Marie Wilson (American actress)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Marie Wilson
Marie Wilson as "Irma"
Born	Katherine Elisabeth Wilson August 19, 1916(1916-08-19) Anaheim, California, U.S.
Died	November 23, 1972 (aged 56) Hollywood, California, U.S.

Marie Wilson (August 19, 1916 - November 23, 1972) was an American radio, film, and television actress.

Contents 1 Career 2 Personal life 3 Filmography 4 Television credits 5 Further reading 6 External links

[edit] Career

Born Katherine Elisabeth Wilson in Anaheim, California, she started her show business career in New York City as a dancer on the Broadway stage. She gained national prominence with My Friend Irma on radio, television and on film and as a result, built a career playing the quintessential dumb blonde, appearing in numerous comedies and performing in Ken Murray's famous Hollywood "Blackouts". During World War II, Wilson was one of the volunteer performers at the Hollywood Canteen. She was a popular wartime pin-up with her excellent figure and ample cleavage. Her performance in Satan Met Lady, the second film adaptation of the detective novel The Maltese Falcon is a virtual template for Marilyn Monroe's later onscreen persona. Wilson appeared in more than forty films and was a guest on The Ed Sullivan Show on four occasions and a television performer during the 1960s, working up until her death.

Wilson's talents have been recognized with three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, for her contribution to radio at 6301 Hollywood Blvd., television at 6765 Hollywood Blvd., and motion pictures at 6601 Hollywood Blvd.

[edit] Personal life

Wilson had four husbands: Nick Grinde (dates unknown), Bob Stevens (a Los Angeles golf pro) 1938-1939, Allan Nixon (1942-1950) and Robert Fallon (1951-1972).

She died of cancer in 1972 at age 56. She was interred in the Columbarium of Remembrance at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Hollywood Hills.

[edit] Filmography

Features:

Short subjects:

• My Gal Sally (1935)
• Swingtime in the Movies (1938)
• For Auld Lang Syne #3 (1938)
• Vitaphone Pictorial Revue No. 12 (1938)
• Screen Snapshots: The Great Showman (1950)
• Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Stars on Parade (1954)

[edit] Television credits

• My Friend Irma (1952-1954)
• Ernestine (1962) (unsold pilot)
• Where's Huddles? (1970) (voice) (canceled after 10 episodes)

[edit] Further reading

• Tranberg, Charles (2007). Not So Dumb - The Life & career of Marie Wilson. Albany: BearManor Media ISBN 1-59393-049-6

[edit] External links

• Marie Wilson at the Internet Movie Database

Persondata
NAME	Wilson, Marie
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Wilson, Katherine Elisabeth
SHORT DESCRIPTION	Actor
DATE OF BIRTH	1916-8-19
PLACE OF BIRTH	Anaheim, California, U.S.
DATE OF DEATH	1972-11-23
PLACE OF DEATH	Hollywood, California, U.S.