Muriel Finlay
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Muriel (Murrel/Merle) Finley (née June 15, 1902 – October 5, 1975) was an American model, Ziegfeld girl, and actress, celebrated in her era as “one of the most beautiful girls in the world”.
Career Highlights
Ziegfeld Follies & Broadway
Finley performed in the prestigious Ziegfeld Follies in 1927 and again in 1929, after being scouted by Florenz Ziegfeld's team (notably by Henry Clive, who dubbed her “the most beautiful blonde in California”)
Modeling
She posed for Vogue in 1928 (photographed by Edward Steichen) and was featured in Lucky Strike cigarette ads alongside other famed Ziegfeld Girls.
Photographers like Alfred Cheney Johnston and Charles Sheeler captured her during the late 1920s.
Film Appearances
Transitioning to film in 1930, she appeared in:
- Sin Takes a Holiday (as Ruth)
- Whoopee! (uncredited “Goldwyn Girl”)
- Safety in Numbers (bit role)
Personal Life
Born in Salmon, Idaho, Finley was scouted from California and later performed in New York.
She married cinematographer Edward Cronjager in January 1931; they divorced in February 1933.
In May 1935, she married General Robert Dinwiddie Groves, and moved to Kansas City, working in Cosmopolitan’s art department.
Finley passed away on October 5, 1975 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Legacy & Iconography
Her image was immortalized by leading artists and photographers:
- Alfred Cheney Johnston — iconic Ziegfeld-era portraits
- Edward Steichen — Vogue 1928 shoot
- Charles Sheeler — jewelry portrait, 1927
Finley remains a symbol of the glamorous Roaring Twenties—bridging stage, screen, and print as a classic beauty of her time.
- Muriel Finlay gallery
Origins & Immediate Family
Parents:
Martin James Finley (b. 1866 – d. 1947)
Adelaide Almira “Addy” Frost Swartz (b. 1881 – d. 1954)
Siblings:
Claude James Finley (1897–1975)
Fredrica Bessie Finley (1900–1968)
Murrel “Muriel” Finley herself (b. 1902)
Constance Helen Finley Hemingway (1903–1992)
Half-sibling:
Kenneth William Swartz (b. 1913–1974)—listed via Adelaide’s second marriage
Marriages & Children
- Edward Cronjager (cinematographer)
- Married January 1931, divorced February 1933
- No records mention any children from this marriage.
- Brig. Gen. Robert Dinwiddie Groves Sr.
- Married May 20, 1935; remained together until her death in October 1975
- According to IMDb, they had one child together. Unfortunately, the child's name and subsequent details aren’t publicly available in standard sources.
Death & Descendants
Muriel passed away on October 5, 1975, in Kansas City, Missouri, at age 73.
She was buried at Machpelah Cemetery, located in Lexington, Lafayette County, Missouri.
External links
- As of June, 2025, there were no articles about Muriel_Finlay on the Wikipedia website /R
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