# Marjorie Main

> US actress (1890–1975)

**Wikidata**: [Q445018](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q445018)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marjorie_Main)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/marjorie-main

# Marjorie Main

## Summary
Marjorie Main (born Mary Tomlinson) was an American character actress whose career spanned film, television, stage, and radio from 1916 until her death in 1975. Known for portraying eccentric and unusual characters, she became a recognizable figure across multiple entertainment mediums during her nearly six-decade career.

## Biography
- **Born:** February 24, 1890
- **Died:** April 10, 1975
- **Nationality:** United States
- **Education:** Franklin College
- **Also Known As:** Mary Tomlinson (birth name)
- **Known For:** Character acting across film, television, stage, and radio
- **Fields:** Film, Television, Theatre, Radio
- **Active Career:** 1916–1975

## Contributions
Marjorie Main built a career as a versatile performer across four entertainment mediums. As a character actress, she specialized in portraying distinctive, unusual, and eccentric characters rather than conventional leading roles. Her stage work involved live performance before in-person audiences, while her film and television careers placed her in front of cameras for recorded productions. She also worked in radio, completing the full spectrum of performance mediums available during her lifetime.

Beginning her professional work in 1916, Main remained active in entertainment for approximately 59 years, navigating the transition from early film through the golden age of radio to the emergence of television.

## FAQs

**What was Marjorie Main's real name?**
Marjorie Main was born Mary Tomlinson. She used Marjorie Main as her professional name throughout her entertainment career.

**When did Marjorie Main work as an actress?**
Her professional career began in 1916 and continued until her death on April 10, 1975, spanning nearly six decades in the entertainment industry.

**What kind of roles did Marjorie Main play?**
She worked as a character actress, a type of performer who predominantly plays unusual or eccentric characters rather than standard leading roles. This classification distinguishes her from principal actors who typically portray more conventional protagonists.

**In which entertainment mediums did Marjorie Main perform?**
Main worked across four mediums: stage (live performance before in-person audiences), film, television, and radio. This comprehensive coverage reflects her adaptability across evolving entertainment technologies.

**Where did Marjorie Main receive her education?**
She attended Franklin College before pursuing her career in entertainment.

## Why They Matter
Marjorie Main represents an important archetype in American entertainment: the durable character actress whose specificity of type—eccentric and unusual characters—provided memorable contributions across multiple mediums. Her career timing positioned her at the intersection of major entertainment shifts, from stage and silent film through talkies, radio's golden age, and television's rise. Character actors like Main serve as essential supporting structures in narrative entertainment, often delivering performances that become as iconic as those of leads. Her longevity in the industry demonstrates professional adaptability across changing technologies and audience expectations.

## Notable For
- Character actress specializing in unusual and eccentric roles
- Career spanning four distinct entertainment mediums: stage, film, television, and radio
- Professional career lasting approximately 59 years (1916–1975)
- Born Mary Tomlinson, performed professionally as Marjorie Main
- Educated at Franklin College
- Active during transformative period in American entertainment history
- Documented across major reference databases including Wikidata, VIAF, ISNI, Library of Congress, and others

## Body

### Early Life and Education
Marjorie Main was born Mary Tomlinson on February 24, 1890, in the United States. She received her education at Franklin College before transitioning to professional performance work.

### Career Beginnings
Main launched her professional acting career in 1916, beginning a tenure in entertainment that would last nearly six decades. Her entry into the profession coincided with a vibrant period in American stage and silent film.

### Multi-Medium Career
Main's professional identity encompassed five overlapping occupational categories:
- **Actor**: General performer in dramatic and comic productions
- **Character Actor**: Specialist in portraying unusual or eccentric characters
- **Stage Actor**: Live performer before in-person audiences
- **Film Actor**: Performer appearing in cinematic productions
- **Television Actor**: Performer on television broadcasts

This breadth of classification reflects a career that adapted to evolving entertainment technologies while maintaining her specialty in character-driven performances.

### Professional Identity
Main operated under her professional name throughout her career, distinguishing her stage persona from her birth identity as Mary Tomlinson. The adoption of a stage name was standard practice for performers of her era and contributed to the construction of her public persona as a character actress.

### Death and Legacy
Marjorie Main died on April 10, 1975, at the age of 85. Her career had spanned from the Wilson administration through the post-Watergate era, witnessing and participating in dramatic transformations in how entertainment was produced and consumed. Her documentation across extensive reference systems—including Wikidata, the Library of Congress, VIAF, and multiple international cataloging authorities—attests to her recognized place in entertainment history.

## References

1. Integrated Authority File
2. Virtual International Authority File
3. BnF authorities
4. International Standard Name Identifier
5. MusicBrainz
6. Internet Broadway Database
7. Find a Grave
8. filmportal.de
9. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
10. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File
11. Cinemathèque québécoise Linked Open Data