Jean Harlow filmography
Jean Harlow (1911–1937) was an American actress, known for her sense of humor, who starred in a series of financially successful motion pictures throughout the 1930s.
Harlow made her film debut in Honor Bound (1928) as an unbilled extra. She would go one to appear several films as an extra for the next two years. Her first speaking role was a bit part in The Saturday Night Kid (1929). In 1930, she became an overnight film sensation after starring in Hell's Angels, as a last-minute replacement for Norwegian actress Greta Nissen.
Hell's Angels propelled Harlow to superstar status, but she struggled to find quality work in her subsequent films. Her performances in movies like The Secret Six (1931), her first film pairing opposite Clark Gable, and The Public Enemy (1931), opposite James Cagney, drew negative reviews from critics. In 1932, she signed an exclusive contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and became one of the studio's most-popular actresses. She starred in Red-Headed Woman (1932) and in Red Dust (1932), which capitalized on her "laughing vamp" image and achieved her recognition as a film comedian.
From 1933 onward, Harlow was consistently voted as one of the top box office draws in America. Her popularity continued to grow throughout the mid-to-late 1930s, and her fame soon surpassed her MGM colleagues, including Joan Crawford and Norma Shearer. She was often publicized as being MGM's most-bankable actress, and it was hoped, she would become the studio's successor to Greta Garbo. Late in her career she starred in China Seas (1935) with Clark Gable and Wallace Beery, Suzy (1936) with Cary Grant and Franchot Tone, Libeled Lady (1936) with William Powell, Spencer Tracy, and Myrna Loy, and Personal Property (1937) with Robert Taylor.
During the filming of Saratoga in June 1937, Harlow collapsed on the set. While she continued to remain ill, MGM waited for her recovery to return to filming. However, Harlow died on June 7, 1937 at the age of 26. Her cause of death has been described as "kidney failure". Originally, Harlow was to be replaced in Saratoga with either Jean Arthur or Virginia Bruce, but public complaints led to MGM completing the film that was already 90% completed, with three Harlow look-a-likes (one for close-ups, one for long-distance shots, and another to dub Harlow's voice). When the film was released it became the highest-earning film of her career and critics proclaimed it her best performance.
Film appearances
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1928 | Honor Bound | Uncredited unconfirmed | |
| 1928 | Moran of the Marines | Uncredited | |
| 1929 | New York Nights | Party Guest | Uncredited |
| 1929 | This Thing Called Love | Uncredited | |
| 1929 | Fugitives | Uncredited | |
| 1929 | Why Be Good? | Uncredited | |
| 1929 | Close Harmony | Uncredited | |
| 1929 | The Saturday Night Kid | Pearl | Uncredited |
| 1929 | The Love Parade | Lady-in-Waiting | Uncredited |
| 1929 | Weak But Willing | Uncredited | |
| 1930 | Hell's Angels | Helen | |
| 1931 | City Lights | Extra in restaurant scene | Uncredited |
| 1931 | The Secret Six | Anne Courtland | |
| 1931 | The Public Enemy | Gwen Allen | |
| 1931 | Iron Man | Rose Mason | |
| 1931 | Goldie | Goldie | |
| 1931 | Platinum Blonde | Anne Schuyler | |
| 1931 | Beau Hunks | Jeanie-Weenie (in photo) | Uncredited |
| 1932 | Three Wise Girls | Cassie Barnes | |
| 1932 | The Beast of the City | Daisy Stevens, aka Mildred Beaumont | |
| 1932 | Red-Headed Woman | Lillian 'Lil'/'Red' Andrews Legendre | |
| 1932 | Red Dust | Vantine | |
| 1933 | Hold Your Man | Ruby Adams | |
| 1933 | Dinner at Eight | Kitty Packard | |
| 1933 | Bombshell | Lola Burns | |
| 1934 | The Girl from Missouri | Eadie | |
| 1935 | Reckless | Mona Leslie | |
| 1935 | China Seas | Dolly 'China Doll' Portland | |
| 1936 | Riffraff | Hattie | |
| 1936 | Wife vs. Secretary | Helen "Whitey" Wilson | |
| 1936 | Suzy | Suzy | |
| 1936 | Libeled Lady | Gladys Benton | |
| 1937 | Personal Property | Crystal Wetherby | |
| 1937 | Saratoga | Carol Clayton |
Short subjects
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1928 | Chasing Husbands | Bathing beauty | Uncredited |
| 1929 | Liberty | Woman in cab | as Harlean Carpenter |
| 1929 | Why Is a Plumber? | ||
| 1929 | The Unkissed Man | Uncredited | |
| 1929 | Double Whoopee | Swanky blonde | |
| 1929 | Thundering Toupees | ||
| 1929 | Bacon Grabbers | Mrs. Kennedy | |
| 1929 | Weak But Willing | ||
| 1932 | Screen Snapshots | Herself | |
| 1933 | Hollywood on Parade No. A-12 | Herself | |
| 1933 | Hollywood on Parade No. B-1 | Herself | |
| 1934 | Hollywood on Parade No. B-6 | Herself | |
| 1937 | The Candid Camera Story (Very Candid) of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures 1937 Convention |
Herself | Uncredited |