2. I was born on September 18th, 1905 in Stockholm, Sweden. My birth name
was Greta Lovisa Gustafsson.
At the age of 14, I worked as a clerk in a department store. Soon, that
led me to modeling. After that, I did 2 short modeling films for advertisement.
I attended grammar school until 1919. I had to drop out due to my father’s
sickness.

3. In the fall of 1920, I was chosen to model hats for Paul U. Bergstrom’s company.
I was also to appear in the promotional film for the department store called
“How Not To Dress.”
In the summer of 1921, I appeared in another promotional film called,
“Our Daily Bread”, but this time I was promoting bakery products.
In July, 1922, I met a famous producer/director named Erik Petschler ,
and he offered me a part in his upcoming film. I left my job at PUB to
pursue my dream of acting.
In the September of 1922, I was accepted as a student into the Royal
Dramatic Theater Academy.

4. On December 26th 1922, Erik Petschler’s movie premiered, but it was not giv
as much credit as was expected, which meant not a lot of popularity for me.
But I chose to keep my head held high and continue concentrating
on my career of acting.
In spring 1923, my friend Mona Martenson and I were selected to audition for
a Swedish film director named Mauritz Stiller. We both got a part in his
upcoming movie, “The Saga of Gosta Berling.”
On November 9th 1923, my name was officially changed to Greta Garbo.
It is now my stage name.

5. In 1926, I starred in a movie called The Temptress.
In 1927, I starred in another movie called Flesh And the Devil.
These films not only made me famous, but I was introduced to
John Gilbert. The day we were to be married, I left him standing
at the alter. .
All in all, I appeared in 15 sound films, and 11 silent films.

6. A lot of the films that were to be filmed or premiered that I had a role in turned
to be a failure. After that, I just gave up. I was offered very many parts in upcom
and some I took very seriously. But they all turned out the same. In 1953, I bou
7 room apartment in New York City and I decided to live a private life after that
When I went out, I wore hats and big sunglasses so that I would not be bother

7. In my last years, I lived an extremely reclusive life.
In 1984 I was successfully treated for breast cancer.
On April 15th, 1990, I died as a result of pneumonia and renal failu
(kidney failure) I died in a New York Hospital. I was 84 years old.
This is my grave. It is located in
Stockholm, where I was born.

8. I was an important person of the 1920’s because
I appeared in so many movies. I may not seem so important
today, but back then, sound films were not so common…
Actors and actresses were extremely popular because it was an
interesting new technology.