Marjorie Reynolds
Encyclopedia
Marjorie Reynolds was an American film actress. She appeared in more than 70 films.
Born Marjorie Goodspeed, in Buhl, Idaho, as her parents made the cross-country trip from Maine to settle in California, she was featured as a child actress
in silent films such as Scaramouche (1923). Her first speaking role was in Murder in Greenwich Village (1937). She also appeared in bit parts in many A-pictures including Gone with the Wind
(1939). She also co-stared with John Trent in several Tailspin Tommy movies like Mistery Plane and Danger Flight.
A stand-out role for Reynolds was as the waitress and loyal girlfriend opposite wrongly-accused Richard Cromwell
in Universal Pictures
's anti-Nazi action drama entitled, Enemy Agent (1940). That same year, in The Fatal Hour
, Reynolds appeared for Monogram Pictures
as a reporter on the trail of Boris Karloff
's detective James Lee Wong, and opposite Grant Withers
as a cop . Her later films included Holiday Inn
(1942), Fritz Lang
's Ministry of Fear
(1944) and Up in Mabel's Room (1944). She starred opposite Abbott and Costello
in The Time of Their Lives
(1946). Her career progression was hindered by the premature death of her mentor, Mark Sandrich
.
Often featured in dramatic roles, in Holiday Inn, she showed her ability to dance, and she performed "White Christmas
" as a duet with Bing Crosby
, although her singing was dubbed by Martha Mears
.
She later appeared in the NBC version of the television series The Life of Riley
(1953–1958) and appeared on 3 episodes of the television series Leave it to Beaver
(1960–1963).
On February 1, 1997, having suffered from congestive heart disease, she collapsed and died in Manhattan Beach, California
, while walking her dog. She was 79 years old.
She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
.
Born Marjorie Goodspeed, in Buhl, Idaho, as her parents made the cross-country trip from Maine to settle in California, she was featured as a child actress
in silent films such as Scaramouche (1923). Her first speaking role was in Murder in Greenwich Village (1937). She also appeared in bit parts in many A-pictures including Gone with the Wind
Gone with the Wind (film)
Gone with the Wind is a 1939 American historical epic film adapted from Margaret Mitchell's Pulitzer-winning 1936 novel of the same name. It was produced by David O. Selznick and directed by Victor Fleming from a screenplay by Sidney Howard...
(1939). She also co-stared with John Trent in several Tailspin Tommy movies like Mistery Plane and Danger Flight.
A stand-out role for Reynolds was as the waitress and loyal girlfriend opposite wrongly-accused Richard Cromwell
Richard Cromwell (actor)
Richard Cromwell, born LeRoy Melvin Radabaugh , was an American actor. His family and friends called him Roy, though he was also professionally known and signed autographs as Dick Cromwell. Cromwell's career was at its pinnacle with his work in Jezebel with Bette Davis and Henry Fonda and again...
in Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures
-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...
's anti-Nazi action drama entitled, Enemy Agent (1940). That same year, in The Fatal Hour
The Fatal Hour
The Fatal Hour is a 1940 American thriller/ crime drama film. It was directed by William Nigh, and starred Boris Karloff, Grant Withers, and Marjorie Reynolds.The film is also known as Mr. Wong at Headquarters in the United Kingdom.-Cast:...
, Reynolds appeared for Monogram Pictures
Monogram Pictures
Monogram Pictures Corporation is a Hollywood studio that produced and released films, most on low budgets, between 1931 and 1953, when the firm completed a transition to the name Allied Artists Pictures Corporation. Monogram is considered a leader among the smaller studios sometimes referred to...
as a reporter on the trail of Boris Karloff
Boris Karloff
William Henry Pratt , better known by his stage name Boris Karloff, was an English actor.Karloff is best remembered for his roles in horror films and his portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in Frankenstein , Bride of Frankenstein , and Son of Frankenstein...
's detective James Lee Wong, and opposite Grant Withers
Grant Withers
Grant Withers was an American film actor. With early beginnings in the silent era, Withers moved into talkies establishing himself with a list of headlined features as a young and handsome male lead...
as a cop . Her later films included Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn (film)
Holiday Inn is a 1942 American musical film starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire, with music by Irving Berlin. The film has twelve songs written expressly for the film, the most notable being "White Christmas"...
(1942), Fritz Lang
Fritz Lang
Friedrich Christian Anton "Fritz" Lang was an Austrian-American filmmaker, screenwriter, and occasional film producer and actor. One of the best known émigrés from Germany's school of Expressionism, he was dubbed the "Master of Darkness" by the British Film Institute...
's Ministry of Fear
Ministry of Fear
Ministry of Fear is a 1944 film noir directed by Fritz Lang. Based on a novel by Graham Greene, the film tells the story of a man just released from a mental asylum who finds himself caught up in an international spy ring in London during the Blitz, pursued by foreign agents and incriminated for...
(1944) and Up in Mabel's Room (1944). She starred opposite Abbott and Costello
Abbott and Costello
William "Bud" Abbott and Lou Costello performed together as Abbott and Costello, an American comedy duo whose work on stage, radio, film and television made them the most popular comedy team during the 1940s and 1950s...
in The Time of Their Lives
The Time of Their Lives
The Time of Their Lives is a 1946 American film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello.As in the previous Abbott and Costello film, Little Giant, the duo plays separate characters instead of partners, due to tensions between them that led to their splitting up for a while in 1945. The film...
(1946). Her career progression was hindered by the premature death of her mentor, Mark Sandrich
Mark Sandrich
Mark Sandrich was a Jewish American film director, writer and producer.Sandrich was an engineering student at Columbia University when he began in the film business by accident. While visiting a friend on a film set, he saw that the director had a problem in setting up a shot; Sandrich offered...
.
Often featured in dramatic roles, in Holiday Inn, she showed her ability to dance, and she performed "White Christmas
White Christmas (song)
"White Christmas" is an Irving Berlin song reminiscing about an old-fashioned Christmas setting. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the version sung by Bing Crosby is the best-selling single of all time, with estimated sales in excess of 50 million copies worldwide.Accounts vary as...
" as a duet with Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
, although her singing was dubbed by Martha Mears
Martha Mears
Martha Mears Martha Mears was the female singing voice in the renditions of "White Christmas" in the movie Holiday Inn , and for two of Lucille Ball's songs in the MGM musical version of DuBarry Was a Lady...
.
She later appeared in the NBC version of the television series The Life of Riley
The Life of Riley
The Life of Riley, with William Bendix in the title role, is a popular American radio situation comedy series of the 1940s that was adapted into a 1949 feature film, a long-run 1950s television series , and a 1958 Dell comic book...
(1953–1958) and appeared on 3 episodes of the television series Leave it to Beaver
Leave It to Beaver
Leave It to Beaver is an American television situation comedy about an inquisitive but often naïve boy named Theodore "The Beaver" Cleaver and his adventures at home, in school, and around his suburban neighborhood...
(1960–1963).
On February 1, 1997, having suffered from congestive heart disease, she collapsed and died in Manhattan Beach, California
Manhattan Beach, California
Manhattan Beach is the wealthiest beachfront city located in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, USA. The city is on the Pacific coast, south of El Segundo, and north of Hermosa Beach. Manhattan Beach is the home of both beach and indoor volleyball, and surfing. During the winter, the...
, while walking her dog. She was 79 years old.
She 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...
.