Greta Garbo
Acting • Born 1905-09-18 – Died 1990-04-15
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.
Filmography
77 credits
Ninotchka
Movie • 1939
Nina "Ninotchka" Ivanovna Yakushova
Wild Orchids
Movie • 1929
Lillie Sterling
Inspiration
Movie • 1931
Yvonne Valbret
Conquest
Movie • 1937
Countess Marie Walewska
The Kiss
Movie • 1929
Irene Guarry
Queen Christina
Movie • 1934
Christina
Joyless Street
Movie • 1925
Greta Rumfort
Grand Hotel
Movie • 1932
Grusinskaya
Mata Hari
Movie • 1931
Mata Hari
A Woman of Affairs
Movie • 1928
Diana Merrick
Garbo, by Joan Crawford
Movie • 1969
Self (archive footage)
Anna Christie
Movie • 1930
Anna Christie
Camille
Movie • 1936
Marguerite Gautier
Minns ni?
Movie • 1993
(archive footage)
Flesh and the Devil
Movie • 1926
Felicitas
The Saga of Gösta Berling
Movie • 1924
Elizabeth Dohna
Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen
Movie • 2012
(archive footage)
A Man's Man
Movie • 1929
Greta Garbo
The Painted Veil
Movie • 1934
Katrin Koerber Fane
Anna Karenina
Movie • 1935
Anna Karenina
Testfilm Greta Garbo
Movie • 1949
Self
Romance
Movie • 1930
Rita Cavallini
Two-Faced Woman
Movie • 1941
Karin Borg Blake
The Temptress
Movie • 1926
Elena
The Single Standard
Movie • 1929
Arden Stuart
Love
Movie • 1927
Anna Karenina
Hollywood: The Dream Factory
Movie • 1972
Self (archive footage)
The Mysterious Lady
Movie • 1928
Tania Fedorova
As You Desire Me
Movie • 1932
Zara, a.k.a. Maria
Thou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywood
Movie • 2008
Queen Christina (archive footage)
Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise)
Movie • 1931
Helga, aka Susan Lenox
Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood
Movie • 2018
Self (archive footage)
Torrent
Movie • 1926
Leonora Moreno
Prejudice and Pride: Swedish Film Queer
Movie • 2022
Self (archive footage)
The Divine Woman
Movie • 1928
Marianne
Mr. and Mrs. Stockholm Out Shopping
Movie • 1920
Elder Sister/Mannequin
Our Daily Bread
Movie • 1921
Companion
Peter the Tramp
Movie • 1922
Greta
Anna Christie
Movie • 1930
Anna Christie
Checking Out: Grand Hotel
Movie • 2004
Self / Various roles (archive footage)
Do You Remember?
Movie • 1935
(archive footage)
Stjärnbilder
Movie • 1995
(archive footage)
Garbo
Movie • 2005
Self (archive footage)
The Divine Garbo
Movie • 1990
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Cole Porter in Hollywood: Satin and Silk
Movie • 2003
Self (archive footage)
Garbo: Where Did You Go?
Movie • 2024
Self (archive footage)
Joan Crawford: Always the Star
Movie • 1996
Self (archive footage)
Fröken, Ni liknar Greta Garbo!
Movie • 1931
(archive footage)
With Greta Garbo on the Swedish American Line's Ship
Movie • 1929
Greta Garbo: The Temptress and the Clown
Movie • 1986
Self (archive footage)
The Romance of Celluloid
Movie • 1937
Self (archive footage)
From the Ends of the Earth
Movie • 1939
Self
Hollywood: Style Center of the World
Movie • 1940
Self
Complicated Women
Movie • 2003
Self (archive footage)
That's Entertainment, Part II
Movie • 1976
(archive footage)
A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound
Movie • 1940
Self
Sigrid Holmquist
Movie • 2010
Sigrid Holmquist (archive footage)
Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema
Movie • 2007
Self (archive footage)
The Big Parade of Comedy
Movie • 1964
Ninotchka in 'Ninotchka' (archive footage)
1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
Movie • 2009
Self (archive footage)
Greta Garbo: A Lone Star
Movie • 2001
Self (archive footage)
A Fortune Hunter
Movie • 1921
Maid
A Scarlet Angel
Movie • 1922
Extra
Stiller, Garbo & jag
Movie • 1988
(archive footage)
30 Years of Fun
Movie • 1963
(archive footage)
The Meeting of Two Queens
Movie • 1991
(archive footage)
Sweden and Swedish Industries
Movie • 1920
Self
Stars of the Silver Screen - Greta Garbo
Movie • 2014
Self (archive footage)
The Marriage of Greta Garbo and Sergei Eiseinstein
Movie • 2023
Rediscovering John Gilbert
Movie • 2010
Self (archive footage)
Adam & Yves
Movie • 1974
Herself (uncredited)
Hollywood sul Tevere
Movie • 2009
The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes
Movie • 2022
Spécial cinéma
TV • 1974
Self (archive footage)
MGM Parade
TV • 1955
MGM Parade
TV • 1955
Self
MGM Parade
TV • 1955
self