Presented in association with the UCLA Film and Television
Archive's retrospective "Garbo: The Divine Woman,"
and the Consulate General of Sweden
Hosted by Lena Olin

Greta Garbo starred in her last film at the age of 36, but through the 25 films she made in America Garbo attained the status of legend and has remained, for many film lovers, the epitome of Hollywood stardom.  She was certainly one of the most intriguing, enigmatic, mysterious and beautiful women ever to grace the screen, and one of the few who successfully made the transition from the world of silent films to the new realities of sound pictures.

Garbo was born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson in 1905 in Stockholm to an impoverished family, and her early work experiences included a stint as a department store salesgirl. Her appearance in a publicity short for the store showcased her luminous good looks, and that led to her first work in Swedish films, at the age of 17, and a scholarship at the Royal Dramatic Theater training school.  She then went to Berlin with her mentor, the Swedish film director Mauritz Stiller, with whom she made "Gösta Berlings Saga" ("The Atonement of Gösta Berling").  When Stiller was offered a contract by Louis B. Mayer in 1924, he only agreed to come to Hollywood if his protegee, Garbo, was also offered a contract. Although Mayer was reluctant to agree, ultimately, of course, it was Garbo who became the major star for the studio, while Stiller failed to achieve success in Hollywood.

Over the course of Garbo's legendary career at MGM she earned Academy Award nominations for her performances in "Anna Christie" and "Romance" (1929/30), "Camille" (1937) and "Ninotchka" (1939), in which she was allowed to showcase her fine comedic timing. Other memorable roles were in such hits as "Flesh and the Devil" (1927), "Mata Hari" (1932), "Grand Hotel" (1932) and "Anna Karenina" (1935). She was presented with an Honorary Award from the Academy in 1954 for "her unforgettable screen performances."

The Academy's Centennial Tribute to Greta Garbo will feature film clips from many of Garbo's unforgettable screen moments, as well as commentary from some of the very few living individuals who had the privilege of knowing this great star, including writers Gore Vidal and Gavin Lambert.  The Tribute will serve as the opening night for the retrospective "Garbo: The Divine Woman," at the UCLA Film and Television Archive.