Marie McDonald
Encyclopedia
Marie McDonald was an American
singer
and actress known as "The Body Beautiful" and later nicknamed "The Body".
, she was the daughter of a Ziegfeld Follies
girl. After her parents divorced, she eventually moved with her mother and stepfather to Yonkers, New York
. At the age of 15, McDonald began modeling and competed in numerous beauty pageants and was crowned Miss New York in 1939. At 17, she landed a showgirl
role in a 1940 Broadway
production at the Earl Carroll Theatre
called Earl Carroll's Vanities. Shortly thereafter, she moved to Hollywood hoping to develop a career in show business
. She continued to work for the owner of the Broadway theatre as a showgirl at his Sunset Boulevard
nightclub.
& His Orchestra on his radio show and she later performed with other big band
s. In 1942, she was put under contract by Universal Studios
and immediately appeared in several minor roles. That year, she appeared in three motion pictures, most notably, Pardon My Sarong
, which earned her the nickname "The Body" for her shapely physique. The following year she co-starred in A Scream in the Dark, a "B" detective mystery for Republic Pictures
that met with reasonable success. Her next starring role came in 1945 when she worked for a small independent production company in another "B" film called Getting Gertie's Garter. She costarred with Gene Kelly
in MGM's Living in a Big Way
(1947). Despite her talent she would become more known for her figure than for any of film roles.
Marie McDonald re-enacts scene from her story of kidnapping at home in Encino, California
.
During World War II
, McDonald became one of Hollywood's most popular pin-up girls and she posed for the United States military magazine, YANK
.
Despite various personal problems, McDonald recorded an LP for RCA Victor in 1957, The Body Sings, backed by Hal Borne
and His Orchestra, which consisted of twelve standard ballads. She also toured the world in a very successful nightclub act. Between 1945 and 1950 she appeared in only two films and then again not until 1958 when she was cast in a slapstick comedy opposite Jerry Lewis
in The Geisha Boy
. In 1963, she made her last appearance in the film, Promises! Promises!
, opposite a naked Jayne Mansfield
.
, lasted four years. She was also one of Bugsy Siegel
's mistresses at the time. In all, she married seven times, including twice to millionaire Harry Karl, who later married Debbie Reynolds
. There were also romances with Eddie Fisher
and Michael Wilding
. She suffered multiple miscarriages before adopting two children and giving birth to a daughter, Tina Marie, in 1956. McDonald's tumultuous personal life soon overshadowed her career. Tabloids regularly reported on her rocky romances, car accidents, and an escape from an Australian psychiatric clinic. She also made headlines when, in 1957, she claimed she was kidnapped by two men.
in her Calabasas, California
home. She was laid to rest in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery
in Glendale, California
.
Three months after McDonald's death, in January 1966, her sixth husband, Donald F. Taylor, who was a producer who had occasionally acted under the name Don Taylor, committed suicide. McDonald's three surviving children were raised by Harry Karl and his wife, Debbie Reynolds.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
and actress known as "The Body Beautiful" and later nicknamed "The Body".
Early life
Born Cora Marie Frye in Burgin, KentuckyBurgin, Kentucky
Burgin is a city in Mercer County, Kentucky, United States. Its population was 874 at the 2000 census.- Geography :Burgin is located at...
, she was the daughter of a Ziegfeld Follies
Ziegfeld Follies
The Ziegfeld Follies were a series of elaborate theatrical productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 through 1931. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air....
girl. After her parents divorced, she eventually moved with her mother and stepfather to Yonkers, New York
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
. At the age of 15, McDonald began modeling and competed in numerous beauty pageants and was crowned Miss New York in 1939. At 17, she landed a showgirl
Showgirl
A showgirl is a dancer or performer in a stage entertainment show. Showgirl is also often used as a term for a promotional model in trade fairs and car shows, etc...
role in a 1940 Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
production at the Earl Carroll Theatre
Earl Carroll Theatre
Earl Carroll Theatre was the name of two important theaters owned by Broadway impresario and showman Earl Carroll. One was located on Broadway in New York City and the other on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood, California.-Broadway:...
called Earl Carroll's Vanities. Shortly thereafter, she moved to Hollywood hoping to develop a career in show business
Show business
Show business, sometimes shortened to show biz, is a vernacular term for all aspects of entertainment. The word applies to all aspects of the entertainment industry from the business side to the creative element ....
. She continued to work for the owner of the Broadway theatre as a showgirl at his Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard is a street in the western part of Los Angeles County, California, that stretches from Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Coast Highway at the Pacific Ocean in the Pacific Palisades...
nightclub.
Career
Marie McDonald's singing voice brought work with Tommy DorseyTommy Dorsey
Thomas Francis "Tommy" Dorsey, Jr. was an American jazz trombonist, trumpeter, composer, and bandleader of the Big Band era. He was known as "The Sentimental Gentleman of Swing", due to his smooth-toned trombone playing. He was the younger brother of bandleader Jimmy Dorsey...
& His Orchestra on his radio show and she later performed with other big band
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
s. In 1942, she was put under contract by Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
and immediately appeared in several minor roles. That year, she appeared in three motion pictures, most notably, Pardon My Sarong
Pardon My Sarong
-Plot:Tommy Layton , a wealthy bachelor, rents a city bus and rides it from Chicago to Los Angeles. Once there he intends to participate in a yacht race to Hawaii. The drivers of the bus, Algy and Wellington , are then chased by a detective who was hired by the bus company. They escape capture by...
, which earned her the nickname "The Body" for her shapely physique. The following year she co-starred in A Scream in the Dark, a "B" detective mystery for Republic Pictures
Republic Pictures
Republic Pictures was an independent film production-distribution corporation with studio facilities, operating from 1934 through 1959, and was best known for specializing in westerns, movie serials and B films emphasizing mystery and action....
that met with reasonable success. Her next starring role came in 1945 when she worked for a small independent production company in another "B" film called Getting Gertie's Garter. She costarred with Gene Kelly
Gene Kelly
Eugene Curran "Gene" Kelly was an American dancer, actor, singer, film director and producer, and choreographer...
in MGM's Living in a Big Way
Living in a Big Way
Living in a Big Way is an American musical comedy film starring Gene Kelly and Marie McDonald as a couple who marry during World War II after only knowing each other a short time.- Synopsis :...
(1947). Despite her talent she would become more known for her figure than for any of film roles.
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, McDonald became one of Hollywood's most popular pin-up girls and she posed for the United States military magazine, YANK
Yank
Yank may refer to:* Yank, the Army Weekly, a newspaper for American soldiers during World War II* Yank , the rate of change in force* Yanks, a 1979 film* Short form of Yankee, a slang term for someone of American origin or heritage...
.
Despite various personal problems, McDonald recorded an LP for RCA Victor in 1957, The Body Sings, backed by Hal Borne
Hal Borne
Hal Borne was an American popular song composer, orchestra leader, music arranger and musical director, who studied music at the University of Illinois...
and His Orchestra, which consisted of twelve standard ballads. She also toured the world in a very successful nightclub act. Between 1945 and 1950 she appeared in only two films and then again not until 1958 when she was cast in a slapstick comedy opposite Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis is an American comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter and film director. He is best known for his slapstick humor in film, television, stage and radio. He was originally paired up with Dean Martin in 1946, forming the famed comedy team of Martin and Lewis...
in The Geisha Boy
The Geisha Boy
The Geisha Boy is a 1958 American comedy film starring Jerry Lewis. Filmed from June 16 to August 7, 1958, it was released on December 23, 1958 by Paramount Pictures. This film marked the film debut of Suzanne Pleshette.-Plot:...
. In 1963, she made her last appearance in the film, Promises! Promises!
Promises! Promises!
Promises! Promises! is a 1963 unrated sex comedy film, released after the demise of the Hays code and before the MPAA film rating system became effective, produced by Tommy Noonan . It was the first Hollywood motion picture release of the sound era to feature a mainstream star—Jayne Mansfield—in...
, opposite a naked Jayne Mansfield
Jayne Mansfield
Jayne Mansfield was an American actress working both in Hollywood and on the Broadway theatre...
.
Personal life
McDonald had married for the first time in 1940 but this marriage quickly ended. Her second marriage, to her agent Victor OrsattiVictor Orsatti
Victor Orsatti Victor Orsatti Victor Orsatti (November 25, 1905 Los Angeles, California – June 9, 1984 Newport Beach, California, Hollywood talent agent and film producer...
, lasted four years. She was also one of Bugsy Siegel
Bugsy Siegel
Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel was an American gangster who was involved with the Genovese crime family...
's mistresses at the time. In all, she married seven times, including twice to millionaire Harry Karl, who later married Debbie Reynolds
Debbie Reynolds
Debbie Reynolds is an American actress, singer, and dancer.She was initially signed at age 16 by Warner Bros., but her career got off to a slow start. When her contract was not renewed, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer gave her a small, but significant part in the film Three Little Words , then signed her to...
. There were also romances with Eddie Fisher
Eddie Fisher
Edward Fisher may refer to:* Ed Fisher , American baseball player* Eddie Fisher , American singer* Eddie Fisher , American player* Ed Fisher , player...
and Michael Wilding
Michael Wilding (actor)
-Early life:Born in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, England, Wilding was a successful commercial artist when he joined the art department of a London film studio in 1933. He soon embarked on an acting career.-Career:...
. She suffered multiple miscarriages before adopting two children and giving birth to a daughter, Tina Marie, in 1956. McDonald's tumultuous personal life soon overshadowed her career. Tabloids regularly reported on her rocky romances, car accidents, and an escape from an Australian psychiatric clinic. She also made headlines when, in 1957, she claimed she was kidnapped by two men.
Death
In 1965, McDonald was found dead of a drug overdoseDrug overdose
The term drug overdose describes the ingestion or application of a drug or other substance in quantities greater than are recommended or generally practiced...
in her Calabasas, California
Calabasas, California
Calabasas is an affluent city in Los Angeles County, California in the western United States. It is located in the hills in the southwestern San Fernando Valley and the Santa Monica Mountains between Woodland Hills, Agoura Hills, West Hills, and Malibu, California. As of the 2010 census, the city...
home. She was laid to rest in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery
Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale
Forest Lawn Memorial Park is a privately owned cemetery in Glendale, California. It is the original location of Forest Lawn, a chain of cemeteries in Southern California. The land was formerly part of Providencia Ranch.-History:...
in Glendale, California
Glendale, California
Glendale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population is 191,719, down from 194,973 at the 2000 census. making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County and the 22nd largest city in the state of California...
.
Three months after McDonald's death, in January 1966, her sixth husband, Donald F. Taylor, who was a producer who had occasionally acted under the name Don Taylor, committed suicide. McDonald's three surviving children were raised by Harry Karl and his wife, Debbie Reynolds.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 | It Started with Eve It Started with Eve It Started with Eve is a 1941 musical romantic comedy film. A man's dying father wants to meet his new fiancée, but she is unavailable, so he substitutes a hat-check girl. Then the father unexpectedly recovers.Charles Previn and Hans J... |
Cigarette girl Cigarette girl Cigarette girl or Cigarette Girl may refer to:*Cigarette girl , someone who sells or provides cigarettes in a casino*Cigarette Girl, a 2009 film*Cigarette Girl *The Cigarette Girl from the Future, an album by Beauty Pill... |
Uncredited |
| 1942 | You're Telling Me | Girl | Uncredited |
| 1942 | Pardon My Sarong Pardon My Sarong -Plot:Tommy Layton , a wealthy bachelor, rents a city bus and rides it from Chicago to Los Angeles. Once there he intends to participate in a yacht race to Hawaii. The drivers of the bus, Algy and Wellington , are then chased by a detective who was hired by the bus company. They escape capture by... |
Ferna | |
| 1942 | Lucky Jordan Lucky Jordan Lucky Jordan is a 1942 film directed by Frank Tuttle, starring Alan Ladd in his first leading role, Helen Walker in her film debut, and Sheldon Leonard... |
Pearl (Secretary) | |
| 1943 | Tornado | Diana Linden | |
| 1943 | A Scream in the Dark | Joan Allen | |
| 1943 | Riding High | Bit part | Uncredited Alternative title: Melody Inn |
| 1943 | Caribbean Romance | Alternative title: Musical Parade: Caribbean Romance | |
| 1944 | Standing Room Only | Opal | Uncredited |
| 1944 | I Love a Soldier | Gracie | |
| 1944 | Our Hearts Were Young and Gay Our Hearts Were Young and Gay Our Hearts Were Young and Gay is the title of a book by actress Cornelia Otis Skinner and journalist Emily Kimbrough, published in 1942. The book presents a description of their European tour in the 1920s, when they were fresh out of college from Bryn Mawr. Skinner wrote of Kimbrough, "To know... |
Blonde | Uncredited |
| 1944 | Guest in the House Guest in the House Guest in the House is an American film noir directed by John Brahm. The drama features Anne Baxter, Ralph Bellamy, Aline MacMahon, among others.-Cast:* Anne Baxter as Evelyn Heath* Ralph Bellamy as Douglas Proctor* Aline MacMahon as Aunt Martha... |
Miriam | Alternative title: Satan in Skirts |
| 1945 | Getting Gertie's Garter | Gertie | |
| 1945 | It's a Pleasure | Gale Fletcher | |
| 1947 | Living in a Big Way Living in a Big Way Living in a Big Way is an American musical comedy film starring Gene Kelly and Marie McDonald as a couple who marry during World War II after only knowing each other a short time.- Synopsis :... |
Margo Morgan | |
| 1949 | Tell It to the Judge Tell It to the Judge Tell It to the Judge is a 1949 romantic comedy film starring Rosalind Russell as a divorcee who tries to get her ex-husband, played by Robert Cummings, back.-Cast:*Rosalind Russell as Marsha Meredith*Robert Cummings as Peter B... |
Ginger Simmons | |
| 1950 | Once a Thief | Flo | |
| 1950 | Hit Parade of 1951 | Michele | |
| 1954 | The Danny Thomas Show The Danny Thomas Show The Danny Thomas Show is an American sitcom which ran from 1953-1957 on ABC and from 1957-1964 on CBS... |
Episode: "Pittsburgh" | |
| 1958 | The Geisha Boy The Geisha Boy The Geisha Boy is a 1958 American comedy film starring Jerry Lewis. Filmed from June 16 to August 7, 1958, it was released on December 23, 1958 by Paramount Pictures. This film marked the film debut of Suzanne Pleshette.-Plot:... |
Lola Livingston | |
| 1959 | The Red Skelton Show The Red Skelton Show The Red Skelton Show is an American variety show that was a television staple for two decades, from 1951 to 1971. It was second to Gunsmoke and third to The Ed Sullivan Show in the ratings during that time. Skelton, who had previously been a radio star, had appeared in several motion pictures as... |
Lil | Episode: "Clem the Mailman" |
| 1963 | Promises! Promises! Promises! Promises! Promises! Promises! is a 1963 unrated sex comedy film, released after the demise of the Hays code and before the MPAA film rating system became effective, produced by Tommy Noonan . It was the first Hollywood motion picture release of the sound era to feature a mainstream star—Jayne Mansfield—in... |
Claire Banner | |