Jane Greer
Jane Greer | |
---|---|
Born | Bettejane Greer September 9, 1924 Washington, D.C.,U.S. |
Died | August 24, 2001 | (aged 76)
Resting place | Westwood Memorial Park |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1945–1996 |
Spouses | |
Partner | Frank London (1963–2001; his death) |
Children | 3, includingLawrence Lasker |
Jane Greer(bornBettejane Greer;September 9, 1924 – August 24, 2001) was an American film and television actress best known for her role asfemme fataleKathie Moffat in the 1947film noirOut of the Past.In 2009,The Guardiannamed her one of the best actors never to have received anAcademy Awardnomination.[1]
Early life
[edit]Greer was born inWashington, DC,the daughter of Charles Durell McClellan Greer Jr. and his wife, Bettie.[2]In 1940, at age 15, Greer suffered from afacial palsy,which paralyzed the left side of her face. She recovered, but the condition may have contributed to her "patented look" and "a calm, quizzical gaze and an enigmatic expression that would later lead RKO to promote her as 'The Woman with the Mona Lisa Smile'."[3]She claimed that the facial exercises used to overcome the paralysis taught her the importance of facial expression in conveyinghuman emotion.[4]
On December 4, 1945, Greer had her name legally changed to Jane Greer by a court in Los Angeles. She said of her previous name: "Mine is a sissy name. It's too bo-peepish, ingenueish, for the type of role I've been playing. It's like Mary Lou or Mary Ann."[5]
Career
[edit]Music
[edit]A beauty-contest winner and professional model from her teens, Greer began her show-business career as a big-band singer. She sang in Washington, DC, with the orchestra ofEnric Madriguera.[6]She "sang phonetically in Spanish" with the group.[7]
Film
[edit]Howard Hughesspotted Greer modeling in the June 8, 1942, issue ofLife,and sent her to Hollywood to become an actress. Hughes lent her toRKOto star in many films (another source says Greer's husband,Rudy Vallee,"helped her get out of her contract with Hughes and secure another pact with RKO Studios"[7]) includingDick Tracy(1945),Out of the Past(1947),They Won't Believe Me(1947), and the comedy/suspense filmThe Big Steal(1949), withOut of the Pastco-starRobert Mitchum.Hughes refused to let her work for a time; when she finally resumed film acting, she appeared inYou're in the Navy Now(1951),The Prisoner of Zenda(1952),Run for the Sun(1956), andMan of a Thousand Faces(1957). In 1984, she was cast inAgainst All Odds,a remake ofOut of the Past,as the mother of the character she had played in 1947. In 1952, Greer obtained a release from her contract withMetro-Goldwyn-MayerStudios. She said, "When there is a good role at MGM, the producers wantLanaorAva.There is no chance for another actress to develop into important stardom at the studio ".[8]
Television
[edit]Greer's noteworthy roles in television included guest appearances on episodes of numerous shows over the decades, such asAlfred Hitchcock Presents,Bonanza,Quincy, M.E.,Murder, She Wrote,and a 1975 role withPeter FalkandRobert Vaughnin an episode ofColumbotitledTroubled Waters.She even got to make fun ofOut of the Pastin a parody with Robert Mitchum on TV'sSaturday Night Livein 1987. Greer joined the casts ofFalcon Crestin 1984 andTwin Peaksin 1990 in recurring roles until her retirement in 1996.
Recognition
[edit]Greer was honored with a star on theHollywood Walk of Fameat 1634 Vine Street for her contributions to the motion picture industry. The star was dedicated on February 8, 1960.[9]
Personal life
[edit]Greer marriedRudy Valleeon December 2, 1943, in Hollywood, but they separated after three months and divorced on July 27, 1944.[10][11][12]On August 20, 1947, Greer marriedEdward Lasker(1912–1997), a Los Angeles lawyer and businessman, with whom she had three sons, Alex, Steven, andLawrence,a movie producer (WarGames,Sneakers).[13]Greer and Lasker divorced in 1967.[7]Frank London (an actor and dialogue coach) was Greer's domestic partner from 1965 until his death in 2001, six months before Greer died.[14]Greer was a lifelongDemocratand supportedAdlai Stevensonduring the1952 presidential election.[15]Greer wasCatholic.[16]
Greer died of cancer on August 24, 2001, at the age of 76, inBel Air, Los Angeles.[17]
Complete filmography
[edit]Partial television credits
[edit]- The Ford Television Theatre- "Look for Tomorrow" (1953), "One Man Missing (1955)", "Moment of Decision" (1957)
- Celebrity Playhouse- "Diamonds in the Sky" (1955) as Nina
- Zane Grey Theater- "A Gun for My Bride" (1957), "The Vaunted" (1958), "Stagecoach to Yuma" (1960)
- Playhouse 90- "No Time at All" (1958) as Karen
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents(1959) (Season 4 Episode 34: "A True Account" ) as Mrs. Cannon-Hughes / Ms. Cannon-Hughes / Mrs. Cannon-Hughes-Brett
- Bonanza- "The Julia Bulette Story" (1959) asJulia Bulette
- Stagecoach West- "High Lonesome" (1960) as Kathleen Kane
- Thriller- "Portrait Without a Face" (1961) as Ann Moffat
- Burke's Law- "Who Killed My Girl?" (1964) as Lonnie Smith
- Columbo- "Troubled Waters" (1975) as Sylvia Danziger
- Quincy, M.E.- "The Depth of Beauty" (1979) as Dorrie Larkin
- Falcon Crest(1984) as Charlotte Pershing (recurring role, 6 episodes)
- The Law & Harry McGraw- "Murder by Landslide" (1987) as Augusta Stillman
- Saturday Night Live- "Robert Mitchum/Simply Red" (1987) as Kathy (uncredited)
- Murder, She Wrote- "The Last Flight of the Dixie Damsel" (1988) as Bonnie Phelps
- Twin Peaks(1990) as Vivian Smythe Niles
References
[edit]- ^Singer, Leigh (February 19, 2009)."Oscars: the best actors never to have been nominated".The Guardian.UK.RetrievedSeptember 17,2022.
- ^"Rudee Vallee Will Take Bride This Evening".The Daily Chronicle.The Daily Chronicle. December 2, 1943. p. 11.RetrievedOctober 3,2015– viaNewspapers.com.
- ^"Jane Greer profile at".Yahoo! Movies.
- ^"Jane Greer Biography".hollywoodupclose.com. Archived fromthe originalon June 4, 2009.
- ^"Bettejane Greer Changes Name".The Bee.The Bee. December 5, 1945. p. 7.RetrievedOctober 3,2015– viaNewspapers.com.
- ^Carroll, Harrison (August 8, 1945)."Behind the Scenes in Hollywood".The Danville Morning News.The Morning News. p. 6.RetrievedOctober 3,2015– viaNewspapers.com.
- ^abcBowlin, Michael (June 9, 1991)."Jane Greer had roles into mid '80s".The Kerrville Times.The Kerrville Times. p. 48.RetrievedOctober 4,2015– viaNewspapers.com.
- ^Johnson, Erskine (December 17, 1952)."Eclipsed By Stars, Jane Greer Quits Studio".The Fresno Bee.The Fresno Bee The Republican. p. 36.RetrievedOctober 4,2015– viaNewspapers.com.
- ^"Jane Greer".Hollywood Walk of Fame.RetrievedJanuary 16,2017.
- ^"Bettejane Greer and Lt. Rudy Vallee Wed".Dunkirk Evening Observer.Dunkirk Evening Observer. December 3, 1943. p. 4.RetrievedOctober 3,2015– viaNewspapers.com.
- ^"Bettejane Greer and Rudy Vallee Separate".Dunkirk Evening Observer.Dunkirk Evening Observer. March 7, 1944. p. 3.RetrievedOctober 3,2015– viaNewspapers.com.
- ^"Bettejane Greer Granted Divorce From Rudy Vallee".The Brooklyn Daily Eagle.The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. July 27, 1944. p. 3.RetrievedOctober 3,2015– viaNewspapers.com.
- ^"Jane Greer Weds Lasker".The Decatur Daily Review.The Decatur Daily Review. August 21, 1947. p. 34.RetrievedOctober 3,2015– viaNewspapers.com.
- ^"Jane Greer Obituary".The Telegraph. August 28, 2001.
- ^Motion Picture and Television Magazine,November 1952, page 33, Ideal Publishers
- ^Lowe, Skip E."Interview with Jane Greer".YouTube.Archivedfrom the original on December 13, 2021.RetrievedJanuary 13,2021.
- ^Jane Greer - L.A. Times Hollywood Star Walk
External links
[edit]- 1924 births
- 2001 deaths
- 20th-century American actresses
- Actresses from Washington, D.C.
- American film actresses
- American television actresses
- American racehorse owners and breeders
- Burials at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery
- Deaths from cancer in California
- Singers from Washington, D.C.
- RKO Pictures contract players
- 20th-century American singers
- 20th-century American women singers
- Western (genre) film actresses
- Western (genre) television actors
- California Democrats
- Washington (state) Democrats
- American Roman Catholics
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract players