Unknown author · Public domain

A Canadian-American actress who became one of MGM's biggest stars of the pre-Code era, playing spunky, sexually frank women at a time when that was still daring on screen — critic Mick LaSalle later called her the first American actress to make it seem acceptable to be single and not a virgin on screen. She earned a then-record six Academy Award nominations and won Best Actress for The Divorcee (1930). She converted to Judaism during her career.