MARIE WILSON,AMERICAN FILM ACTRESS DIED 1972 NOVEMBER 23

MARIE WILSON,AMERICAN FILM ACTRESS

DIED 1972 NOVEMBER 23 

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 title character in My Friend Irma.

Marie Wilson
Wilson in 1954
Born	Katherine Elizabeth Wilson August 19, 1916 Anaheim, California, U.S.
Died	November 23, 1972 (aged 56) Hollywood, California, U.S.
Cause of death	Cancer
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1934–1972
Spouse(s)	Allan Nixon (m. 1942; div. 1950) Robert Fallon (m. 1951; her death 1972)

Early life[edit]

Wilson was born in Anaheim, California on August 19, 1916. Her nickname at Anaheim High School was Maybelle.[1] Wilson graduated high school in 1933. At age 16, she soon moved her family of nine – including her mother, sister, grandfather, step-father and his four children to Hollywood after she inherited $11,000.[1]

Career[edit]
Radio[edit]

She played scatterbrained Irma Peterson in the radio situation comedy My Friend Irma for the Columbia network from April 11, 1947 to August 23, 1954.[2] With the success of My Friend Irma, she would star in films.[3]

Film[edit]

Wilson began her career in Hollywood in the 1934 film Down to Their Last Yacht as a ship passenger although uncredited.[4] She was in Babes in Toyland as Mary Quite Contrary also in 1934.[5] Babes in Toyland was based on Victor Herbert's popular 1903 operetta Babes in Toyland.[6] Wilson would appear in Ladies Crave Excitement (1935),[7] The Girl Friend (1935),[8] Stars Over Broadway (1935),[9] Miss Pacific Fleet (1935),[10] The Big Noise (1936),[11][12] Melody for Two (1937),[13] Boy Meets Girl (1938),[14][15] Sweepstakes Winner (1939),[16] Virginia (1941),[17] She's in the Army (1942),[18][19][20] You Can't Ration Love (1944),[21] Young Widow (1946),[22] and Never Wave at a WAC (1952).[23]

In 1936, she played Miss Murgatroyd in Satan Met a Lady, [24] a loose adaptation of the 1929 novel The Maltese Falcon1 by Dashiell Hammett.[25] Satan Met a Lady is based on the Pre-Code, under its original title directed by Roy Del Ruth.[26] She was in The Great Garrick as Nicolle in 1937.[27] 

The Great Garrick was based on the play Ladies and Gentlemen by Ernest Vajda.[28] Wilson was in Fools for Scandal as Myrtle in 1938.[29] Fools for Scandal is based on the unproduced[30] 1936 play Return Engagement by Nancy Hamilton, James Shute, and Rosemary Casey.[31] She was in Waterfront in 1939 as Ruby Waters.[32] Waterfront is adapted from the play Blind Spot by Kenyon Nicholson.[33][34][35][36][37]

In 1949, she played Irma Peterson in the film My Friend Irma, [38] reprising her role from the radio series. In 1950, she again played Irma in My Friend Irma Goes West.[38] In 1952, she played Jane Sweet in A Girl in Every Port, [39] based on the short story They Sell Sailors Elephants by Frederick Hazlitt Brennan.[40]

 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.[41] Wilson's last film was 1962's Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation, [42] based on the novel by Edward Streeter.[43]

Wilson also had roles in short films. Some of them were Bum Voyage, (1934)[44] Slide, Nellie, Slide (1936),[45] Vitaphone Pictorial Revue (Series 2 No. 6) (1938),[46] and Vitaphone Pictorial Revue (Series 2 No. 12).[46]

Television[edit]

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

Walk of Fame[edit]

Wilson's talents have been recognized with three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame:[1] for radio at 6301 Hollywood Boulevard, for television at 6765 Hollywood Boulevard and for movies at 6601 Hollywood Boulevard.[47]

Personal life[edit]

Wilson was afraid of the microphone used in radio.[3] She was married to actor Allan Nixon from 1942 until their divorce in 1950.[48] Her marriage to actor Robert Fallon, in 1951, lasted until her death from cancer at age 56.[3] Wilson was interred in the Columbarium of Remembrance at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Hollywood Hills.[4

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1934	Down to Their Last Yacht	Ship Passenger	Romantic comedy musical film directed by Paul Sloane.[4] Uncredited
	Babes in Toyland	Mary Quite Contrary	Musical film directed by Charley Rogers and Gus Meins.[5] Based on Victor Herbert's popular 1903 operetta Babes in Toyland.[6]
1935	Ladies Crave Excitement	Girl	Action–comedy drama film directed by Nick Grinde.[7] Uncredited
	The Girl Friend	Girl	Musical film directed by Edward Buzzell.[8]
	Stars Over Broadway	Molly	Musical film directed by William Keighley.[9]
	Miss Pacific Fleet	Virginia 'Vergie' Matthews	Comedy film directed by Ray Enright.[10]
	Broadway Hostess	Dorothy	Romantic comedy musical film directed by Frank McDonald.[50]
1936	Colleen	Mabel	Romantic–musical film directed by Alfred E. Green.[51]
	The Big Noise	Daisy	Romantic–comedy crime film directed by Frank McDonald.[11][12]
	Satan Met a Lady	Miss Murgatroyd	Detective film directed by William Dieterle.[24] A loose adaptation of the 1929 novel The Maltese Falcon1 by Dashiell Hammett[25] Based on the Pre-Code, under its original title directed by Roy Del Ruth.[26]
	China Clipper	Sunny Avery	Drama film directed by Ray Enright.[52]
	King of Hockey	Elsie	Drama film directed by Noel M. Smith.[53]
1937	Melody for Two	Camille Casey	Musical film directed by Louis King.[13][54]
	Public Wedding	Tessie	Comedy film directed by Nick Grinde.[55]
	Over the Goal	Co–ed	Comedy film directed by Noel M. Smith.[56] Uncredited
	The Great Garrick	Nicolle	Historical comedy film directed by James Whale who has a bit part.[27] Based on the play Ladies and Gentlemen by Ernest Vajda.[28]
1938	The Invisible Menace	Sally	Mystery film directed by John Farrow.[57]
	Fools for Scandal	Myrtle	Screwball comedy film produced and directed by Mervyn LeRoy.[29] Based on the unproduced[30] 1936 play Return Engagement by Nancy Hamilton, James Shute, and Rosemary Casey.[31]
	Boy Meets Girl[14]	Susie	Screwball comedy film directed by Lloyd Bacon.[15]
	Broadway Musketeers	Miss Connie Todd	Drama film directed by John Farrow.[58]
1939	Sweepstakes Winner	Jennie Jones	Comedy film directed by William C. McGann.[16]
	Waterfront	Ruby Waters	Action–crime drama film directed by Terry O. Morse.[32] Adapted from the play Blind Spot by Kenyon Nicholson.[33][34][35][36][37]
	Should Husbands Work?	Myrtle	Comedy film directed by Gus Meins.[59]
	The Cowboy Quarterback	Maizie Williams	Comedy film directed by Noel M. Smith.[60][61]
1941	Virginia	Connie Potter	Drama film directed by Edward H. Griffith.[17]
	Rookies on Parade	Kitty Mulloy	Musical–comedy film directed by Joseph Santley.[62]
	Flying Blind	Veronica Gimble	Action–comedy film directed by Frank McDonald.[63]
	Harvard, Here I Come!	Zella Phipps	Comedy film directed by Lew Landers.[64]
1942	Broadway	Grace	Crime–drama musical film directed by William A. Seiter.[65]
	She's in the Army[19][20]	Susan Slatterty	Comedy–drama film directed by Jean Yarbrough.[18]
1944	You Can't Ration Love	Bubbles Keenan	Comedy film directed by Lester Fuller.[21]
	Shine on Harvest Moon	Margie	Musical–biographical film of the vaudeville team of Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth directed by David Butler.[66]
	Music for Millions	Marie	Musical–comedy film directed by Henry Koster.[67]
1946	Young Widow	'Mac' McCallister	Drama film directed by Edwin L. Marin.[22]
	No Leave, No Love	Rosalind	Mmusical film directed by Charles Martin.[68]
1947	The Private Affairs of Bel Ami	Rachel Michot	Drama film directed by Albert Lewin.[69]
	The Fabulous Joe	Gorgeous Gilmore	Comedy film directed by Harve Foster.[70]
	Linda, Be Good[20]	Margie LaVitte	Comedy film directed by Frank McDonald.[71]
1949	My Friend Irma[72][73]	Irma Peterson	Comedy film directed by George Marshall.[38] The most notable as the film debut of the comedy team Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.[38] Based upon the CBS radio series My Friend Irma
1950	My Friend Irma Goes West[72]		Crime–comedy musical film directed by Hal Walker.[74] Based on the CBS radio show My Friend Irma.
1952	Never Wave at a WAC	Clara Schneiderman / Danger O'Dowd	Comedy film directed by Norman Z. McLeod.[23]
	A Girl in Every Port	Jane Sweet	Comedy film directed by Chester Erskine.[39] Based on the short story They Sell Sailors Elephants by Frederick Hazlitt Brennan.[40]
1953	I Was a Burlesque Queen	Margie LaVitte	Drama film written and directed by Sidney W. Pink.[75] Archive footage of 1947's Linda, Be Good.
	Marry Me Again	Doris	Comedy film written and directed by Frank Tashlin.[76]
1957	The Story of Mankind	Marie Antoinette	Fantasy film directed and co–produced by Irwin Allen.[77] Very loosely based on the nonfiction book The Story of Mankind (1921) by Hendrik Willem van Loon.[41]
1962	Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation	Mrs. Turner	Comedy film directed by Henry Koster.[42] Based on the novel Mr. Hobbs' Vacation by Edward Streeter.[43]

Film shorts/documentaries[edit]

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1934	Bum Voyage	Ship's Passenger at Party	Short–comedy film directed by Nick Grinde.[44]
1935	My Girl Sally	Leading actress	Short film directed by Alfred J. Goulding.[78]
1936	Slide, Nellie, Slide[45]	Nellie, the Softball Player	Short comedy–sports film directed by Ralph Staub.
1938	Swingtime in the Movies	Herself	Short comedy–musical film directed by written by Crane Wilbur.[79]
	For Auld Lang Syne #3	Herself	Documentary short–musical film
	Vitaphone Pictorial Revue (Series 2 No. 6)[46]	Herself	Documentary–short film directed by Willard Du Brul, Clem McCarthy, and I. Miller.[80]
	Vitaphone Pictorial Revue (Series 2 No. 12)[46]	Herself	Short film directed by Lloyd French.
1950	Screen Snapshots: The Great Showman	Herself	Short film written and directed by Ralph Staub.[81]
1954	Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Stars on Parade	Herself	Documentary–short film written and directed by Ralph Staub.[81]

Television[edit]

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1952–54	My Friend Irma	Irma Peterson	Contract role
1962	The Comedy Spot[82]	Ernestine	Episode: "The Soft Touch"
	Ernestine	Ernestine McDougal[83]	Made-for-TV-Movie directed by Sidney Salkow.[3][84]
1963	Empire	Guest	Episode: "Hidden Asset" (S 1:Ep 26)
1964	Burke's Law	Chuchi Smith	Episode: "Who Killed Marty Kelso?" (S 1:Ep 22)
	My Son, the Witch Doctor	Leading actress	Made-for-TV-Movie[85]
1965	Burke's Law	Ramona Specks	Episode: "Who Killed Wimbledon Hastings?"( S2:Ep 20)
1968	Mr. Blackwell Presents[86]	Herself[87]	Made-for-TV-Movie–musical film directed by William Edwards and William Stierwalt.
1969	Jack Cassidy's St. Patrick's Day TV Special[88]	Singer	Directed by William Rainbolt.
1970	Where's Huddles?	Penny McCoy	Contract role
1972	Love, American Style	Margaret Cooperman	Episode: "Love and the Girlish Groom / Love and the New You / Love and the Oldlyweds / Love and the Wishing Star" (S 4:Ep 4)