Her great grandmother was
Helen Bray, one of Hollywood's first silent film actresses. She was discovered by
D.W. Griffith, and collaborated on films with
Gloria Swanson and
Mack Sennett. When talkies began, she withdrew from the industry to start a family, but her husband,
George C. Pearce, continued the tradition, working on over 138 pictures with stars such as
Cary Grant,
Henry Fonda,
James Stewart,
Paul Muni, and
Irene Dunne.