Ali MacGraw became a Hollywood star almost instantly. But just as fast as she gained fame, she vanished from the entertainment world completely.
Now, at 84 years old, the actress lives in a small and quiet town, gracefully embracing her grey hair.
Ali MacGraw – whose full name is Elizabeth Alice MacGraw – was born on April 1, 1939, in Pound Ridge, New York. Her mother Frances was an artist who worked at a school in Paris before moving to Greenwich Village. She married Richard MacGraw, also an artist. Ali came into the world that same year.
Richard had some childhood troubles that made him different from others.
He grew up in an orphanage and ran away at 16 to go to sea. Later on he studied art in Munich, Germany.
“Daddy was scared and really angry. He never forgave his real parents for abandoning him,” Ali shared about her father’s life filled with “suppressing all his hurt.”
As for Ali’s childhood
Their family struggled financially too. Frances and Richard lived with their kids—Ali and her brother Richard Jr.—in a house on a wilderness preserve where they shared space with an elderly couple.
“There were no doors; we used the kitchen and bathroom together,” Ali said. “It felt like no privacy at all! It was awful.”
Mom Frances took on various commercial-art jobs to support them while Richard found it tough to sell his paintings which led him to frustration that affected everyone at home including Ali’s brother who suffered from their father’s anger.
“On good days he was nice but on bad days he was terrible,” she remembered sadly. “Daddy would hit my brother hard; I saw it happen—it was horrible.”
Growing up around artists inspired Ali to pursue creativity herself as she got older. She earned a scholarship to Rosemary Hall prep school then moved onto Wellesley College in Massachusetts by 1956.
At just 22 years old, Ali moved to New York City landing her first job as an assistant editor for Harper’s Bazaar working closely with photographers!
Fashion career beginnings
Fashion editor Diana Vreeland hired her as what she called a “flunkie.” If you’ve seen The Devil Wears Prada? It felt similar!
It would be ‘Girl! Get me this!’” MacGraw recalled humorously.
She worked hard for several months until fashion photographer Melvin Sokolsky noticed how beautiful she looked; soon after that she became stylist earning more money! She stayed there six years total!
“I don’t know where this work ethic came from but she’d show up by eight am & often I’d return around one am only find her still working!” Ruth Ansel—a former art director—remembered fondly of Ali’s dedication!
Ali excelled as stylist but soon got asked if she’d model instead! Before long magazines featured her everywhere even commercials too leading straight into acting!
Years earlier Salvador Dali sketched her nude but when he started sucking on toes? That made MacGraw choose acting over modeling instead!
