Marilyn Harris (1924-1999) was an American child actress whose film career is inextricably linked to a single, iconic role. She is universally recognized for having portrayed little Maria in James Whale's classic horror film *Frankenstein* (1931).

In one of the most famous and tragic scenes in cinematic history, her innocent character plays with the Monster (portrayed by Boris Karloff), throwing flowers into a lake, before a fatal drowning. This role made her an emblematic image of vulnerable innocence and childlike tragedy in the horror genre. Although she appeared in other minor films, her fame derives almost exclusively from this performance, and her career ended prematurely, cementing her status as a fleeting but unforgettable icon of classic cinema.