Born Gretchen Michaela Young in Salt Lake City, UT; nicknamed "Atilla the Nun" and "Saint Loretta." After the rigors of a convent education interrupted her nascent career (she had broken into film as a bit player at the age of three), Loretta Young resurfaced at the age of 14 to play a supporting role in NAUGHTY BUT NICE (1927), netting herself a contract with First National. By the mid-1930s Young, having made a strategic switch to the Fox lot, had blossomed into one of Hollywood's loveliest and most prominent leading ladies, capably adorning a number of (mostly mediocre) productions. Her career reached its peak during the late 1940s in such carefully mounted vehicles as THE FARMER'S DAUGHTER (1947) and COME TO THE STABLE (1949), playing put-upon heroines. By 1954 Young had abandoned the screen in favor of a successful second career as the crisp, glamorous hostess, and frequent star, of TV's long-running anthology series "The Loretta Young Show" (1954-63). Her first husband (1930-31) was actor Grant Withers. She was briefly linked romantically with actor Spencer Tracy in the 1930s. Her second husband (1940-1969) was producer-writer Thomas Lewis. Her third husband (1993-97, his death) was costumer designer Jean Louis, who had designed the gowns she had worn for her swirling entrances on her television show in the 1950s and 60s.  Actress 1947: THE FARMER'S DAUGHTER  Nominated for Actress 1949: COME TO THE STABLE 2 nominations, 1 Award