Marian Ainslee

Marian Ainslee (1896 – 1966) was an American screenwriter and researcher active during Hollywood's silent film era. She often co-wrote titles for silent films with Ruth Cummings. Marian Ainslee was born in Marceline, Missouri. Her first job out of school was as a newspaper reporter in Jefferson City, Missouri, where she interviewed politicians. Discouraged by salaries she encountered in journalism, she decided to move to Hollywood and give screenwriting a try. After getting her start as a script clerk, Ainslee became one of MGM's top title writers during the 1920s and early 1930s, linked closely to producer Irving Thalberg. When Thalberg died, she briefly retired from screenwriting; in 1938, she signed with RKO and wrote Carefree. According to one estimation, she titled as many as 200 films during her time in the business. She was married to Albert Coonley, a newspaper artist; they appear to have been divorced by the time of his death in 1941.