Greta Garbo
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Reluctant film icon Greta Garbo spent her entire life retreating from the very publicity that her career demanded of her. In one of her first (and only) interviews, she exasperatedly quipped, “I was born. I had a mother and father. I went to school. What does it matter?”
Known as the “Swedish Sphinx,” the once A-list actress appeared in dozens of films. Then, in fickle Hollywood fashion, she was subsequently labeled “box office poison” and retired at age 35. This wasn’t surprising when you consider that her most famous movie line was “I just want to be alone.”
Elusive as ever in her retirement years, Garbo lived in Manhattan, where she occupied the entire fifth floor of her building — in an almost unheard-of seven-room New York apartment. And there was an unspoken rule for the neighbors: avoid eye contact.
Garbo’s aversion to publicity ironically made her one of the most publicized actresses in history. Yet she signed no autographs nor replied to any fan mail and steered clear of all movie premieres and award shows.
Even her 1990 death at age 84 from heart and kidney failure caught many by surprise. Only Garbo’s closest friends even knew that she was receiving dialysis.
