Jean Wallace | |
|---|---|
) Jean Wallace in The Big Combo | |
| Born | Jean Walasek October 12, 1923 Chicago, Illinois |
| Died | February 14, 1990 (aged 66) Los Angeles, California |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1941–1970 |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 3 |
Jean Wallace (born Jean Walasek or Wallasek;[1] October 12, 1923 – February 14, 1990) was an American television and film actress.
Early years
Wallace was born in Chicago to John T. Walaszek and Mary A. Walaszek (née Sharkey). Her grandfather Karol Walaszek, immigrated from Galicia. She was Polish-American.[2]
Wallace was a graduate of Austin High School in Chicago.[3] In 1940, the family moved to Hollywood.[4]
Career
Wallace began her career as a model. She made her screen debut when she was 17. Her first film, in which she had a bit part, was Louisiana Purchase (1941).[5]
By the time she was 18, she had worked as a dancer and singer, including being a showgirl employed by Earl Carroll.[3]
Personal life
Wallace married her Jigsaw co-star Franchot Tone on October 18, 1941, in Yuma, Arizona.[3] They divorced in 1948.[6] They had two sons, Pascal "Pat" Franchot Tone born July 29, 1943 and Thomas Jefferson Tone born September 16, 1945. Tone was awarded custody of their sons after their divorce.[7]
Wallace attempted suicide in 1946 with sleeping pills, and in 1949 with a self-inflicted knife wound.[6][7]
In 1950, she had a marriage and annulment to former US Army Captain Jim Lloyd Randall.[7]
Wallace's third marriage was to actor Cornel Wilde, who was her co-star in The Big Combo, Lancelot and Guinevere and Beach Red, from 1951 to 1981.[5] She and Wilde had one son, Cornel Wallace Wilde, born on December 19, 1967.[7]
A Democrat, she supported the campaign of Adlai Stevenson during the 1952 presidential election.[8]
Death
Wallace died of a gastrointestinal hemorrhage on February 14, 1990. She is buried in Hollywood Forever Cemetery.[9]
Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1941 | Ziegfeld Girl | Ziegfeld girl | Uncredited |
| Glamour Boy | Girl | Uncredited | |
| Louisiana Purchase | Louisiana Belle | ||
| 1943 | Salute for Three | Hostess offering Buzz apple from basket | |
| 1944 | You Can't Ration Love | Madge | |
| 1946 | It Shouldn't Happen to a Dog | Bess Williams | |
| 1947 | Blaze of Noon | Poppy | |
| 1948 | When My Baby Smiles at Me | Sylvia Marco | Uncredited |
| 1949 | Jigsaw | Barbara Whitfield | Alternative title: Gun Moll |
| The Man on the Eiffel Tower | Edna Wallace | ||
| 1950 | The Good Humor Man | Bonnie Conroy | |
| 1951 | Native Son | Mary Dalton | Alternative title: Sangre negra |
| 1954 | Star of India | Katrina | Alternative title: Stella dell'India |
| 1955 | The Big Combo | Susan Lowell | |
| Storm Fear | Elizabeth | ||
| 1957 | The Devil's Hairpin | Kelly James | |
| 1958 | Maracaibo | Laura Kingsley | |
| 1963 | Lancelot and Guinevere | Guinevere | Alternative title: Sword of Lancelot |
| 1967 | Beach Red | Julie MacDonald | Appears in flashback photos; sings the title song |
| 1970 | No Blade of Grass | Ann Custance | (Last appearance) |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1952 | Schlitz Playhouse of Stars | 1 episode | |
| 1955 | General Electric Theater | Leslie Mason | 1 episode |
References
- ^ Joseph F. Clarke (1977). Pseudonyms. BCA. p. 168.
- ^ Migrants, Immigrants, and Slaves: Racial and Ethnic Groups in America By Thompson Dele Olasiji. p.118.
- ^ a b c "Franchot Tone Weds 18 Year Old Chicago Actress in Arizona". Chicago Tribune. Illinois, Chicago. Associated Press. October 19, 1941. p. 1. Retrieved November 13, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Tone, Russell Pierced by Dart". Argus-Leader. South Dakota, Sioux Falls. Associated Press. October 19, 1941. p. 1. Retrieved November 13, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Folkart, Burt A. (February 17, 1990). "Jean Wallace; Film Star, Wife of Late Cornel Wilde". The Los Angeles Times. California, Los Angeles. p. A 36. Retrieved November 13, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Franchot Tone's Ex-Wife Jean Wallace Stabs Self". The Los Angeles Times. California, Los Angeles. November 21, 1949. p. 1. Retrieved November 13, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d Fowler, Glenn. The New York Times. Obituary, "Jean Wallace, 66, Screen Actress Known for 1940's and 50's Roles", February 18, 1990. Accessed: July 25, 2013.
- ^ Motion Picture and Television Magazine, November 1952, page 33, Ideal Publishers
- ^ NNDB. 2013 Soylent Communications. Accessed: July 25, 2013.
External links
- Jean Wallace at IMDb
- Jean Wallace at Find a Grave