"When we have learned to love our neighbor, not just our selves, no matter where we come from, then America will be perfect." - Irene Dunne

Irene Marie Dunne was born on December 20, 1898, in Louisville, Kentucky. Her father died when she was twelve years old. Irene and her mother moved to Indiana to live with her grandparents. She studied music and dreamed of becoming an opera singer. Irene married Francis Dennis Griffin, a dentist, in July 1928. After appearing in several Broadway shows Irene was offered a contract with RKO.

In 1931 she starred in the western Cimarron and was nominated for an Academy Award. Her success continued with hit movies like Love Affair, Roberta, and Showboat. At the height of her career Irene was earning $400,000 a year. She and Dennis adopted a daughter, Mary, in 1936. Irene made three films with Cary Grant including the screwball comedy The Awful Truth. She would always say that Cary was her favorite leading man.

In 1948 Irene starred in the drama I Remember Mama and received her fifth Oscar nomination. Irene retired from making movies in the early 1950s. She was a devout Catholic and spent much of her time doing charity work. In 1959 President Eisenhower made her an alternate delegate to the United Nations. After the death of her husband in 1965 Irene stayed out of the spotlight. She died on September 4, 1990 from heart failure. Irene is buried at Calvary Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.

The Awful Truth (1937)