Aunt of actor Arthur Lake who best known for portraying Dagwood Bumstead in a series of Blondie movies in the 40s and 50s.

Is portrayed by Kirsten Dunst in The Cat`s Meow (2001), by Melanie Griffith in RKO 281 (1999) (TV), by Virginia Madsen in The Hearst and Davies Affair (1985) (TV) and by Heather McNair in Chaplin (1992)

Sister of actress Reine Davies.

In 1993, the family of `Patricia Van Cleve` (wife of Arthur Lake) revealed, upon her death, that she was actually the child of Marion Davies and William Randolph Hearst. Van Cleve had been raised by Davies` sister Rose and had always been introduced as her niece and Lake as her nephew.

She was William Randolph Hearst`s mistress for over 30 years. It was widely considered the "worst kept secret in Hollywood" that she lived with him in California while his wife Millicent resided in New York. His wife would not grant him a divorce so that he could marry Marion. Marion retired from the screen in the late 1930s so she could be with Hearst as his health was declining. When Hearst lay dying in 1951 at the age of 88, Marion was given a sedative by his lawyer. When she awoke several hours later, she discovered that Hearst had died and that his associates had removed his body as well as all his belongings and any trace that he had lived there with her. His family had a big formal funeral for him in San Francisco. Marion did not attend.

The character of Susan Alexander Kane played by Dorothy Comingore in Citizen Kane (1941) was based on her. She liked to do puzzles and this hobby was incorporated into the character.

She was the longtime, and sometimes long distance, mistress of newspaper magnate, William Randolph Hearst. Their life together was dubiously mirrored in the film, Citizen Kane (1941) and RKO 281 (1999) (TV), and more factually in The Cat`s Meow (2001).

had been stricken with polio

Hollywood Walk of Fame 6326 Hollywood Blvd.

In 1993, the family of `Patricia Van Cleve` (wife of Arthur Lake) revealed, upon her death, that she was actually the child of Marion Davies and William Randolph Hearst. Van Cleve had been raised by Davies` sister Rose and had always been introduced as her niece and Lake as her nephew.

Is portrayed by Kirsten Dunst in The Cat`s Meow (2001), by Melanie Griffith in RKO 281 (1999) (TV), by Virginia Madsen in The Hearst and Davies Affair (1985) (TV) and by Heather McNair in Chaplin (1992)

Her tomb at Hollywood Forever Cemetery is often overlooked though it is an imposing structure. It is a miniature Greek temple, which is appropriate since she was of Greek heritage, on the east side of the lake very close to the grave of Tyrone Power. Her family name of Douras appears over the doorway.

Interred at Hollywood Memorial Cemetery (now called Hollywood Forever), Hollywood, California, USA, in section B, east side of the lake.

Being the practical joker that she was, Marion once got President Calvin Coolidge drunk by feeding him wine and simply telling him it was fruit juice.