Ellen Drew
Ellen Drew was an American film actress.
Early life
Drew, born in Kansas City, Missouri in 1914, was the daughter of an Irish-born barber. She had a younger brother, Arden. Her parents separated in 1931. She worked in multiple jobs and won a number of beauty contests before becoming an actress. Moving to Hollywood in an attempt to become a star, she was discovered while working at an ice cream parlor where one of the customers, actor William Demarest, took notice of her and eventually helped her get into films.
Career
Ray's venture into the movies brought about a conflict in names when she tried starting her career with the name Terry Ray, which happened to be the name of another, male, actor. A 1937 newspaper photo showed the resolution of the conflict as "They conferred, drew lots from the hat, and masculine Terry Ray became Terry Rains, while feminine Terry Ray remained as before." She later tried the name of Erin Drew.
After appearing in 25 features using her birth name, she became a fixture at Paramount Pictures officially as Ellen Drew from 1938 to 1944, where she appeared in as many as six films per year, including Sing You Sinners with Bing Crosby and The Lady's from Kentucky with George Raft. She moved to RKO in 1944. Among her leading men were Ronald Colman, William Holden, Basil Rathbone, Dick Powell, and Robert Preston.
Her other films include Christmas in July, Isle of the Dead, Johnny O'Clock, The Man from Colorado, The Crooked Way, and The Baron of Arizona with Vincent Price. In the 1950s, with her movie career on the decline, she worked as a television actress. Among her final roles was the part of Julia Webberly in the 1960 Perry Mason episode, "The Case of the Larcenous Lady".
Radio
On June 23, 1943, Drew co-starred with Agnes Moorehead and Ted Reid in "Uncle Henry's Rosebush" on Suspense, and on July 25, 1943, she co-starred with Preston Foster in "China Bridge", a presentation of Silver Theater on CBS radio. She also appeared twice on the Kate Smith Hour.
Death
Drew died on December 3, 2003, in Palm Desert, California, of a liver ailment, aged 89. She was cremated and her ashes scattered at sea.
Honors
For her contributions to the motion picture industry, Drew was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960, located at 6901 Hollywood Blvd.
A highly fictionalized version of her appears in James Ellroy's novels Perfidia and This Storm.
Partial filmography
The Return of Sophie Lang as Secretary Rhythm on the Range as Party Guest Yours for the Asking My American Wife as Party Guest Hollywood Boulevard as Terry Ray - Casting Office Secretary Lady Be Careful as Girl in SailboatWives Never Know Murder with Pictures as Minor Role The Big Broadcast of 1937 as Telephone GirlRose Bowl as Mary Arnold The Accusing Finger as WifeCollege Holiday as Dancer on Train Murder Goes to College as LilThe Crime Nobody Saw as Secretary Internes Can't Take Money as Nurse Make Way for Tomorrow as Usherette Turn Off the Moon as Minor Role Night of Mystery as SecretaryHotel Haywire as Switchboard Operator Mountain Music as Helen This Way Please as Chorus Girl The Buccaneer Scandal Street Dangerous to Know as SecretaryCocoanut Grove as Radio Station Receptionist You and Me as CashierSing, You Sinners as Martha RandallIf I Were King as HuguetteThe Lady's from Kentucky as Penelope 'Penny' HollisThe Gracie Allen Murder Case as Ann WilsonThe Escape as Reporter Geronimo as Alice HamiltonFrench Without Tears as Diana LakeWomen Without Names as Joyce KingBuck Benny Rides Again as Joan CameronChristmas in July as Betty CaseyTexas Rangers Ride Again as Ellen 'Slats' DangerfieldThe Mad Doctor as Linda BootheThe Monster and the Girl as Susan WebsterReaching for the Sun as RitaThe Parson of Panamint as Mary MalloyOur Wife as Babe MarvinThe Night of January 16th as Kit LaneThe Remarkable Andrew as Peggy TobinMy Favorite Spy as Teresa 'Terry' KyserStar Spangled Rhythm as herself Ice-Capades Revue as Ann PorterNight Plane from Chungking as Ann RichardsThe Impostor as YvonneAnd the Angels Sing That's My Baby! as Betty MoodyDark Mountain as Kay DowneyChina Sky as Louise ThompsonIsle of the Dead as TheaMan Alive as Connie McBrideSing While You Dance as Susan KentCrime Doctor's Manhunt as Irene CotterJohnny O'Clock as Nelle MarchettisThe Swordsman as Barbara GlowanThe Man from Colorado as Caroline EmmetThe Crooked Way as Nina MartinDavy Crockett, Indian Scout as Frances OatmanThe Baron of Arizona as Sofia de Peralta – Reavis 'The Baroness'Stars in My Crown as Harriet GrayCargo to Capetown as Kitty MellarThe Great Missouri Raid as Bee MooreMan in the Saddle as Nan MelotteOutlaw's Son as Ruth SewallThe Millionaire (TV series) episode "The Julia Conrad Story" as Julia Conrad, with co-star Robert Alda