Biography for
Constance Bennett (I) More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

22 October 1904, New York City, New York, USA

Date of Death

24 July 1965, Fort Dix, New Jersey, USA (cerebral hemorrhage)

Birth Name

Constance Campbell Bennett

Height

5' 4" (1.63 m)

Mini Biography

Independent, outspoken Constance Bennett, the first of the Bennett sisters to enter films, appeared in New York-produced silents before a chance meeting with Samuel Goldwyn led to her Hollywood debut in Cytherea (1924). She abandoned a burgeoning career in silents for marriage to Philip Plant in 1925; after they divorced, she achieved stardom in talkies from 1929. The hit Common Clay (1930) launched her in a series of loose lady and unwed mother roles, but she really excelled in such sophisticated comedies as The Affairs of Cellini (1934), Ladies in Love (1936), Topper (1937) and Merrily We Live (1938). Her classy blonde looks, husky voice and unerring fashion sense gave her a distinctive style. In the 1940s she made fewer films, working in radio and theatre; shrewd in business, she invested wisely and started businesses marketing women's wear and cosmetics. Loving conflict, she feuded with the press and enjoyed lawsuits. Her last marriage, to a U.S. Air Force colonel, was happy and gave her a key role coordinating shows flown to Europe for occupying troops (1946-48) and the Berlin Airlift (1948-49), winning her military honors. Still young-looking, she died suddenly at age 60 shortly after completing the last of her 57 films.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Rod Crawford

Mini Biography

Often described as the most beautiful of the Bennett sisters with her blonde hair and blue eyes, Constance Bennett was the daughter of actor Richard Bennett and actress Adrienne Morrison. Her sisters were Joan Bennett and Barbara Bennett. She was educated at Miss Shandor's school, Mrs. Merrill's school and Mme. Balsan's Finishing School, Paris. Her hobbies: bridge, living in France and good books.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Dave Curbow

Spouse

Theron John Coulter	(22 June 1946 - 24 July 1965) (her death)
Gilbert Roland	(20 April 1941 - 20 June 1946) (divorced) 2 children
Henri de la Falaise	(22 November 1931 - 14 November 1940) (divorced)
Philip Morgan Plant	(3 November 1925 - 14 December 1929) (divorced) 1 child
Chester Hirst Moorhead	(6 June 1921 - 1923) (annulled)

Trivia

Daughter of Richard Bennett and Adrienne Morrison.

Sister of Barbara Bennett & Joan Bennett.

Screen & stage actress.

Most references give Constance's birth year wrongly as 1905, corrected to 1904 by sister Joan in her autobiography. Her age at death accordingly was 60, not 59 as usually stated.

Her 1931 contract with Warner Brothers, $300,000 for 2 films, made her the highest-paid film player up to that time and reportedly inspired tax legislation aimed at the film industry.

Her stage acting debut: Noel Coward's "Easy Virtue", 1940.

She sang with her own voice in films, on stage, and in a nightclub act 1956-62 in which she parodied early rock-n-roll.

Constance was considered one of the best poker players in Hollywood. She was also an excellent skier.

Adopted son, Peter Bennett Plant (born 1929, adopted 1930); daughters with Gilbert Roland: Lorinda Roland born 21 Apr 1938; and Gyl Roland, born 9 December 1941.

As a colonel's wife and in recognition of her work for the Berlin Airlift, she is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Interred at Arlington National Cemetery , Arlington, Virginia, USA. Specific interment location: Section 3, Lot 2231-A, Grid P-13.

Granddaughter of Rose Wood and the stage actor Lewis Morrison, birth name: Morris W. Morris (1845 - 1906).

Aunt of Morton Downey Jr..

Sister-in-law of Morton Downey.

Has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contribution to Motion Pictures, at 6250 Hollywood Boulevard, a short distance from the star of her sister, Joan Bennett.

Grandfather, Morris W. Morris (stage name Lewis Morrison), was of English and wealthy Spanish ancestry. Constance's sister, actress Joan Bennett, discussed this, in detail, in her 1970 autobiography "The Bennett Playbill".

Accepted the role of Ellie Andrews in It Happened One Night (1934), but later turned it down when Columbia Pictures would not allow her to produce the film herself. Claudette Colbert was then given the part and went on to win the Best Actress Oscar for her performance.

Personal Quotes

"I wish I were as sure about anything as Constance is about everything!" --sister Barbara about Constance

"I'm a lot more sartorial than thespian. They come to see me and go out humming the costumes."

[on Marilyn Monroe] There's a broad with her future behind her.

Salary

Law of the Tropics (1941)	$10,000
Two Against the World (1932)	$150,000/4 weeks work
Bought (1931)	$30,000/week

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