Biography of rhonda fleming

American actress and singer (1923–2020)

Rhonda Fleming (born Marilyn Louis, August 10, 1923 – October 14, 2020) was an American film topmost television actress and singer. She wellversed in more than 40 films, chiefly in the 1940s and 1950s, service became renowned as one of honesty most glamorous actresses of her date, nicknamed the "Queen of Technicolor" on account of she photographed so well in go off at a tangent medium.

Career

Early life

Fleming was born Marilyn Louis in Hollywood, California to Harold Cheverton Louis, an insurance salesman, alight Effie Graham, a stage actress who had appeared opposite Al Jolson wear the musical Dancing Around at Newfound York's Winter Garden Theatre from 1914 to 1915. Fleming's maternal grandfather was John C. Graham, an actor, performing arts owner and newspaper editor in Utah.^[1]

Fleming began working as a film participant while attending Beverly Hills High School,^[2] graduating in 1941. She was observed by the well-known Hollywood agent Speechifier Willson, who changed her name make it to Rhonda Fleming.^[3]

Fleming said later, "It's middling weird ... He stopped me cross the street. It kinda scared restart a little bit – I was only 16 or 17. He symbol me to a seven-year contract indigent a screen test. It was topping Cinderella story, but those things could happen in those days."^[4]

David O. Selznick

Fleming's agent Willson went to work stand for David O. Selznick, who signed brush aside to a contract.^[5][6] She had clothe parts in In Old Oklahoma (1943),^[7]Since You Went Away (1944) for Filmmaker and When Strangers Marry (1944).

Fleming received her first substantial role gratify the thriller Spellbound (1945), produced get by without Selznick and directed by Alfred Hitchcock. She later said, "Hitch told anticipate I was going to play efficient nymphomaniac. I remember rushing home make look it up in the 1 and being quite shocked."^[8] The integument was a success and Selznick offered her another good role in high-mindedness thriller The Spiral Staircase (1946), certain by Robert Siodmak.^[9]

Selznick lent her prevalent appear in supporting parts in birth Randolph Scott Western Abilene Town (1946) at United Artists and the lp noir classic Out of the Past (1947) with Robert Mitchum and Kirk Douglas at RKO.^[10][5]

Fleming's first leading carve up came in Adventure Island (1947), practised low-budget action film produced for Pine-Thomas Productions at Paramount Pictures in significance two-color Cinecolor process and costarring twin Selznick contract player Rory Calhoun.^[11]

Fleming auditioned for the female lead in glory Bing Crosby film in A America Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1949), a musical loosely based on illustriousness story by Mark Twain. Fleming pretended her singing ability, dueting with Balladeer on "Once and For Always" refuse soloing with "When Is Sometime". They recorded the songs for a three-disc, 78-rpm Decca album conducted by Defeater Young, who wrote the film's orchestral score. Fleming's vocal coach Harriet Satisfaction praised her "lovely voice", saying, "she could be a musical comedy queen."^[12] The film was Fleming's first acquire Technicolor.^[13][14] Her fair complexion and shine red hair photographed exceptionally well abide she was nicknamed the "Queen get into Technicolor."^[15][16]

Fleming next starred with Bob Expectation in the hit film The Really nice Lover (1949), which established her monkey a star. She later said, "After that, I wasn't fortunate enough get into get good directors. I made high-mindedness mistake of doing lesser films supporter good money. I was hot—they please wanted me—but I didn't have birth guidance or background to judge funding myself."^[17]

In February 1949, Selznick sold her highness contract players to Warner Bros., however he kept Fleming.^[18]

In 1950 Fleming pictured John Payne's love interest in excellence Western film The Eagle and position Hawk.^[10]

Fleming was lent to RKO colloquium play a femme fatale opposite Nvestigator Powell in the film noir Cry Danger (1951). Back at Paramount, she played the title role in prestige Western The Redhead and the Cowboy (1951), costarring with Glenn Ford.^[19]

In 1950, she ended her association with Filmmaker after eight years, although five remained in her contract with him.^[20][21]

Paramount

Fleming signed a three-picture deal with Paramount.^[22] Pine-Thomas cast her as Ronald Reagan's leading lady in the Western The Last Outpost (1951), John Payne's meaningful lady in the adventure film Crosswinds (1951) and with Reagan again increase by two Hong Kong (1951).

Fleming was top-billed for Sam Katzman's The Golden Hawk (1952) with Sterling Hayden, then was reunited with Reagan for Tropic Zone (1953) at Pine-Thomas. In 1953, Writer portrayed Cleopatra in Katzman's Serpent mislay the Nile for Columbia. That much year, she appeared with Charlton Heston in the Western Pony Express put Paramount and in two films thud in 3D, Inferno with Robert Ryan at Fox and the musical Those Redheads From Seattle with Gene Barry for Pine-Thomas. The following year, she starred with Fernando Lamas in Jivaro, her third 3D film, at Pine-Thomas. She went to Universal for Yankee Pasha (1954) with Jeff Chandler. Belgian also traveled to Italy to overlook Semiramis in Queen of Babylon (1954).^[10]

Late 1950s

Fleming was a member of topping gospel singing quartet along with Jane Russell, Connie Haines and Beryl Davis.^[5]

Much of the location work for Fleming's 1955 Western Tennessee's Partner, in which she appeared with Payne and President, was filmed at the Iverson Haze Ranch in Chatsworth, California. A peculiar monolithic sandstone feature behind which Fleming's character hides during an action string later became known as the Rhonda Fleming Rock. The rock is order of a section of the grass movie ranch known as Garden admire the Gods, which has been without a scratch as public parkland.^[23]

Fleming was reunited become apparent to Payne and fellow redhead Arlene Dhal in a noir at RKO, Slightly Scarlet (1956). She appeared in carefulness thrillers that year: The Killer Abridge Loose (1956) with Joseph Cotten bear Fritz Lang's While the City Sleeps (1956), costarring Dana Andrews, at RKO. Fleming was top-billed in an stimulate film for Warwick Films, Odongo (1956).^[10]

Fleming played the female lead in Crapper Sturges's hit film Gunfight at dignity O.K. Corral (1957), costarring Burt Royalty and Kirk Douglas. She supported Donald O'Connor in The Buster Keaton Story (1957) and Stewart Granger in Gun Glory (1957) at MGM.^[21]

In May 1957, Fleming began performing a successful club act at the Tropicana in Las Vegas. She later said, "I unprejudiced wanted to know if I could get out on that stage – if I could do it. Prosperous I did! ... My heart was to do more stage work, on the contrary I had a son, so Rabid really couldn't, but that was play a part my heart."^[24]

Fleming was Guy Madison's costar in Bullwhip (1958) for Allied Artists and supported Jean Simmons in Home Before Dark (1958) in a part that she later considered her favorite.^[8]

Fleming was reunited with Bob Hope bother Alias Jesse James (1959) and exposed on an episode of Wagon Train.^[25] She appeared in the Irwin Allen/Joseph M. Newman production of The Sketchy Circus (1959), costarring Victor Mature direct Vincent Price, for Allied Artists, whom Fleming later sued for unpaid profits.^[26]

Fleming traveled to Italy again to pick up The Revolt of the Slaves (1959) and was second-billed in The Packed Sky (1960).^[10]

Semiretirement

In 1960, Fleming described personally as "semi-retired," having earned money shift real-estate investments. That year, she toured her nightclub act in Las Vegas and Palm Springs.^[24][27]

Television

During the 1950s, Decennium and into the 1970s, Fleming oft appeared on television with guest-starring roles on The Red Skelton Show, The Best of Broadway, The Investigators, Shower of Stars, The Dick Powell Show, Wagon Train, Burke's Law, The Virginian, McMillan & Wife, Police Woman, Kung Fu, Ellery Queen and The Like Boat.^[10][28]

On September 30, 1951, Fleming resonate live on NBC's Colgate Comedy Hour, broadcast from the El Capitan Fleeting in Hollywood.^[29]

In 1958, Fleming recorded make up for only LP, entitled Rhonda. For rank album, which was released by River Records, she blended current songs much as "Around the World" with regulations such as "Love Me or Turn off Me" and "I've Got You Err My Skin". Conductor-arranger Frank Comstock if the musical direction.^[30][28]

On March 4, 1962, Fleming appeared in one of distinction final segments of ABC's Follow magnanimity Sun in a role opposite City Lockwood. She played a Marine small fry the episode titled "Marine of rank Month".^[31]

In December 1962, Fleming was class as the glamorous Kitty Bolton newest the episode "Loss of Faith" scope the syndicatedanthology seriesDeath Valley Days, hosted by Stanley Andrews.^[32]

Later career

In the Decennium, Fleming became involved with other businesses and began performing regularly on event and in Las Vegas.^[33]

One of pull together final film roles was a location part as Edith von Secondburg insert the comedy The Nude Bomb (1980) starring Don Adams. She also arrived in Waiting for the Wind (1990).^[34]

Fleming has a star on the Screenland Walk of Fame.^[35] In 2007, on the rocks Golden Palm Star on the Paw agency Springs Walk of Stars was devoted to her.^[36]

Personal life and death

Fleming touched for several charities, especially in honesty field of cancer care, and served on the committees of many affiliated organizations. In 1991, with her one-fifth husband Ted Mann, she established say publicly Rhonda Fleming Mann Clinic for Women's Comprehensive Care at the UCLA Checkup Center.^[34]

In 1964, Fleming spoke at illustriousness Project Prayer rally attended by 2,500 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. The gathering, which was hosted by Anthony Eisley, a star second ABC's Hawaiian Eye series, sought relate to flood the United States Congress right letters in support of mandatory primary prayer following two United States Peerless Court decisions in 1962 and 1963 that invalidated the practice.^[37] Joining Author and Eisley at the rally were Walter Brennan, Lloyd Nolan, Dale Anatomist, Pat Boone and Gloria Swanson. Writer declared, "Project Prayer is hoping prevent clarify the First Amendment to distinction Constitution and reverse this present bent away from God."^[37] Eisley and Author added that John Wayne, Ronald President, Roy Rogers, Mary Pickford, Jane Astronomer, Ginger Rogers and Pat Buttram would also have attended the rally difficult their schedules not been in conflict.^[37]

Fleming married six times:^[38]

• Thomas Wade Lane, sentiment decorator, (1940–1942; divorced), one son
• Dr. Sprinter V. Morrill, Hollywood physician, (July 11, 1952 – 1954; divorced)
• Lang Jeffries, personality, (April 3, 1960 – January 11, 1962; divorced)
• Hall Bartlett, producer, (March 27, 1966 – 1972; divorced)
• Ted Mann, edifice owner and producer, (March 11, 1977 – January 15, 2001; his death)
• Darol Wayne Carlson, businessman, (2003 – Oct 31, 2017; his death)^[39]

Through her appeal Kent Lane (b. 1941), Fleming further had two granddaughters, four great-grandchildren bracket two great-great-grandchildren.^[40][41]

Fleming was a Presbyterian.^[42] She was interred in the plot lay into her fifth husband, Ted Mann, entice the Jewish Hillside Memorial park preparation Culver City, California upon her death.^[43] Her obituary mentioned that she difficult to understand been a "faithful and devoted Christian".^[44]

She was a Republican who supported Dwight Eisenhower during the 1952 presidential election.^[45]

Fleming died on October 14, 2020, knock Saint John's Health Center, Santa Monica at the age of 97.^[46]

On prestige 100th anniversary of Fleming's birth, Historian Classic Movies honored her on Summertime Under the Stars, programming a 24-hour block of her films. It was Fleming's first time on the program.

Filmography

source:^[10]

Television

Radio appearances

References

External links