Gloria Stuart was born on July 4, 1910, in Santa Monica, California, and she began her career as a child actress in silent films. She gained early recognition for her roles in pre-code films such as "The Old Dark House" (1932) and "The Invisible Man" (1933).

Her career took a turn when she married Blair Gordon Newell in 1930, and the couple moved to Carmel-by-the-Sea, where she continued to perform in local theater productions.

However, their marriage ended in 1934, and Stuart later married writer Arthur Sheekman, with whom she had a daughter, Sylvia Vaughn Thompson.

In the 1940s, Gloria Stuart shifted her focus from acting to art, becoming a fine printer and creating paintings, serigraphy, miniature books, bonsai, and découpage. Her artwork was displayed in prestigious collections, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Her return to acting came in the late 1970s, and she appeared in several television series and films, including "My Favorite Year" (1982) and "Wildcats" (1986).

Her most notable role came at the age of 86 when she was cast as the elderly Rose Dawson Calvert in James Cameron's epic romance "Titanic" (1997). Her performance earned her a Screen Actors Guild Award and nominations for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress. She continued to act until her final film performance in "Land of Plenty" (2004).

She passed away on September 26, 2010, at the age of 100, leaving behind a legacy of artistic and cinematic achievements.