She Died Alone: The Tragic Death of Film Icon Greta Garbo Shocked the World

She was one of the most dazzling and fascinating women in the world, yet in the end she died alone. Greta Garbo’s fate continues to break the hearts of her fans to this day. But what happened to her?

Greta Garbo is one of the most iconic movie stars of all time. But her life wasn’t defined solely by fame. The Swedish actress had to endure many setbacks and lived a lonely, reclusive life after retiring from the film industry. We look back on her career and her tragic death.

Greta Garbo was discovered in Berlin in the 1920s by MGM's Louis B. Mayer and brought to America. Her rise to fame began with her impressive performances in silent films, where she captivated audiences with intense close-ups and her charismatic presence. With her Swedish accent and timeless beauty, she remained a mystery to many.

Born on September 18, 1905, in Stockholm, Greta Garbo grew up in poverty. Her parents, Karl Alfred and Anna Lovisa Gustafsson, lived with their three children in a small apartment without running water. Garbo’s father, an unskilled laborer, was frequently unemployed.

"She Gottlieb notes that during her 16-year film career, Greta Garbo was viewed by the public as a transcendent phenomenon, a sphinx, a myth, and the most beautiful woman in the world," wrote Robert Gottlieb in the biography 'Garbo'. "But in reality, she was a peasant girl, uneducated, naïve and always on her guard". The early death of her father forced Garbo to drop out of school and support her family financially by working at a hair salon and later at a department store.

The tragedies in Garbo’s life continued unabated. Shortly after her arrival in the U.S., her sister died in Sweden. Her close friend and mentor, Mauritz Stiller, who had accompanied her to Hollywood, returned to Sweden in 1928 and died that same year. When World War II began, Greta Garbo’s career also suffered a severe setback. An unfortunate combination of adverse circumstances and a box-office flop led to her disappearance from the spotlight.

In 1939, MGM attempted to revive her career with the film 'Ninotchka', her first comedy, which earned her another Oscar nomination. However, her second comedy, "Two-Faced Woman" in 1941, was not well received by audiences and became her last film. In the midst of the war, Garbo’s European fans could no longer provide the income they had previously generated. After “The Woman with Two Faces,” Garbo attempted to renegotiate her salary, but the studio refused. Despite her successes in films such as “Tides of Passion,” “The Devil’s Woman,” “Mata Hari,” and “Anna Karenina,” which brought her great fame, Garbo’s personal life was marked by loss. After only 19 years in the film business, she withdrew from the public eye at the age of 36 and lived in solitude from then on. Her career spanned 27 films, which brought her lifelong success, but the shadows of her past never left her.

She moved to New York City to escape the cameras that had defined her career. But this only served to heighten people’s fascination with her. In New York City, Garbo tried to blend into everyday life. Nevertheless, she was often recognized by fans who followed her through the streets just to be near her. Her mysterious aura also attracted photographers who happened to spot her. Despite her efforts to remain anonymous, Greta Garbo remained a magnet for people.

Greta Garbo died on April 15, 1990, at the age of 84, in a Manhattan hospital. The cause of death was kidney failure and pneumonia. She had previously been receiving dialysis treatment three times a week at the Rogosin Institute of New York Hospital. In addition, the actress had beaten breast cancer in 1984.