Marla English
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Marla English (b. January 4, 1935) is a motion picture actress from San Diego,California who made movies in the 1950s.
English was originally signed to a contract by Paramount Pictures after winning a San Diego beauty pageant. She was paid $100 per picture to provide visual beauty in such films as Red Garters (1954) and Rear Window (1954).
She received a major break when she was cast opposite Spencer Tracy in The Mountain, a film which was to be made in France. Marla was given a smallpox vaccine before leaving to go on location. She quickly developed a raging fever and decided to pull out of making the movie. Paramount suspended English and signed actress, Barbara Darrow, to make the film.
Parade Magazine questioned English about her decision in September 1955. She said it was a very dumb move and was unsure why she decided against making The Mountain. A close relative told the publication that English had fallen in love with Paramount actor Bud Pennell. She became enraged when the studio would not give Pennell a role in the film, so they might travel to France together.
English made mostly B-movie films throughout her career in Hollywood. Some of these include Three Bad Sisters (1956), Runaway Daughters (1956), The She Creature (1956), Flesh and the Spur (1957), and Voodoo Woman (1957). In 1955 she played with John Ireland in Hell's Horizon.
She gave up her acting career in 1956 when she became engaged to San Diego businessman A. Paul Sutherland. English was just 21 at the time.
[edit] References
- Kannapolis, North Carolina Daily Independent, Louella Parsons Reports From Hollywood, March 4, 1956, Page 22.
- Lincoln, Nebraska Sunday Journal and Star, People In The News, July 22, 1956, Page 6.
- Long Beach, California Press-Telegram, Marla English:She chose love, September 18, 1955, Page 87.