Brooks, Louise, 1906-1985

Mary Louise Brooks (b. Nov. 14, 1906, Cherryvale, KS–d. Aug. 8, 1985, Rochester, NY) was a dancer, actor, flapper, and style icon: she popularized the bobbed haircut. She began dancing in 1922 when she joined the Denishawn School of Dancing and Related Arts modern dance company in Los Angeles but was fired in 1924. Brooks relocated to New York City and began dancing on Broadway and made screen debut in 1925. The same year she was offered a contract with Paramount and in 1929-1930, starred in several German films. Towards the end of her life, James Card, curator for the George Eastman House, persuaded Brooks to move to Rochester to help with the film collection. Brooks was married twice, to Eddie Sutherland (1926-1928) and Deering Davis (1934-1934) and had several high profile affairs including with Charlie Chaplain, Walter Wanger, George Preston Marshall, William S. Paley.