Polly Bergen
A Hollywood star who built a cosmetics empire and won an Emmy for her portrayal of a First Lady battling addiction.
1930–2014 (age 84)·American actress and entrepreneur·Birthday: July 14·The Silent Generation
Biography
Polly Bergen entered show business as a teenage singer, her smoky voice and poised beauty quickly landing her film roles in the 1950s. She never settled for being just a pretty face, however. Bergen leveraged her fame with sharp business acumen, founding a successful cosmetics company that she later sold to Fabergé. Her most powerful performance came on television in 1964, when she played a pill-addicted Eleanor Roosevelt in 'The Winds of War,' a role that earned her an Emmy and showcased her dramatic depth. In later decades, she became a familiar and formidable presence on television miniseries and as a spokeswoman, always projecting the unflappable confidence of a woman who wrote her own rules.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Polly was born in 1930, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Polly Was Born
The biggest hits of 1930
#1 Movie
All Quiet on the Western Front
Best Picture
All Quiet on the Western Front
Polly's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1930Born
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1935Started school
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1943Became a teenager
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1946Could drive
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1948Could vote
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1951Turned 21
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1960Turned 30
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1970Turned 40
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1980Turned 50
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 60
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 70
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 80
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2014Died at 84
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
Key Achievements
- Won a Primetime Emmy Award for her portrayal of Eleanor Roosevelt in the 1964 TV movie 'The Winds of War.'
- Founded and served as president of Polly Bergen Company, a multimillion-dollar cosmetics and jewelry business.
- Served as the first female board member of the Singer Corporation, breaking barriers in corporate America.
- Published multiple books, including an autobiography and guides on beauty and fashion.
Did You Know?
She was a licensed pilot and often flew herself to business meetings and performances.
Her first major film role was opposite Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis in the 1952 comedy 'The Stooge.'
She was married to film producer Freddie Fields, who helped manage her business ventures.
She was a vocal advocate for women's rights and served on the National Commission on the Observance of International Women's Year.
“I've never been afraid of stepping out and doing something that hadn't been done before.”
