FAME On Her Own Terms

THE ICONIC SWEDISH BEAUTY TOOK WHAT SHE NEEDED FROM HOLLYWOOD THEN QUIETLY WALKED AWAY

Off screen, Greta Garbo rarely courted attention. While living in Los Angeles, she often disguised herself in trousers, a blazer, and a low-slung hat so she could take nighttime walks in peace.

Movies were in their infancy when the fiercely independent Swedish beauty started her rise to Hollywood legend. "Women formed her major fan base; they liked her melodrama and admired the power she displayed," says Lois W. Banner, author of Ideal Beauty: The Life and Times of Greta Garbo. However, Greta disliked life in the spotlight. Red carpets and other publicity events "caused her great anxiety. And despite her grandeur on the screen, she gave terrible interviews," says Banner.