Marcia Mae Jones, a renowned actress, was born on August 1, 1924, into a family with a rich history in the entertainment industry. Her mother, Freda Jones, was an actress, and Marcia Mae's three siblings, Margaret Jones, Macon Jones, and Marvin Jones, all began their careers as child actors. However, Marcia Mae would go on to achieve the most success and distinction in her career, emerging as the only sibling to become a child star.
Marcia Mae's acting debut occurred when she was just six months old, after director James Cruze spotted her in her baby carriage and immediately cast her as the baby in his film Mannequin (1926). She made her first major role appearance in Night Nurse (1931),playing one of two siblings targeted for murder by a sinister household retainer. By the time she was 10 years old, Marcia Mae had already appeared in several dramatic films.
In 1936, she played a terrified victim of school bullying in These Three (1936),a role that garnered her significant attention. The following year, she portrayed the crippled Klara in Heidi (1937),alongside fellow child actors Delmar Watson and Shirley Temple. Despite being four years older than Temple, the two girls demonstrated excellent on-screen chemistry and would go on to appear together again in The Little Princess (1939). Marcia Mae also collaborated with other prominent child stars of the 1930s, including Jane Withers, Bonita Granville, Jackie Moran, Sybil Jason, and her favorite, Jackie Cooper.
Marcia Mae's personal life was marked by two marriages, the first to a merchant marine with whom she had two children. However, this union ended in divorce. As her film career began to slow down in the early 1950s, she transitioned to television roles. By 1952, she was employed as a switchboard operator at the law firm of Greg Bautzer.
Marcia Mae's adult life was marred by the tragic suicide of her second husband, Bill Davenport, and struggles with alcoholism. However, she eventually overcame her addiction and became a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, a testament to her resilience and determination.
