Notable Passings: Dorothy Malone and Jean Porter
Very sad news today for classic film fans: Oscar-winning actress Dorothy Malone has passed away at the age of 92.
She would have been 93 on January 30th.
Malone would doubtless be beloved to Golden Era fans if only for one scene, wherein she plays the bookstore clerk who memorably flirts with Humphrey Bogart in THE BIG SLEEP (1946):
Her career, of course, was much more than that, including her Academy Award winning role in Douglas Sirk's WRITTEN ON THE WIND (1956) and her work in so many enjoyable Westerns and film noir titles, such as SOUTH OF ST. LOUIS (1949)...
...and PUSHOVER (1954), below with Phil Carey:
For more on Dorothy Malone's career, I invite my readers to visit a birthday tribute I wrote three years ago.
Survivors included her two daughters from her marriage to actor Jacques Bergerac (GIGI).
Obituaries may be found at The Hollywood Reporter and Variety.
A few days ago the death of effervescent actress Jean Porter was announced. She was 95.
Porter, the widow of director Edward Dmytryk, was in a number of MGM films of the '40s, including THE YOUNGEST PROFESSION (1943) and TWICE BLESSED (1945), and she had a terrific supporting role in the film noir CRY DANGER (1951).
Porter also had typically bubbly roles as "the girl next door" to Guy Madison in TILL THE END OF TIME (1946) and as Shirley Temple's best friend in THAT HAGEN GIRL (1947).
She was survived by two daughters and a stepson.
An obituary was published by The Hollywood Reporter.
posted by Laura @ 6:24 PM
5 Comments:
Two ladies that - thankfully - lived long lives.
Jean Porter even appeared in a few 'B' westerns with Roy Rogers and Gene Autry.
Dorothy Malone was in so many favourite movies, and always raised the movie by her strong presence. Early in her career she had a strong co-starring role as a frontier doctor in a good Tim Holt western, "SADDLE LEGION" (1951).
May they always be remembered!
Sad news. Sad days.
Thank you both so much for sharing your thoughts. Jerry, that's a great reminder that Jean Porter was in some Westerns. I should get out HEART OF THE RIO GRANDE with Gene Autry.
I've never seen SADDLE LEGION and that will be another good one to watch soon, I haven't watched a Holt Western in too long!
Incidentally, a well-connected film professor I chat with on Twitter says that according to Dorothy's daughter she was a year older than reported in my post. I just haven't updated it because he doesn't use his real name and I don't have additional confirmation. So FYI!
Best wishes,
Laura
Dorothy was my favorite thing about THE BIG SLEEP.
Rest in peace, Ms. Malone...
John, someone said on Twitter they wish there had been a movie where Marlowe and the bookstore proprietress solve mysteries together. Amen to that!! I'm always regretful when that sequence is over in the movie.
Best wishes,
Laura
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