Mary Astor (May 3, 1906 - September 26, 1987) Mary Astor, beloved actress, died peacefully on September 26th, 1987 at the age of 81. The feisty, red-haired actress was born Lucile Langhanke in Quincy, Illinois. As a youngster, she found herself onstage in Shakespearean productions with the Yauger Players at the age of 15. Her Motion Picture Magazine debut shortly followed in 1921. Within a few years, she was playing pivotal roles in films such as Red Dust (1932) with Clark Gable, Little Women (1933) opposite Katharine Hepburn, and Dodsworth (1936) for which she received her first Academy Award nomination. Her next major award nod came with her portrayal of Brigid O'Shaunessy in John Huston's The Maltese Falcon (1941). A busy actress, Mary Astor returned to the stage after a bout of sickness in 1945. Though later credited for television roles in Climax! and Wagon Train, her fame continued to be grounded in the classic films for which she was most known. Mary Astor remains an icon of classic film, remembered for her expressive eyes, her crown of red hair, and the gravitas she lent to her performances.