Born in Buhl, Idaho to a doctor and a homemaker and raised in Los Angeles, Marjorie began her acting career as a child actress in silent films such as Scaramouche (1923). As a preteen, she acted and danced (under the name Marjorie Moore) in musicals like Collegiate (1935). From 1937 onward, she secured co-star roles in many films across many genres, from westerns to comedies. She was featured in Gone with the Wind (1939) and won the top female role opposite Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire in the seasonal film classic Holiday Inn (1942). Her role in Holiday Inn, as the girl to whom Bing Crosby sings "White Christmas" to remains Marjorie's most popular and cherished role on film.