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The name Gustafsson fills pages and pages in Swedish telephone directories. After the shooting of Peter, the Tramp during the Summer of 1922, Greta applicd to the drama school of the Royal Dramatic Theater in Stockholm. She was admitted in the fall. Mona Mhrtensson (right) was one of Garbo‘s friends from drama school. They both auditioned for Stiller. They corresponded with cach other during Garbo‘s early period in Hollywood. Two years after Greta left for Hollywood Mona also went into the movies. Another friend from drama school and with whom Garbo corresponded was Vera Schmiterlöw who is pictured with Garbo in the film car (see next spread). After more than a year at drama school and her first part for the famous director Mauritz Stiller, the question of changing her name arose. The name “Garbo“, many have said, was inspired by Erica Darbo, a Norwegian operetta performer who was much appluaded in Stockholm at the time. The Hungarian royalty name of Gàbor has also been mentioned. Many have been credited with thinking up the name, such as Stiller, his scriptwriter, the vicar who confirmed Greta and Mimi Pollak, her friend from drama school. In any case, Miss Gustafsson was the one who took the name.

Darbo – Gábor – Garbo

The undersigned requests hereby respectfully permission for my underage daughter, Miss Greta Gustafsson, to adopt the family name of Garbo. Birth certificate enclosed.
Stockholm, November 9, 1923
Anna Gustafsson

Witnesses: My mother‘s application at hand is subscribed to by me

The name Gustafsson fills pages and pages in Swedish telephone directories. After the shooting of Peter, the Tramp during the Summer of 1922, Greta applicd to the drama school of the Royal Dramatic Theater in Stockholm. She was admitted in the fall. Mona Mhrtensson (right) was one of Garbo‘s friends from drama school. They both auditioned for Stiller. They corresponded with cach other during Garbo‘s early period in Hollywood. Two years after Greta left for Hollywood Mona also went into the movies. Another friend from drama school and with whom Garbo corresponded was Vera Schmiterlöw who is pictured with Garbo in the film car (see next spread). After more than a year at drama school and her first part for the famous director Mauritz Stiller, the question of changing her name arose. The name “Garbo“, many have said, was inspired by Erica Darbo, a Norwegian operetta performer who was much appluaded in Stockholm at the time. The Hungarian royalty name of Gàbor has also been mentioned. Many have been credited with thinking up the name, such as Stiller, his scriptwriter, the vicar who confirmed Greta and Mimi Pollak, her friend from drama school. In any case, Miss Gustafsson was the one who took the name.

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1-5: Cover  |  6-7  |  8-9  |  10-11  |  12-13: Family  |  14-15: Grandmother  |  16-17: Early Silence  |  18-19: Mother / Father · Confirmation  |  20-21: Primary School  |  22-23: School days · sister / brother  |  24-25: Garbo's childhood home  |  26-27: The girl in the barber shop  |  28-29: The girl in the hat department  |  30-31: Darbo-Gábor-Garbo  |  32-33  |  34-35: Arrived!  |  36-37  |  38-39: Greetings from Gurra  |  40-41  |  42-43: Waiting  |  44-45  |  46-47  |  48-49: Launching  |  50-51  |  52-53  |  54-55  |  56-57  |  58-59: Garbo's car  |  60-61: Garbo and the prince  |  62-63: Handwriting  |  64-65: Home to Mother  |  66-67  |  68-69  |  70-71: The Sphinx  |  72-73: Homage  |  74-75: Caricature  |  76-77  |  78-79: The idol  |  80-81: Leave me alone  |  82-83: On board  |  84-85  |  86-87: In Sweden  |  88-89  |  90-91: Conquest  |  92-93: Fashion · Con garbo · Garbo's diet  |  94-95  |  96-97: Garbo talks  |  98-99  |  100-101: Just friends  |  102-103: Four angles of Garbo  |  104-105  |  106-107: Garbo on camera  |  108-109: The stars predict  |  110-111  |  112-113: Dark glasses  |  114-115: Suddenly  |  116-117: High Society  |  118-119: Garbo laughs  |  120-121: Walks  |  122-123: Big game  |  124-125: Passport  |  126-127: Miss G  |  128-129  |  130-131  |  132-133: The casual visitor · Get-away  |  134-135: Garbo above the surface · On the screen  |  136-137  |  138-139  |

 

© Ture Sjolander · GARBO · 1971
www.GRETAGARBO.homestead.com  ·  www.greta-garbo.de
Press Articles about the Myth Greta Garbo