Dorothy Wellman
Encyclopedia
Dorothy Coonan Wellman was an American
actress and dancer. Wellman was the widow of film director
William Wellman, to whom she was married from 1934 until his death in 1975. Wellman cast her in several of his films.
. She moved to Los Angeles, California
with her family as a child.
(1929), Whoopee!
(1930), Kiki (1931) and Palmy Days
(1931). Her best-known films were 42nd Street
(1933) and Gold Diggers of 1933
. Many of the films in which she appeared were choreographed by Busby Berkeley
.
. This was the only role she played in which she was credited or had a character with a name. She makes an uncredited appearance in Wellman's The Story of G.I. Joe
, as an army nurse nicknamed Red who marries a soldier on the battlefield, only to be widowed shortly afterwards.
Dorothy Wellman died on September 16, 2009, in Brentwood, California
at age 95. She was survived by her seven children, twenty-two grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress and dancer. Wellman was the widow of film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
William Wellman, to whom she was married from 1934 until his death in 1975. Wellman cast her in several of his films.
Early life
Wellman was born Dorothy Coonan in Minneapolis, MinnesotaMinneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
. She moved to Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
with her family as a child.
Career
Her career as a dancer began at the age of 14 with Warner Brothers Studios. Her early film credits as an on-screen dancer and actress included small, uncredited parts in such early talkies as The Broadway MelodyThe Broadway Melody
The Broadway Melody is a 1929 American musical film and the first sound film to win an Academy Award for Best Picture. It was one of the first musicals to feature a Technicolor sequence, which sparked the trend of color being used in a flurry of musicals that would hit the screens in 1929-1930...
(1929), Whoopee!
Whoopee! (film)
Whoopee is a 1930 "All-Talking All-Color" musical comedy film photographed in two-color Technicolor. The plot of the film closely followed the stage show produced by Florenz Ziegfeld in 1928.-Production:...
(1930), Kiki (1931) and Palmy Days
Palmy Days
Palmy Days is a 1931 musical comedy written by Eddie Cantor, Morrie Ryskind, and David Freedman, directed by A. Edward Sutherland, and choreographed by Busby Berkeley...
(1931). Her best-known films were 42nd Street
42nd Street (film)
-Cast:*Warner Baxter as Julian Marsh, director*Bebe Daniels as Dorothy Brock, star*George Brent as Pat Denning, Dorothy's old vaudeville partner*Ruby Keeler as Peggy Sawyer, the newcomer*Guy Kibbee as Abner Dillon, the show's backer...
(1933) and Gold Diggers of 1933
Gold Diggers of 1933
Gold Diggers of 1933 is a pre-code Warner Bros. musical film directed by Mervyn LeRoy with songs by Harry Warren and Al Dubin , staged and choreographed by Busby Berkeley...
. Many of the films in which she appeared were choreographed by Busby Berkeley
Busby Berkeley
Busby Berkeley was a highly influential Hollywood movie director and musical choreographer. Berkeley was famous for his elaborate musical production numbers that often involved complex geometric patterns...
.
Career highlight
Film director William Wellman cast Coonan as "Sally" in his 1933 film, Wild Boys of the RoadWild Boys of the Road (1933 film)
Wild Boys of the Road is a black-and-white, Depression-era American film telling the story of several teens forced into becoming hobos. The film was directed by William Wellman from a screenplay by Earl Baldwin based on the story "Desperate Youth" by Daniel Ahern...
. This was the only role she played in which she was credited or had a character with a name. She makes an uncredited appearance in Wellman's The Story of G.I. Joe
The Story of G.I. Joe
The Story of G.I. Joe, also credited in prints as Ernie Pyle's Story of G.I. Joe, is a 1945 American war film directed by William Wellman, starring Burgess Meredith and Robert Mitchum. The film was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Mitchum's only nomination for Best Supporting Actor.The...
, as an army nurse nicknamed Red who marries a soldier on the battlefield, only to be widowed shortly afterwards.
Later life & death
A relationship soon followed and Coonan and Wellman were married in 1934. The couple remained married until she was widowed on December 19, 1975.Dorothy Wellman died on September 16, 2009, in Brentwood, California
Brentwood, Los Angeles, California
Brentwood is a district in western Los Angeles, California, United States. The district is located at the base of the Santa Monica Mountains, bounded by the San Diego Freeway on the east, Wilshire Boulevard on the south, the Santa Monica city limits on the southwest, the border of Topanga State...
at age 95. She was survived by her seven children, twenty-two grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren.
External links
- Dorothy Coonan - Daily Telegraph obituary