When Michelle Williams took the stage to accept her Golden Globe Award in 2020, her speech made the headlines. "I've tried my very best to live a life of my own making and not just a series of events that happened to me... And I wouldn't have been able to do this without employing a woman's right to choose... To choose when to have my children and with whom, when I felt supported and able to balance our lives as all mothers know that the scales must and will tip towards our children.”
In this controversial speech, she credited her ability to abort her babies for her career's advancement. This speech started a discussion on the prevalence and acceptance of abortion in Hollywood. Michelle Williams is far from the first film star to have abortions or credit them as essential to her career. The very pro-abortion attitude within Hollywood is far from modern. Since its foundation, film stars have been sacrificing their children to help keep their careers afloat. This was far before abortion was legalized and accepted by the mainstream public.
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| Bette Davis |
In 1934, Bette Davis starred in Of Human Bondage, which led to her first Oscar nomination. She would later say that if she had not had multiple abortions, she would have missed out on the biggest role of her life. Later she would win two Oscars, become one of the most famous film stars, and have a daughter. “She was proud of the fact that, after her abortions, she could have a baby at last and a career, because her mother had always insisted that she couldn’t have both."
One of the first actors to rise to fame was Charlie Chaplin, known for his comedic silent films. The longest-lasting standing ovation in Oscar history was for his honorary award. He influenced Hollywood forever and is remembered to this day. His many relationships and the abortions he caused and encouraged are less well known.
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| Charlie Chaplin & Lita Grey |
This was not the end of Chaplin’s connections with abortion. After several more divorces, he began an affair with Joan Berry, a young actress. She had two abortions during their affair. Chaplin's immorality was later cited as one of the reasons for his ban from the US.
Other powerful men in Hollywood also suggested abortion to actresses. Howard Strickling was the head of publicity for MGM, essentially in charge of ensuring that film stars were viewed positively. For the women, this usually meant being seen as innocent and beautiful. Not promiscuous, or mothers. One of the ways he did this was by pushing for and arranging their abortions. The actresses were admitted to hospitals under the guise of earaches, rest, appendicitis.
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| Jean Harlow - 1935 |
Jean Harlow was one of the most famous actresses of the 1930s, the first to be featured on the cover of Life Magazine. In the late 30s, she became pregnant and wanted to marry William Powell and raise their child. He, her mother, and her studio all refused. Her abortion was scheduled. “A child could wait, her career could not,” said her mother.
Joan Crawford was an Oscar winner and rival to Bette Davis. After an affair with Clark Gable, she became pregnant. Strickling arranged for her abortion. She told her husband she had miscarried.
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| Lana Turner & Judy Garland |
father of their babies, Tyrone Powers, had starred in the earliest anti-abortion film ever made, in 1916, entitled ‘Where Are My Children'. Evidently, this did not have a lasting effect on his life.
One of the most recognizable actresses of the 1940s, Rita Hayworth, had an abortion in France to save her career. She nearly died along with her child during the procedure.
Oscar winner Rita Moreno, who starred in West Side Story alongside Marlon Brando, found herself pregnant. She later said, “to my shock and horror, Marlon immediately arranged for an abortion.” She nearly died when her dead baby was left inside her, and again when she attempted suicide.
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| Frank Sinatra & Ava Gardner |
Frank Sinatra had many affairs. Rather than marry Elizabeth Taylor, he arranged for her abortion when she became pregnant. During Ava Gardner’s marriage to him, she had two abortions. “Frank was broke and my future movies were going to take me all over the world. I couldn’t have a baby with that sort of thing going on.”
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| Joan Collins & Warren Beatty |
In the 1960s, Joan Collins became pregnant by fiancee Warren Beatty and had an abortion. Later in life, she said she did not regret her choice, as having her child would have been the death of her career. She chose the death of her child instead.
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| Dietrich & Stewar |
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| Stewart & Grassle in costume for LHOTP |
Charlotte Stewart wrote of her abortion in her biography, Little House in the Hollywood Hills. Karen Grassle, who played Caroline Ingalls, had two abortions, one illegally in Mexico and one legally in New York. In the 80's she attended a celebration by Abortion Rights League, on the anniversary of the legalization of abortion. Today she continues to fight for increased abortion rights.
Film stars were constantly having affairs. Children paid the price of their flings. Even those who worked off the stage, writers and directors were having abortions. We will never know how many children died, sacrificed for the glamour and entertainment of Hollywood’s silver screen.
In the midst of all this, other women in Hollywood protected their unborn children despite the pressures they faced. They proved that it was not impossible to be a mother and successful actress.
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| Ingrid Bergman & son |
Academy Award winner Loretta Young refused abortion after she became pregnant. It is alleged that Clark Gable raped her. She had her baby in secret, then adopted her to avoid scandal. There was, of course, scandal anyway.
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| Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall and their son |
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| Andrews on set with her daughter |
Other actresses have spoken out against abortion; Patricia Heaton, Ashley Bratcher, Margaret Colin and Candace Cameron, to name a few. They are the minority in Hollywood.
All this to say, there is nothing new under the sun. Hollywood has been utilizing abortions for years, corrupt executives arranging both coerced and wanted abortions. Michelle Williams’ speech echoed the sentiments of many before her. The only difference is that now the public applauds such statements, and stars proudly pronounce them.
Will there ever be a day when we stand up and decide that our entertainment, careers, fame and comfort are not worth sacrificing our children?
