Yvette Mimieux
Encyclopedia
Yvette Carmen Mimieux is a retired American movie and television actress.
, to a French
father and Mexican
mother, Carmen Montemayor. Before her film career began, Mimieux was one of four finalists from a beauty contest picked by Elvis Presley
(while he was filming "Jailhouse Rock") and invited to come to the set and compete for a bit role in the movie ("girl in bathing suit"). She and the other girls modeled their suits (and figures), but Mimieux wasn't picked. In 1960, she appeared in the teen movie Where the Boys Are
as well as George Pal
's 1960 film version of H.G. Wells's classic 1895 novel The Time Machine
co-starring Rod Taylor, wherein she played the character "Weena." This was followed by The Light in the Piazza
(1962) with Olivia de Havilland
. In 1963, Mimieux appeared in Diamond Head
and Toys in the Attic
.
Many of the films in which she appeared after 1963 were both critical and commercial failures. She appeared in a 1964 episode of Dr. Kildare
entitled "Tyger Tyger." She later appeared in numerous television series and made-for-television movies, one of which is The Legend of Valentino (1975), wherein she played Rudolph Valentino
's second wife, Natacha Rambova
. Of note, Mimieux was originally cast to play the role of Carole in Disney's "The Love Bug
" and is shown on the initial prototype poster art along with a white-striped red Herbie.
Mimieux staged a brief comeback in the 1976 film Jackson County Jail
, as a falsely imprisoned woman victimized by a sadistic guard. The film features a graphic rape scene. The movie eventually became a minor cult hit that spawned many imitators in the "women in prison" genre.
Later in 1979, Mimieux co-starred in the first PG-rated Walt Disney Productions feature, The Black Hole
. In 1984, she starred in Obsessive Love, a television movie
about a female stalker
that she co-wrote and co-produced. Her last film was Lady Boss
(1992). In one of her few forays into television, Yvette played Department store executive Shane Bradley on the short-lived drama Berrenger's
. Her character was romantically linked with the heir to the Berrenger store empire, Paul Berrenger (Ben Murphy
).
She hasn't acted or appeared in films since the 1990s.
and a real estate
investor. She was married to film director Stanley Donen
from 1972 until their divorce in 1985. In 1986 Mimieux married Howard F. Ruby, chairman and founder of Oakwood Worldwide. She has no children.
Early life and career
Yvette Mimieux was born in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, to a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
father and Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
mother, Carmen Montemayor. Before her film career began, Mimieux was one of four finalists from a beauty contest picked by Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
(while he was filming "Jailhouse Rock") and invited to come to the set and compete for a bit role in the movie ("girl in bathing suit"). She and the other girls modeled their suits (and figures), but Mimieux wasn't picked. In 1960, she appeared in the teen movie Where the Boys Are
Where the Boys Are
The kind of cool modern jazz popularized by such acts as Dave Brubeck, Gerry Mulligan, and Chico Hamilton, then in the vanguard of the college music market, features in a number of scenes with Basil...
as well as George Pal
George Pál
George Pal , born György Pál Marczincsak, was a Hungarian-born American animator and film producer, principally associated with the science fiction genre...
's 1960 film version of H.G. Wells's classic 1895 novel The Time Machine
The Time Machine (1960 film)
The Time Machine is a 1960 American science fiction film based on the 1895 novel of the same name by H. G. Wells in which a man in Victorian England constructs a time-travelling machine which he uses to travel to the future...
co-starring Rod Taylor, wherein she played the character "Weena." This was followed by The Light in the Piazza
The Light in the Piazza (film)
The Light in the Piazza is a 1962 film adaptation of the Elizabeth Spencer novel of the same title. It was directed by Guy Green and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer....
(1962) with Olivia de Havilland
Olivia de Havilland
Olivia Mary de Havilland is a British American film and stage actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1946 and 1949. She is the elder sister of actress Joan Fontaine. The sisters are among the last surviving leading ladies from Hollywood of the 1930s.-Early life:Olivia de Havilland...
. In 1963, Mimieux appeared in Diamond Head
Diamond Head (film)
Diamond Head is a film starring Charlton Heston, Yvette Mimieux, George Chakiris, and James Darren, directed by Guy Green, and released by Columbia Pictures. The original music score was composed by John Williams, Hugo Winterhalter composed the theme, and Darren sang the title song...
and Toys in the Attic
Toys in the Attic (film)
Toys in the Attic is a 1963 American drama film starring Dean Martin, Geraldine Page, Yvette Mimieux, Gene Tierney and Wendy Hiller. The film was directed by George Roy Hill and is based on a Tony Award-winning play by Lillian Hellman...
.
Many of the films in which she appeared after 1963 were both critical and commercial failures. She appeared in a 1964 episode of Dr. Kildare
Dr. Kildare
Dr. James Kildare is a fictional character, the primary character in a series of American theatrical films in the late 1930s and early 1940s, an early 1950s radio series, a 1960s television series of the same name and a comic book based on the TV show, and a short-lived 1970s television series...
entitled "Tyger Tyger." She later appeared in numerous television series and made-for-television movies, one of which is The Legend of Valentino (1975), wherein she played Rudolph Valentino
Rudolph Valentino
Rudolph Valentino was an Italian actor, and early pop icon. A sex symbol of the 1920s, Valentino was known as the "Latin Lover". He starred in several well-known silent films including The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, The Sheik, Blood and Sand, The Eagle and Son of the Sheik...
's second wife, Natacha Rambova
Natacha Rambova
Natacha Rambova was an American silent film costume and set designer, artistic director, screenwriter, producer and occasional actress. Later in life she worked as a mildly successful fashion designer and Egyptologist....
. Of note, Mimieux was originally cast to play the role of Carole in Disney's "The Love Bug
The Love Bug
The Love Bug is the first in a series of comedy films made by Walt Disney Productions that starred an anthropomorphic pearl-white, fabric-sunroofed 1963 Volkswagen racing Beetle named Herbie...
" and is shown on the initial prototype poster art along with a white-striped red Herbie.
Mimieux staged a brief comeback in the 1976 film Jackson County Jail
Jackson County Jail (film)
Jackson County Jail is an American exploitation action thriller film from 1976 directed by Michael Miller, starring Tommy Lee Jones, Yvette Mimieux and Lisa Copeland.The film has become a cult movie...
, as a falsely imprisoned woman victimized by a sadistic guard. The film features a graphic rape scene. The movie eventually became a minor cult hit that spawned many imitators in the "women in prison" genre.
Later in 1979, Mimieux co-starred in the first PG-rated Walt Disney Productions feature, The Black Hole
The Black Hole
The Black Hole is a 1979 American science fiction film directed by Gary Nelson for Walt Disney Productions. The film stars Maximilian Schell, Robert Forster, Joseph Bottoms, Yvette Mimieux, Anthony Perkins, and Ernest Borgnine, while the voices of the main robot characters are provided by Roddy...
. In 1984, she starred in Obsessive Love, a television movie
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
about a female stalker
Stalking
Stalking is a term commonly used to refer to unwanted and obsessive attention by an individual or group to another person. Stalking behaviors are related to harassment and intimidation and may include following the victim in person and/or monitoring them via the internet...
that she co-wrote and co-produced. Her last film was Lady Boss
Lady Boss
Lady Boss is a 1990 novel written by Jackie Collins and is the third in The Santangelo Novels series.The novel was adapted as a TV movie miniseries in 1992, starring Kim Delaney in the title role of Lucky Santangelo...
(1992). In one of her few forays into television, Yvette played Department store executive Shane Bradley on the short-lived drama Berrenger's
Berrenger's
Berrenger's is an American primetime television soap opera created by Lynn Marie Latham and Bernard Lechowick that aired on NBC in 1985. The series revolved around the Berrenger family, a New York dynasty which owned the glamorous department store which bore their name.Following in the tradition of...
. Her character was romantically linked with the heir to the Berrenger store empire, Paul Berrenger (Ben Murphy
Ben Murphy
Benjamin E. Murphy is an American actor. He is known for his role in the ABC television series Alias Smith and Jones, co-starring as Kid Curry, first with Pete Duel and later with Roger Davis.-Early life:...
).
She hasn't acted or appeared in films since the 1990s.
Personal life
Aside from her acting career, Mimieux is also an anthropologistAnthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
and a real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
investor. She was married to film director Stanley Donen
Stanley Donen
Stanley Donen ; is an American film director and choreographer whose most celebrated works are Singin' in the Rain and On the Town, both of which he co-directed with Gene Kelly. His other noteworthy films include Royal Wedding, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Funny Face, Indiscreet, Damn...
from 1972 until their divorce in 1985. In 1986 Mimieux married Howard F. Ruby, chairman and founder of Oakwood Worldwide. She has no children.
Partial filmography
- Rock, Rock, RockRock, Rock, Rock (film)Rock, Rock, Rock is a 1956 black-and-white motion picture featuring performances from a number of early rock 'n' roll stars, such as Chuck Berry, LaVern Baker, Teddy Randazzo, The Moonglows, The Flamingos, and The Teenagers with Frankie Lymon as lead singer. Future West Side Story cast member David...
(1956) - Yancy DerringerYancy DerringerYancy Derringer is an American Western series that ran on CBS from 1958 to 1959, with Jock Mahoney in the title role. It was produced by Derringer Productions and filmed in Hollywood by Desilu Productions...
(1959) TV series - Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond (1960) TV series, episode "The Clown"
- Mr. Lucky (1960) TV series
- Platinum High School, aka Young and Deadly (1960)
- The Time MachineThe Time Machine (1960 film)The Time Machine is a 1960 American science fiction film based on the 1895 novel of the same name by H. G. Wells in which a man in Victorian England constructs a time-travelling machine which he uses to travel to the future...
(1960) - Where the Boys AreWhere the Boys AreThe kind of cool modern jazz popularized by such acts as Dave Brubeck, Gerry Mulligan, and Chico Hamilton, then in the vanguard of the college music market, features in a number of scenes with Basil...
(1960) - The Light in the PiazzaThe Light in the Piazza (novel)The Light in the Piazza is a 1960 novella by Mississippi writer Elizabeth Spencer.At its core are Margaret Johnson and her daughter Clara, on vacation in Italy, where Clara becomes enamored of local Florentine Fabrizio...
(1962) - The Four Horsemen of the ApocalypseThe Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (film)The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse is a 1921 silent movie produced by Metro Pictures Corporation, adapted by June Mathis, directed by Rex Ingram and starring Rudolph Valentino, Pomeroy Cannon, Josef Swickard, Wallace Beery, and Alice Terry...
(1962) - The Wonderful World of the Brothers GrimmThe Wonderful World of the Brothers GrimmThe Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm is a 1962 American film directed by Henry Levin and George Pal. The latter was the producer and also in charge of the stop motion animation. The film was one of the highest grossing films of 1962. It won one Oscar and was nominated for three additional...
(1962) - Diamond HeadDiamond Head (film)Diamond Head is a film starring Charlton Heston, Yvette Mimieux, George Chakiris, and James Darren, directed by Guy Green, and released by Columbia Pictures. The original music score was composed by John Williams, Hugo Winterhalter composed the theme, and Darren sang the title song...
(1963) - Toys in the AtticToys in the Attic (film)Toys in the Attic is a 1963 American drama film starring Dean Martin, Geraldine Page, Yvette Mimieux, Gene Tierney and Wendy Hiller. The film was directed by George Roy Hill and is based on a Tony Award-winning play by Lillian Hellman...
(1963) - Looking for Love (1964)
- Dr. KildareDr. KildareDr. James Kildare is a fictional character, the primary character in a series of American theatrical films in the late 1930s and early 1940s, an early 1950s radio series, a 1960s television series of the same name and a comic book based on the TV show, and a short-lived 1970s television series...
(1964) TV series - Joy in the MorningJoy in the Morning (film)Joy in the Morning is a 1965 American film directed by Alex Segal and starring Richard Chamberlain, Yvette Mimieux and Oskar Homolka. It was adapted from the 1963 novel by Betty Smith. The musical score for the film is by Bernard Herrmann....
(1965) - The Reward (1965)
- Monkeys, Go Home! (1967)
- The Caper of the Golden Bulls (1967)
- Dark of the SunDark of the SunDark of the Sun is a 1968 adventure-war film starring Rod Taylor, Yvette Mimieux, Jim Brown, and Peter Carsten...
, also known as The Mercenaries (1968) - Three in the AtticThree in the AtticThree in the Attic is a 1968 movie, starring Christopher Jones and Yvette Mimieux, with Judy Pace and Maggie Thrett. Nan Martin, John Beck, and Eve McVeagh appear in supporting roles.-Premise:...
(1968) - The Picasso Summer (1969)
- The Delta FactorThe Delta Factor (film)The Delta Factor is a 1970 film directed by Tay Garnett. It stars Christopher George and Yvette Mimieux. The film is based on a novel by Mickey Spillane with the same name.-Plot:...
(1970) - The Most Deadly GameThe Most Deadly GameThe Most Deadly Game is an American drama television series that ran for 12 episodes on ABC from 1970 to 1971. The series was produced by Aaron Spelling Productions, with Aaron Spelling being the executive producer. It starred Yvette Mimieux , Ralph Bellamy, and George Maharis....
(1970) TV series - Black NoonBlack NoonBlack Noon is an American made-for-TV horror western feature film that debuted in 1971. It was written and produced by Andrew J. Fenady and directed by Bernard L...
(1971) TV movie - Death Takes a HolidayDeath Takes a HolidayDeath Takes a Holiday is a 1934 romantic drama starring Fredric March, Evelyn Venable and Guy Standing, based on the Italian play La Morte in Vacanze by Alberto Casella.-Synopsis:...
(1971) TV movie - Skyjacked (1972)
- The Neptune FactorThe Neptune FactorThe Neptune Factor is a 1973 science fiction film directed by Daniel Petrie, featuring underwater cinematography by Paul Herbermann. The film's special effects utilized underwater photography of miniatures with actual marine life.- Plot :...
(1973) - Hit Lady (1974) TV movie
- Journey Into FearJourney into Fear (1975 film)Journey into Fear is a 1975 Canadian thriller film directed by Daniel Mann, and based on the novel Journey into Fear by Eric Ambler. It starred Sam Waterston, Zero Mostel, Yvette Mimieux, Vincent Price, Donald Pleasence, Shelley Winters, Stanley Holloway, Joseph Wiseman and Ian McShane....
(1975) - The Legend of Valentino (1975) TV movie
- Jackson County JailJackson County Jail (film)Jackson County Jail is an American exploitation action thriller film from 1976 directed by Michael Miller, starring Tommy Lee Jones, Yvette Mimieux and Lisa Copeland.The film has become a cult movie...
(1976) - Bell, Book and Candle (1976) TV movie
- SnowbeastSnowbeastSnowbeast is a made-for-television horror film that was first broadcast in 1977 in the The United States of America.The movie details the attacks of a ravenous white sasquatch on a Colorado ski resort. The teleplay was written by Joseph Stefano, who wrote the script for Alfred Hitchcock's classic...
(1977) TV movie - Ransom for Alice! (1977) TV movie
- Devil Dog: The Hound of HellDevil Dog: The Hound of HellDevil Dog: The Hound of Hell is a 1978 television movie directed by Curtis Harrington. The story centers around a suburban family and the harrowing experiences they endure from a possessed dog they innocently adopt...
(1978) TV movie - Outside Chance (1978) TV movie
- The Black HoleThe Black HoleThe Black Hole is a 1979 American science fiction film directed by Gary Nelson for Walt Disney Productions. The film stars Maximilian Schell, Robert Forster, Joseph Bottoms, Yvette Mimieux, Anthony Perkins, and Ernest Borgnine, while the voices of the main robot characters are provided by Roddy...
(1979) - Disaster on the Coastliner (1979) TV movie
- Circle of PowerCircle of PowerCircle of Power is a 1983 film, co-produced by Gary Mehlman, Anthony Quinn and Jeffrey White, and based on the book The Pit: A Group Encounter Defiled...
(1981) - Forbidden Love (1982) TV movie
- Night Partners (1983) TV movie
- The Love BoatThe Love BoatThe Love Boat is an American television series set on a cruise ship, which aired on the ABC Television Network from September 24,1977, until May 24,1986.The show starred Gavin MacLeod as the ship's captain...
(1984) TV series - Obsessive Love (1984) TV movie
- Berrenger'sBerrenger'sBerrenger's is an American primetime television soap opera created by Lynn Marie Latham and Bernard Lechowick that aired on NBC in 1985. The series revolved around the Berrenger family, a New York dynasty which owned the glamorous department store which bore their name.Following in the tradition of...
(1985) TV series - The Fifth MissileThe Fifth MissileThe Fifth Missile is a 1986 TV movie starring Robert Conrad, Sam Waterston and David Soul about an American ballistic missile submarine, based on the novel The Gold Crew by Frank M. Robinson and Thomas N. Scortia. Her crew goes slowly insane due to exposure to chemicals in paint onboard and...
(1986) TV movie - Perry Mason: The Case of the Desperate Deception (1990) TV movie
- Lady BossLady BossLady Boss is a 1990 novel written by Jackie Collins and is the third in The Santangelo Novels series.The novel was adapted as a TV movie miniseries in 1992, starring Kim Delaney in the title role of Lucky Santangelo...
(1992)
