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Actress Mona Greenberg, the devoted spouse of Oscar-winning actor Karl Malden, died at the age of 102.
Biography
Mona was born Mildred DeLeuw Greenberg in St. Joseph, Missouri, on May 9, 1917. Early hardship shaped Mona’s life. She lost her father, Edward, tragically to the flu pandemic when she was only two years old. Mona had a very unconventional upbringing, being raised by her mother Marian and different relatives spread out over Missouri and Kansas. She attended an astounding 13 different schools by the time she finished high school at the age of 16.
Mona and Mladen Sekulovich, better known as Karl Malden, first met as scholarship students at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre in the 1930s, marking the beginning of Mona’s ascent to fame. As they performed together onstage in plays like “Jack and the Beanstalk,” they grew close and their relationship would last for seven decades.
Mona and Karl left for New York independently after graduating in 1937 to pursue their distinct performing careers. But fate had other ideas. The young couple met up again in the city by chance, both of them struggling to make ends meet while navigating the difficulties of the acting business.
In a touching turn of events, Karl was able to gain a temporary suspension from “The Gentle People” rehearsals, which allowed the pair to exchange vows in Brooklyn on December 18, 1938. The fact that they remained together for an incredible 70 years until Karl’s death on July 1, 2009, at the age of 97, was a monument to the strength of love.
Mona, also known by her stage name Mona Graham, followed her acting career and had a Broadway appearance in the 1943 comedy “I’ll Take the High Road,” which was produced and directed by the eminent Sanford Meisner. She was an extra at Fox Studios as well. She did, however, make the challenging decision to put her career on wait to prioritize raising her family.
The Maldens welcomed two children, Mila and Carla, while living in New York. The family relocated to Los Angeles in the early 1960s, where they proceeded to create their wonderful life together.
What was Mona Greenberg’s Cause of Death?
Mona Greenberg passed away at the age of 102. She died peacefully at her home Brentwood in Los Angeles. The exact cause of her death has been revealed.
