The Big Parade of Comedy as Ninotchka in 'Ninotchka' (archive footage)
- 2009 1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year as Self (archive footage)
- 2001 Greta Garbo: A Lone Star as Self (archive footage)
- 1921 A Fortune Hunter as Maid
- 1922 A Scarlet Angel as Extra
- 1988 Stiller, Garbo & jag as (archive footage)
- 1963 30 Years of Fun as (archive footage)
- 1991 The Meeting of Two Queens as (archive footage)
- 1920 Sweden and Swedish Industries as Self
- 2014 Stars of the Silver Screen - Greta Garbo as Self (archive footage)
- 2023 The Marriage of Greta Garbo and Sergei Eiseinstein
- 2010 Rediscovering John Gilbert as Self (archive footage)
- 1974 Adam & Yves as Herself (uncredited)
- 2009 Hollywood sul Tevere
- 2015 Destins secrets d’étoiles - Grace, Jackie, Liz, Marilyn…
- 1995 The Casting Couch
- 1969 Marlowe as Grusinskaya(archive footage) (uncredited)
- 2011 Vito as Self (archive footage)
- 1996 The Good, The Bad, and the Beautiful as Self (archive footage)
- 1961 Hollywood: The Selznick Years as Self - Anna Karenina (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 1995 Legends in Light: The Photography of George Hurrell as Self (archive footage)
- 1995 The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies as Self (archive footage)
- 2022 Azzedine Alaïa, un couturier français as Self (archive footage)
- 1926 Vårt kronprinspar i Hollywood
- 2016 My Scientology Movie as Self (archive photo)
- 1969 The Happy Ending as Self - Actress in 'Susan Lennox' (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 1974 Spécial cinéma ( 1 episode ) as Self (archive footage)
- 1955 MGM Parade ( 1 episode )
- 1955 MGM Parade ( 1 episode ) as Self
- 1955 MGM Parade ( 1 episode ) as self
- 2023 1939: Secrets of Hollywood's Golden Year ( 1 episode )
- 1978 The South Bank Show ( 1 episode )
