Marilyn Knowlden, the beloved child actress of Hollywood’s Golden Age who appeared in classics like Little Women, Imitation of Life, and Les Misérables, has passed away at the age of 99. One of the last surviving stars of the 1930s, she captivated audiences with her grace and talent before retiring from film to pursue music, theater, and family life. Her remarkable journey—from a baby pageant winner to a cherished performer alongside legends like Katharine Hepburn and James Cagney—leaves behind a legacy of artistry, resilience, and joy. Here are 50 amazing facts about the legendary actress!
Marilyn Knowlden was born on May 12, 1926, in Oakland, California.
She was the only child of Robert E. Knowlden Jr. and Bertha McKenzie.
Her parents married on December 23, 1921.
She won a baby beauty pageant in 1929 when she was nearly three years old.
She began dance lessons at age three.
One of her early teachers, Theodore Kosloff, believed she would succeed in show business.
Her father arranged her first Hollywood screen test in 1931 at Paramount Pictures.
She debuted in Women Love Once at just four years old.
On the day of her debut screen test, her family survived a car accident.
Actress Dolores Costello helped comfort her after that accident.
As promotion for Women Love Once, she performed live in theaters before screenings.
By 1933, she had an uncredited role in Little Women starring Katharine Hepburn.
Little Women was nominated for Best Picture at the 1934 Academy Awards.
In 1934, she portrayed Jessie Pullman at age eight in Imitation of Life.
Over 100 children auditioned for that role, which she won.
Imitation of Life was later preserved in the U.S. National Film Registry.
In 1935, she played young Agnes Wickfield in David Copperfield.
The same year, she portrayed young Cosette in Les Misérables.
Her face is featured on most DVD covers of Les Misérables.
She played piano in a scene in David Copperfield.
She acted alongside Fredric March in Anthony Adverse (1936).
She received praise for her role in Rainbow on the River (1936).
In Marie Antoinette (1938), she played Princess Marie Thérèse of France.
She appeared with James Cagney in Angels with Dirty Faces (1938).
She was considered for the role of Careen O’Hara in Gone With the Wind.
In 1940, she played Marianna van Horn in All This, and Heaven Too.
Altogether, six of her films were nominated for Best Picture.
She often played the younger versions of leading ladies.
She never signed a studio contract, working instead as a freelancer.
She attended Beverly Hills High School while acting.
Her last film was The Way of All Flesh in 1940.
She retired from film acting in 1944 to focus on education.
She studied drama and music at Mills College in California.
On July 30, 1946, she married Army Captain Richard Goates.
She accompanied him to assignments in China and Japan.
She became a radio announcer for Armed Forces Radio in Nanking.
Her station call sign was XMAG.
The couple also lived in Yokohama and Shanghai.
They had three children—Carolyn, Brian, and Kevin—and fostered one child.
She later divorced Goates and married Eliseo Busnardo.
She wrote musicals and plays, often collaborating with Richard.
In 1962, she co-wrote Never Put Off Until Tomorrow for her church.
She returned to Mills College at age 50.
She moved to Fallbrook, California, in 1983.
At age 69, she played the lead in a local production of My Fair Lady.
She continued performing in community theater productions.
In 2010, Cinecon honored her with a lifetime achievement award.
Actress Marsha Hunt presented her that award.
She published her autobiography Little Girl in Big Pictures in 2011.
Marilyn Knowlden passed away in 2025 at the age of 99, remembered as one of the last living stars of Hollywood’s 1930s Golden Age.