Marie Wilson Biography

US actress (1916–1972)Marie Wilson with director/writer Nick Grinde.

Marie Wilson (born Katherine Elizabeth Wilson; August 19, 1916 – November 23, 1972) was an American radio, film, and television actress. She may be best remembered as the *le character in My Friend Irma.

Early life

Wilson was born in Anaheim, California, on August 19, 1916. Her nickname at Anaheim High School was "Maybelle". Wilson graduated from high school in 1933.

Career

Radio

Although Wilson was afraid of the microphone used in radio, she played scatterbrained Irma Peterson in the radio comedy My Friend Irma from April 11, 1947, to August 23, 1954.

Film

Wilson began her career in Hollywood in the 1934 film Down to Their Last Yacht as a ship p*enger, and then appeared in Babes in Toyland as Mary Quite Contrary. Wilson appeared in Ladies Crave Excitement (1935), The Girl Friend (1935), Stars Over Broadway (1935), Miss Pacific Fleet (1935), The Big Noise (1936), Melody for Two (1937), Boy Meets Girl (1938), Sweepstakes Winner (1939), Virginia (1941), She's in the Army (1942), You Can't Ration Love (1944), Young Widow (1946), and Never Wave at a WAC (1952). Her career got a boost when she performed at Harold Lloyd's Beverly Hills Little Theatre for Professionals, which led to her being cast in Boy Meets Girl in 1938.

In 1936, she played Miss Murgatroyd in Satan Met a Lady, a loose adaptation of the 1929 novel The Maltese Falcon1 by Dashiell Hammett. She was in The Great Garrick as Nicolle in 1937. Wilson was in Fools for Scandal as Myrtle in 1938. She was in Waterfront in 1939 as Ruby Waters.

In 1949, she played Irma Peterson in the film My Friend Irma, reprising her role from the radio series. In 1950, she again played Irma in My Friend Irma Goes West. In 1952, she played Jane Sweet in A Girl in Every Port, based on the short story They Sell Sailors Elephants by Frederick Hazlitt Brennan. In 1957, she played Marie Antoinette in The Story of Mankind, loosely based on the nonfiction book The Story of Mankind (1921) by Hendrik Willem van Loon. Wilson's last film was 1962's Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation, based on the novel by Edward Streeter.

Wilson also had roles in short films, including Bum Voyage (1934), Slide, Nellie, Slide (1936), Vitaphone Pictorial Revue (Series 2 No. 6) (1938), and Vitaphone Pictorial Revue (Series 2 No. 12).

Television

Wilson first appeared on television in the series My Friend Irma from 1952 to 1954. She was in two episodes of Burke's Law. Wilson's voice was featured in the short-lived animated television series Where's Huddles?. Her last role was in 1972 as Margaret Cooperman in Love, American Style. Wilson was a guest on The Ed Sullivan Show on four occasions.

Stage

In June and July 1950, Wilson portrayed Lady Teazle in a production of School for Scandal at the Circle Theater in Hollywood. She appeared with her husband, Allan Nixon, who played Charles Surface. During February 1958 she starred as Cherie opposite Robert Gist as Bo in a production of Bus Stop at the Sombrero Playhouse in Phoenix, Arizona.

Walk of Fame

Wilson's talents have been recognized with three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame: for radio at 6301 Hollywood Boulevard, for television at 6765 Hollywood Boulevard, and for movies at 6601 Hollywood Boulevard.

Sculpture

Wilson's left leg was the model for a 35-ft (sometimes referred to as 34-ft), two-ton sculpture outside the Theme Hosiery (later Sanderson Hoisery) plant on Olympic and Barrington in West Los Angeles. The DuPont Co. commissioned the plaster leg, which was painted as if to be wearing nylons, to promote its new nylons product. Wilson was hoisted thigh-level at the sculpture's unveiling August 6, 1949.

Personal life

Wilson was married to actor Allan Nixon from 1942 to 1950. Her 1951 marriage to actor Robert Fallon lasted until her death from cancer at age 56. Wilson was interred in the Columbarium of Remembrance at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Hollywood Hills.

Filmography

Film

Film shorts/do*entaries

Television

References

Notes

  1. ^ Original publisher Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. in 1929.

Citations

    Sources

    • Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio (Revised:ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. pp.:472–473. ISBN:978-0195076783. My Friend Irma, situation comedy.
    • "Allan H. Nixon, actor divorce". Los Angeles Times. December 30, 1950. p.:3. Retrieved September 22, 2016. (subscription required)
    • Brown, Terry (2016). Character-Based Film Series Part 3. Raleigh, North Carolina: Lulu Publishing. p.:128. ISBN:978-1365021312.
    • Hischak, Thomas S. (2015). The Encyclopedia of Film Composers. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. p.:560. ISBN:978-1442245495.
    • Pool, Jeannie Gayle (2008). Peggy Gilbert & Her All-Girl Band. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. p.:79. ISBN:978-0810861022.
    • Goble, Alan, ed. (1999). The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. New Providence, New Jersey: Bowker-Saur. pp.:471, 532. ISBN:978-1857392296.
    • Maltin, Leonard (2008). Leonard Maltin's 2009 Movie Guide. New York: Signet Cl*ics. p.:168. ISBN:978-0451224682.
    • "Nancy Hamilton papers" (PDF). Archives & M*cripts: Call number T-Mss 1985-006. New York: The New York Public Library. pp.:3, 13. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
    • Yogerst, Chris (2016). From the Headlines to Hollywood: The Birth and Boom of Warner Bros. (Film and History). Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. p.:48. ISBN:978-1442262454.
    • The American Film Ins*ute (1997). The 1911–1960: American Film Ins*ute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States: Within Our Gates: Ethnicity in American Feature Films (1st:ed.). Oakland, California: University of California Press. p.:1114. ISBN:978-0520209640.
    • Aaker, Everett (2013). George Raft: The Films. New Yor: McFarland & Company. p.:20. ISBN:978-0786466467.
    • Sterling, Christopher H.; O'Dell, Cary, eds. (2009). The Concise Encyclopedia of American Radio (1st:ed.). Abingdon-on-Thames: Routledge. p.:292. ISBN:978-0415995337.
    • Sterling, Christopher H., ed. (2003). Encyclopedia of Radio 3-Volume Set. Abingdon-on-Thames: Routledge. p.:959. ISBN:978-1579582494.
    • Tibbetts, John C.; Welsh, James M. (2010). American Cl*ic Screen Profiles. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. p.:55. ISBN:978-0810876767.
    • Curley, Stephen; Wetta, Frank J. (1992). Celluloid Wars: A Guide to Film and the American Experience of War. Santa Barbara, California: Greenwood Publishing Group. p.:146. ISBN:978-0313260995. Marie Wilson in the 1942 film she's in the army.
    • Monush, Barry (2003). Encyclopedia of Hollywood Film Actors, Vol. 1: From the Silent Era to 1965. Milwaukee: Applause Theatre and Cinema Books. p.:792. ISBN:978-1557835512.
    • Coniam, Matthew (August 4, 2016). That's Me, Groucho! The Solo Career of Groucho Marx. New York: McFarland & Company. p.:63. ISBN:978-1476663739.
    • Liebman, Roy (2010). Vitaphone Films: A Catalogue of the Features and Shorts. New York: McFarland & Company. pp.:153, 246. ISBN:978-0786446971.
    • Brooks, Tim (2007). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946–Present (9th:ed.). New York: Ballantine Books. p.:276. ISBN:978-0345497734.
    • Irvin, Richard (2014). George Burns Television Productions: The Series and Pilots, 1950–1981. New York: McFarland & Company. p.:110. ISBN:978-0786494866.
    • The Fresno Bee Staff (January 12, 1964). "My Son, The Witch Doctor". The Fresno Bee. p.:108. Retrieved September 20, 2016. (subscription required)
    • Marie, Rose (2003). Hold the Roses. Lexington, Kentucky: University Press of Kentucky. p.:264. ISBN:978-0813122649.
    • Pittsburgh Press Staff (December 1, 1968). "1968 Blackwell Host At House First Feather Pat's Pointers J Knit Stripes Fashionable". Pittsburgh Press. p.:82. Retrieved September 24, 2016. (subscription required)
    • Terrace, Vincent (2013). Television Specials: 5,336 Entertainment Programs, 1936–2012 (2nd:ed.). New York: McFarland & Company. p.:203. ISBN:978-1476612409.

    External links

    • United States portal
    • California portal
    • Radio portal
    • Film portal
    • Television portal
    • Marie Wilson at IMDb
    • Photographs and literature
    • "Everybody’s Friend: Remembering Stan Lee and Dan DeCarlo’s 'My Friend Irma,'" Hogan's Alley #16, 2009
    • Marie Wilson at Find a Grave
    Marie Wilson