Sally Jane Bruce
Encyclopedia
Sally Jane Bruce is an American
former child performer, best known for playing little Pearl Harper in Charles Laughton
's 1955 film noir
The Night of the Hunter
.
; the daughter of Country singer Jewell Edwards, who worked with Spade Cooley
and his Orchestra.
would cast five year old Sally Jane for the role of little Pearl Harper in his film noir
classic The Night of the Hunter
, she was already considered a veteran of TV, radio, and such films as Kids Will Be Kids (aka Mischief Makers or Best Dog Wins as the working title of this 1954 16 minute short film by Jules White
was also known).
According to an United Artists
press release, mentioned in Preston Neal Jones' documentary book on the shooting of The Night of the Hunter
: "... she got her big break by singing with a full orchestra for a contest sponsored by a Los Angeles
newspaper
. Winning that competition
led to her first role in a Joan Davis
comedy, and ultimately to the attention of (producer) Paul Gregory".
Laughton later told Davis Grubb
, the original author of the story, that he found little Sally Jane to be a repulsive, little insensitive pie-faced "teacher’s pet" — and yet, this was precisely why he cast her as Pearl.
by Sally Jane while shooting the scene on the river stage, but because of her too fragile voice, in addition of tending to speed up on the phrases and the racket the river water was making, it was later dubbed in a sound studio by actress/singer Betty Benson. The Lullaby (accompanying the barn scene) was sung by jazz vocalist Kitty White.
, there are no further acting roles of Sally Jane Bruce recorded to date.
Until her retirement, Sally Jane Bruce worked as a grade school teacher and faculty advisor in Santa Maria, California
, teaching young children about gardening and the meaning of the environment.
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
former child performer, best known for playing little Pearl Harper in Charles Laughton
Charles Laughton
Charles Laughton was an English-American stage and film actor, screenwriter, producer and director.-Early life and career:...
's 1955 film noir
Film noir
Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations. Hollywood's classic film noir period is generally regarded as extending from the early 1940s to the late 1950s...
The Night of the Hunter
The Night of the Hunter (film)
The Night of the Hunter is a 1955 American thriller film directed by Charles Laughton and starring Robert Mitchum and Shelley Winters. The film is based on the 1953 novel of the same name by Davis Grubb, adapted for the screen by James Agee and Laughton...
.
Life and career
Sally Jane Bruce was born on December 2, 1948, in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
; the daughter of Country singer Jewell Edwards, who worked with Spade Cooley
Spade Cooley
Donnell Clyde Cooley , better known as Spade Cooley, was an American Western swing musician, big band leader, actor, and television personality...
and his Orchestra.
The Night of the Hunter
Before Charles LaughtonCharles Laughton
Charles Laughton was an English-American stage and film actor, screenwriter, producer and director.-Early life and career:...
would cast five year old Sally Jane for the role of little Pearl Harper in his film noir
Film noir
Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations. Hollywood's classic film noir period is generally regarded as extending from the early 1940s to the late 1950s...
classic The Night of the Hunter
The Night of the Hunter (film)
The Night of the Hunter is a 1955 American thriller film directed by Charles Laughton and starring Robert Mitchum and Shelley Winters. The film is based on the 1953 novel of the same name by Davis Grubb, adapted for the screen by James Agee and Laughton...
, she was already considered a veteran of TV, radio, and such films as Kids Will Be Kids (aka Mischief Makers or Best Dog Wins as the working title of this 1954 16 minute short film by Jules White
Jules White
Jules White born Julius Weiss was a film director and producer best known for his short-subject comedies starring the Three Stooges.-Early years:...
was also known).
According to an United Artists
United Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
press release, mentioned in Preston Neal Jones' documentary book on the shooting of The Night of the Hunter
The Night of the Hunter (film)
The Night of the Hunter is a 1955 American thriller film directed by Charles Laughton and starring Robert Mitchum and Shelley Winters. The film is based on the 1953 novel of the same name by Davis Grubb, adapted for the screen by James Agee and Laughton...
: "... she got her big break by singing with a full orchestra for a contest sponsored by a Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
. Winning that competition
Competition
Competition is a contest between individuals, groups, animals, etc. for territory, a niche, or a location of resources. It arises whenever two and only two strive for a goal which cannot be shared. Competition occurs naturally between living organisms which co-exist in the same environment. For...
led to her first role in a Joan Davis
Joan Davis
Joan Davis was an American comedic actress whose career spanned vaudeville, film, radio and television. Remembered best for the 1950s television comedy, I Married Joan, Davis had a successful earlier career as a B-movie actress and a leading star of 1940s radio comedy.Born as Madonna Josephine...
comedy, and ultimately to the attention of (producer) Paul Gregory".
Laughton later told Davis Grubb
Davis Grubb
Davis Grubb was an American novelist and short story writer.-Biography:Born in Moundsville, West Virginia, Grubb wanted to combine his creative skills as a painter with writing and as such attended the Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
, the original author of the story, that he found little Sally Jane to be a repulsive, little insensitive pie-faced "teacher’s pet" — and yet, this was precisely why he cast her as Pearl.
The Pretty Fly and The Lullaby
The Pretty Fly song was in fact sung live and a cappellaA cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
by Sally Jane while shooting the scene on the river stage, but because of her too fragile voice, in addition of tending to speed up on the phrases and the racket the river water was making, it was later dubbed in a sound studio by actress/singer Betty Benson. The Lullaby (accompanying the barn scene) was sung by jazz vocalist Kitty White.
Post-acting career
After The Night of the HunterThe Night of the Hunter (film)
The Night of the Hunter is a 1955 American thriller film directed by Charles Laughton and starring Robert Mitchum and Shelley Winters. The film is based on the 1953 novel of the same name by Davis Grubb, adapted for the screen by James Agee and Laughton...
, there are no further acting roles of Sally Jane Bruce recorded to date.
Until her retirement, Sally Jane Bruce worked as a grade school teacher and faculty advisor in Santa Maria, California
Santa Maria, California
Santa Maria is a city in Santa Barbara County, on the Central Coast of California. The 2010 census population was 100,062, putting it ahead of Santa Barbara for the first time and making it the largest city in the county...
, teaching young children about gardening and the meaning of the environment.
Family
Sally Jane Bruce married Peter Woelper in 1973 and divorced him in 1991. She now lives in Arroyo Grande, CaliforniaArroyo Grande, California
Arroyo Grande is a city in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. The population was 17,252 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Arroyo Grande is a small coastal town with historic, suburban, and rural elements located at...
.
Source
- Preston Neal Jones, Heaven & Hell To Play With: The Filming of The Night of the Hunter, Limelight Editions, New York, 2002. ISBN 0-87910-974-2 (on the shooting of The Night of the HunterThe Night of the Hunter (film)The Night of the Hunter is a 1955 American thriller film directed by Charles Laughton and starring Robert Mitchum and Shelley Winters. The film is based on the 1953 novel of the same name by Davis Grubb, adapted for the screen by James Agee and Laughton...
, 1955)