Marguerite Chapman
Encyclopedia
Marguerite Chapman was an American
actress.
Born in Chatham, New York, she was working as a telephone switchboard operator
in White Plains, New York
when her good looks brought about the opportunity to pursue a career in model
ing. Signed by the prestigious John Robert Powers Agency in New York City
, the publicity she earned modeling brought an offer from 20th Century Fox
film studios in Hollywood.
She made her film debut in 1940, working for the next two years in small roles. In 1942, her big break came with Republic Pictures
when she was cast in the leading female role in the twelve-part adventure film
serial
Spy Smasher
, a production that is considered by many as one of the best serials ever made. As a result, Chapman soon began receiving offers for more leading roles and appeared opposite important stars such as Edward G. Robinson
and George Sanders
. With America's entry in World War II
, she entertained the troops, worked for the War bond
drive and at the Hollywood Canteen
.
During the 1950s Chapman continued to perform mostly in secondary film roles, notably in Marilyn Monroe's 1955 hit The Seven Year Itch
. However, with the advent of television she kept busy into the early 1960s with guest appearances in a number different shows including Rawhide
, Perry Mason
, and Four Star Playhouse
.
Chapman was reportedly initially selected to play the role of "Old Rose" Dawson-Calvert in the 1997 James Cameron
epic Titanic
but poor health prevented her from accepting the offer.
For her contribution to the motion picture industry, Marguerite Chapman has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
at 6290 Hollywood Blvd.
Marguerite Chapman died in 1999, aged 81, and was interred in Holy Cross Cemetery
, in Culver City, California
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress.
Born in Chatham, New York, she was working as a telephone switchboard operator
Switchboard operator
In the early days of telephony, through roughly the 1960s, companies used manual telephone switchboards and switchboard operators connected each call by inserting a pair of phone plugs into the appropriate jacks. Each pair of plugs was part of a cord circuit with a switch associated that let the...
in White Plains, New York
White Plains, New York
White Plains is a city and the county seat of Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located in south-central Westchester, about east of the Hudson River and northwest of Long Island Sound...
when her good looks brought about the opportunity to pursue a career in model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
ing. Signed by the prestigious John Robert Powers Agency in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, the publicity she earned modeling brought an offer from 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
film studios in Hollywood.
She made her film debut in 1940, working for the next two years in small roles. In 1942, her big break came with Republic Pictures
Republic Pictures
Republic Pictures was an independent film production-distribution corporation with studio facilities, operating from 1934 through 1959, and was best known for specializing in westerns, movie serials and B films emphasizing mystery and action....
when she was cast in the leading female role in the twelve-part adventure film
Adventure film
Adventure films are a genre of film.Unlike pure, low-budget action films they often use their action scenes preferably to display and explore exotic locations in an energetic way....
serial
Serial (film)
Serials, more specifically known as Movie serials, Film serials or Chapter plays, were short subjects originally shown in theaters in conjunction with a feature film. They were related to pulp magazine serialized fiction...
Spy Smasher
Spy Smasher (serial)
Spy Smasher is a Republic movie serial based on the Fawcett Comics character Spy Smasher, which is now the property of DC Comics. It was the 25th of the 66 serials produced by Republic. The serial was directed by William Witney with Kane Richmond and Marguerite Chapman as the leads.This serial...
, a production that is considered by many as one of the best serials ever made. As a result, Chapman soon began receiving offers for more leading roles and appeared opposite important stars such as Edward G. Robinson
Edward G. Robinson
Edward G. Robinson was a Romanian-born American actor. A popular star during Hollywood's Golden Age, he is best remembered for his roles as gangsters, such as Rico in his star-making film Little Caesar and as Rocco in Key Largo...
and George Sanders
George Sanders
George Sanders was a British actor.George Sanders may also refer to:*George Sanders , Victoria Cross recipient in World War I...
. With America's entry in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, she entertained the troops, worked for the War bond
War bond
War bonds are debt securities issued by a government for the purpose of financing military operations during times of war. War bonds generate capital for the government and make civilians feel involved in their national militaries...
drive and at the Hollywood Canteen
Hollywood Canteen
The Hollywood Canteen operated at 1451 Cahuenga Boulevard in Hollywood, California between October 3, 1942 and November 22, 1945 as a club offering food, dancing and entertainment for servicemen, usually on their way overseas...
.
During the 1950s Chapman continued to perform mostly in secondary film roles, notably in Marilyn Monroe's 1955 hit The Seven Year Itch
The Seven Year Itch
The Seven Year Itch is a 1955 American film based on a three-act play with the same name by George Axelrod. The film was co-written and directed by Billy Wilder, and starred Marilyn Monroe and Tom Ewell, reprising his Broadway role...
. However, with the advent of television she kept busy into the early 1960s with guest appearances in a number different shows including Rawhide
Rawhide (TV series)
Rawhide is an American Western series that aired for eight seasons on the CBS network on Friday nights, from January 9, 1959 to September 3, 1965, before moving to Tuesday nights from September 14, 1965 until January 4, 1966, with a total of 217 black-and-white episodes...
, Perry Mason
Perry Mason (TV series)
Perry Mason is an American legal drama produced by Paisano Productions that ran from September 1957 to May 1966 on CBS. The title character, portrayed by Raymond Burr, is a fictional Los Angeles defense attorney who originally appeared in detective fiction by Erle Stanley Gardner...
, and Four Star Playhouse
Four Star Playhouse
Four Star Playhouse is an American television anthology series that ran from 1952 to 1956, sponsored in its first bi-weekly season by The Singer Company; Bristol-Myers became an alternate sponsor when it became a weekly series in the fall of 1953...
.
Chapman was reportedly initially selected to play the role of "Old Rose" Dawson-Calvert in the 1997 James Cameron
James Cameron
James Francis Cameron is a Canadian-American film director, film producer, screenwriter, editor, environmentalist and inventor...
epic Titanic
Titanic (1997 film)
Titanic is a 1997 American epic romance and disaster film directed, written, co-produced, and co-edited by James Cameron. A fictionalized account of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, it stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson, Kate Winslet as Rose DeWitt Bukater and Billy Zane as Rose's fiancé, Cal...
but poor health prevented her from accepting the offer.
For her contribution to the motion picture industry, Marguerite Chapman has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
at 6290 Hollywood Blvd.
Marguerite Chapman died in 1999, aged 81, and was interred in Holy Cross Cemetery
Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City
Holy Cross Cemetery is a Roman Catholic cemetery at 5835 West Slauson Avenue in Culver City, California, operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles....
, in Culver City, California
Culver City, California
Culver City is a city in western Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 38,883, up from 38,816 at the 2000 census. It is mostly surrounded by the city of Los Angeles, but also shares a border with unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. Culver...
.
Partial filmography
- Charlie Chan at the Wax MuseumCharlie Chan at the Wax MuseumCharlie Chan at the Wax Museum is a 1940 mystery film starring Sidney Toler as detective Charlie Chan.-Cast:*Sidney Toler as Charlie Chan*Victor Sen Yung as Jimmy Chan *C. Henry Gordon as Dr. Cream*Marc Lawrence as Steve McBirney...
(1940) - Spy SmasherSpy Smasher (serial)Spy Smasher is a Republic movie serial based on the Fawcett Comics character Spy Smasher, which is now the property of DC Comics. It was the 25th of the 66 serials produced by Republic. The serial was directed by William Witney with Kane Richmond and Marguerite Chapman as the leads.This serial...
(1942 serial) - DestroyerDestroyer (1943 film)Destroyer is a 1943 war film starring Edward G. Robinson and Glenn Ford as U.S. Navy sailors in World War II.-Plot:Steve "Boley" Boleslavski helps build the destroyer John Paul Jones, the namesake of the ship he served on in World War I...
(1943) - Counter-AttackCounter-AttackCounter-Attack is a 1945 war film starring Paul Muni and Marguerite Chapman as two Russians trapped in a collapsed building with seven enemy German soldiers during World War II...
(1945) - Pardon My Past (1945)
- Coroner CreekCoroner CreekCoroner Creek is a 1948 western film starring Randolph Scott as a man who seeks vengeance for the death of his fiancée. It was based on the novel of the same name by Luke Short.-Cast:*Randolph Scott as Chris Denning*Marguerite Chapman as Kate Hardison...
(1948) - Flight to MarsFlight to Mars (film)Flight to Mars is a Cinecolor science fiction film, written for the screen by Arthur Strawn, produced by Walter Mirisch for Monogram Pictures and directed by Lesley Selander. The film has some similarities to the Russian silent film Aelita...
(1951) - The Last PageThe Last PageThe Last Page is a 1952 British film noir starring George Brent, Marguerite Chapman, and Diana Dors. The movie, largely set in a bookstore, was directed by Terence Fisher and released in the United States as Man Bait.-Cast:...
(1952) - Bloodhounds of BroadwayBloodhounds of Broadway (1952 film)Bloodhounds of Broadway is a 1952 musical film based on a Damon Runyon story and starred young starlet Mitzi Gaynor, along with Scott Brady, Mitzi Green, Marguerite Chapman, Michael O'Shea, Wally Vernon and George E. Stone. It was directed by Harmon Jones....
(1952) - The Seven Year ItchThe Seven Year ItchThe Seven Year Itch is a 1955 American film based on a three-act play with the same name by George Axelrod. The film was co-written and directed by Billy Wilder, and starred Marilyn Monroe and Tom Ewell, reprising his Broadway role...
(1955) - The Amazing Transparent ManThe Amazing Transparent ManThe Amazing Transparent Man is a 1960 science fiction film starring Marguerite Chapman. It is an American B-movie which follows the story of an insane ex-U. S. Army major who uses an escaped criminal to steal materials to improve the invisibility machine his scientist prisoner made. It was one of...
(1960)