Natalie Talmadge (April 29, 1896 – June 19, 1969) was an American silent film actress who was the wife of Buster Keaton and sister of the movie stars Norma and Constance Talmadge. She retired from acting in 1923.

Early life and career

Talmadge was born in Brooklyn, New York to Margaret L. "Peg" and Frederick O. Talmadge. She was the younger sister of Norma Talmadge and the older sister of Constance Talmadge, both of whom became film actresses. She appeared in D.W. Griffith's Intolerance (1916), The Passion Flower (1921) with her sister Norma, and Buster Keaton's Our Hospitality (1923), her final film appearance.

Personal life

Marriage and children

Talmadge married actor Buster Keaton on May 31, 1921, at her sister Norma's home in Bayside, Queens. She was Roman Catholic, but the marriage was performed as a civil ceremony. They had two sons: Joseph Talmadge Keaton and Robert Talmadge Keaton. The couple lived a lavish lifestyle in Beverly Hills, Natalie spending prodigious amounts of money on clothes. After the birth of their second son, she decided not to have any more children, resulting in the couple staying in separate rooms. Keaton accepted this, and they agreed that he should keep any affairs discreet. Late in the marriage, Keaton's career began to suffer after his contract with Joseph M. Schenck was sold to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. After the couple's divorce was final on August 10, 1933, Talmadge changed their boys' names to "Talmadge". In June 1942, Robert and Joseph (now 18 and 20, respectively) made the name changes legal after their mother won a court petition.

Later years and death

Natalie Talmadge was in frail health during her final years and was a resident of the Santa Monica Convalescent Home. She died of heart failure on June 19, 1969, at Santa Monica Hospital. She is buried in the Abbey of the Psalms in the Talmadge Room at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Filmography

Footnotes

Sources