Later transitioning from acting to law after adolescence, Marlowe studied at Loyola Marymount University, eventually becoming a chief trial lawyer in Los Angeles.

Recognizing something special in her, the director arranged for her to meet his associates, leading to an unexpected audition on a movie set for the film Money and the Woman.

Marlowe's early years in the industry involved joining a tap dancing class, which eventually led to an audition and her debut in the 1942 film Yankee Doodle Dandy.

Producers spent months watching various screen tests and conducting many interviews before discovering Marlowe, who had recently completed the film Mildred Pierce as the younger daughter of Joan Crawford.

[3] She was commended for her ability to ad-lib, demonstrated during an audition for a film, where having forgot the lines, improvised her own in-keeping with the story, which contributed towards her securing the role.

[2] After leaving acting, Marlowe pursued higher education, studying law at Loyola Marymount University, where she earned a degree.