- Turned down the role of Old Rose in Titanic (1997) wanting to remain in retirement.
- She was given advice at MGM by Lionel Barrymore, "You're one of the best actresses I've ever seen, but you're never going to be a star. You're too versatile. If you want to be a star, start projecting your own personality.".
- Dated Clark Gable, John Payne and Ross Hunter during her heyday. She ended up marrying a non-professional, Leo Fred, Assistant Dean of Medicine at UCLA.
- Following her high school graduation, she worked as a radio actress in New York City, New York, and Chicago, Illinois, prior to her moving to Hollywood, California during the middle of World War II to establish herself in motion pictures.
- Upon her death, her body was cremated by the Neptune Society and her ashes scattered at sea.
- During her bachelorette days she was courted by such actors as Brian Donlevy, Ted North, Lew Ayres, Robert Walker, David Niven, and Cary Grant.
- From June 2004 until August 2013, she lived at the Motion Picture and Television Hospital, Woodland Hills, Califonia.
- Was an expert fudge maker.
- Director George Stevens originally sought Totter for the role of Alice Tripp for his film A Place in the Sun (1951) but MGM refused to loan her out. The part was later secured by Shelley Winters.
- In August 2013, she moved out of the Motion Picture and Television Hospital to live with her daughter and family in West Hills, California.
- Was supposed to play the female lead in the film noir classic The Killers (1946) with Burt Lancaster but filming Lady in the Lake (1946) became too long and involved so she couldn't do the part. Instead MGM took a chance on Ava Gardner in the role and, of course, she became a star.
- On August 6, 2018, she was honored with a day of her film work during the TCM Summer Under The Stars.
- In the late 1940s, made a television commercial for Lustre Creme's shampoo campaign.
- After graduating high school Totter joined Ian Keith's repertory company. She referred to him as 'a beautiful, talented man.'.
- Was good friends with actresses Marie McDonald and Gloria Grahame.
- Her granddaughter, Eden Totter, is a voice actress.
- Died 8 days before her 96th birthday.
- Her father emigrated from Vienna, Austria. Her mother was of Swedish heritage.
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