Carol Lynley (born Carole Ann Jones; February 13, 1942 – September 3, 2019) was an American actress known for her roles in the films '' Blue Denim'' (1959) and '' The Poseidon Adventure'' (1972). Lynley was born in

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

to an Irish father and

New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...

mother. She began her career as a child model before taking up acting. She won the

Theatre World Award The Theatre World Award is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or Off-Broadway. It was first awarded for the 1945–1946 theatre se ...

as "one of the most promising personalities for 1956–57" for her performance in '' The Potting Shed''. Lynley started her film career in 1958 with the Disney film '' The Light in the Forest'', followed by ''

Holiday for Lovers ''Holiday for Lovers'' is a 1959 DeLuxe in CinemaScope comedy film directed by Henry Levin. Based on a 1957 play of the same title by Ronald Alexander, the film stars Clifton Webb, Jane Wyman, Jill St. John and Carol Lynley. Plot Robert Dea ...

'' (1959) and '' Blue Denim'' (1959). In 1959, she was nominated for the

Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...

for Most Promising Newcomer – Female for the film ''The Light in the Forest''. A year later, she was again nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer – Female for the film ''Blue Denim''.

Early life

Lynley was born Carole Ann Jones in

, New York City, the daughter of Frances (née Felch) and Cyril Jones. Her father was Irish and her mother, a native of

, was of English, Scottish, Welsh, and German ancestry. She studied dance in her childhood. Lynley's parents divorced when she was a child, and her mother worked as a waitress until Lynley's income from modelling was enough to sustain the family. Lynley had first appeared on a local television show and at the age of 14 she was signed as a child model. She then appeared on live TV shows, the ''

Goodyear Television Playhouse ''Goodyear Television Playhouse'' is an American anthology series that was telecast live on NBC from 1951 to 1957 during the first Golden Age of Television. Sponsored by Goodyear, Goodyear alternated sponsorship with Philco, and the ''Philco Te ...

'', ''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was r ...

'' and ''

Danger Route ''Danger Route'' is a 1967 British spy film directed by Seth Holt for Amicus Productions and starring Richard Johnson as Jonas Wilde, Carol Lynley and Barbara Bouchet. It was based on Andrew York's 1966 novel ''The Eliminator'' that was the w ...

''. She began her career as a child model under the name Carolyn Lee. She appeared on the April 22, 1957 cover of ''

Life Life is a quality that distinguishes matter that has biological processes, such as signaling and self-sustaining processes, from that which does not, and is defined by the capacity for growth, reaction to stimuli, metabolism, energy ...

'' identified as "Carol Lynley, 15, Busy Career Girl" at age 15. When she started acting, she discovered that child actress Carolyn Lee (born Carolyn Copp, 1935) had already registered the name in the Actors' Equity union. She modified it by using the final syllable of Carolyn and fusing it with Lee to make Lynley. In her teenage years, Lynley appeared in several

Clairol Clairol is the American personal care-product division of company Wella, specializing in hair coloring and hair care. Clairol was founded in 1931 by Americans Joan Gelb and her husband Lawrence M. Gelb, with business partner and lifelong frien ...

and

Pepsodent Pepsodent is an American brand of toothpaste with the minty flavor derived from sassafras. The brand was purchased by Unilever in 1942 and is still owned by the company outside of the United States and Canada. In 2003, Unilever sold the rights t ...

advertisements that were publicized across the country.

Career

Early career

In 1955, Lynley made her first stage appearance in

Moss Hart Moss Hart (October 24, 1904 – December 20, 1961) was an American playwright, librettist, and theater director. Early years Hart was born in New York City, the son of Lillian (Solomon) and Barnett Hart, a cigar maker. He had a younger brother ...

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

stage hit ''Anniversary Waltz''. At the age of 15, she played the role of Dame Sybil Thorndyke's granddaughter in the Broadway play '' The Potting Shed'' (1957). Early on, Lynley distinguished herself on both the Broadway stage and in

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywoo ...

screen versions of the controversial drama '' Blue Denim'' (1959), in which the teenaged characters played by Lynley and co-star

Brandon deWilde Andre Brandon deWilde (April 9, 1942 – July 6, 1972) was an American theater, film, and television actor. Born into a theatrical family in Brooklyn, he debuted on Broadway at the age of seven and became a national phenomenon by the time he com ...

had to deal with an unwanted pregnancy and (then-illegal) abortion. She won the

as "one of the most promising personalities for 1956–57" for her performance in Blue Denim. This recognition helped her get a seven-year contract with

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Disn ...

Film career

Lynley started her film career in 1958 with the Disney film '' The Light in the Forest'' followed by ''

'' (1959). In 1959, she was nominated for the

for Most Promising Newcomer – Female. In 1960, she was again nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer – Female for the film ''Blue Denim''. She acted in 20th Century Fox productions ''

'', '' Blue Denim'', '' Hound-Dog Man'' (all in 1959), ''

Return to Peyton Place ''Return to Peyton Place'' is a 1959 novel by Grace Metalious, a sequel to her best-selling 1956 novel '' Peyton Place''. Plot summary After the phenomenal success of her first novel, Metalious hastily penned a sequel centering on the life and ...

'' (1961), and '' The Stripper'' (1963). ''The Stripper'' was based on the play ''A Loss of Roses'' written by

William Inge William Motter Inge (; May 3, 1913 – June 10, 1973) was an American playwright and novelist, whose works typically feature solitary protagonists encumbered with strained sexual relations. In the early 1950s he had a string of memorable Broad ...

. Lynley appeared in many films, often portraying the blonde- girl-next-door gone bad. She is best known for her film roles in ''

'' (1961), the sex comedy '' Under the Yum Yum Tree'' (1961), the drama '' The Cardinal'' (1963), the romantic drama '' The Pleasure Seekers'' (1964), the thriller ''

Bunny Lake Is Missing ''Bunny Lake Is Missing'' is a 1965 British-American psychological drama film, directed and produced by Otto Preminger. Filmed in black-and-white widescreen format in London, it was based on the 1957 novel '' Bunny Lake Is Missing'' by Merriam ...

'' (1965), and '' The Poseidon Adventure'' (1972), in which she lip-synced the Oscar-winning song " The Morning After" (her singing voice was dubbed by studio singer Renee Armand). ''

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly large ...

'' reported that Lynley was on the peak of her career in the year 1965. She posed nude at age 22 for the March 1965 edition of ''

Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's Lifestyle magazine, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from H ...

'' magazine (pp. 108–115). She starred in the

Otto Preminger Otto Ludwig Preminger ( , ; 5 December 1905 – 23 April 1986) was an Austrian-American theatre and film director, film producer, and actor. He directed more than 35 feature films in a five-decade career after leaving the theatre. He first gai ...

directed thriller ''Bunny Lake Is Missing'' (1965). Lynley played

Jean Harlow Jean Harlow (born Harlean Harlow Carpenter; March 3, 1911 – June 7, 1937) was an American actress. Known for her portrayal of "bad girl" characters, she was the leading sex symbol of the early 1930s and one of the defining figures of the ...

in the biopic ''

Harlow Harlow is a large town and local government district located in the west of Essex, England. Founded as a new town, it is situated on the border with Hertfordshire and London, Harlow occupies a large area of land on the south bank of the uppe ...

'' (1965), co-starring

Ginger Rogers Ginger Rogers (born Virginia Katherine McMath; July 16, 1911 – April 25, 1995) was an American actress, dancer and singer during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood. She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her starri ...

, but the film failed at the box office. The decline in her career started in the late 1960s. In 1967, Lynley had major roles in the horror '' The Shuttered Room'' and the British spy caper ''

'', but the films were not successful. She did smaller roles, guest appearances and appeared in low-budget productions like ''

Once You Kiss a Stranger ''Once You Kiss a Stranger'' is a 1969 American thriller film directed by Robert Sparr and written by Norman Katkov and Frank Tarloff. The film stars Paul Burke, Carol Lynley, Martha Hyer, Peter Lind Hayes, Philip Carey, Stephen McNally and ...

'' (1969), ''

The Maltese Bippy ''The Maltese Bippy'' is a 1969 film directed by Norman Panama and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The film is a vehicle for comedy team Dan Rowan and Dick Martin, who had recently found fame in their television show ''Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In ...

'' (1969), '' Norwood'' (1970), and the

Larry Hagman Larry Martin Hagman (September 21, 1931 – November 23, 2012) was an American film and television actor, director, and producer, best known for playing ruthless oil baron J. R. Ewing in the 1978–1991 primetime television soap opera, ''Dal ...

directed horror spoof '' Son of the Blob'' (1972). In 1972, she made a brief comeback when she had supporting roles in ', a made for television film which drew top ratings, and '' The Posiden Adventure'', which was one of the top-grossing films of the year. However, she was unable to maintain her career momentum. She then appeared in '' The Four Deuces'' (1975), ''The Washington Affair'' (1977) and ''

Bad Georgia Road ''Bad Georgia Road'' is a 1977 American action comedy film produced, co-written and directed by John C. Broderick and starring Gary Lockwood, Carol Lynley and Royal Dano. Synopsis A New York City woman inherits a moonshine farm in the South ...

'' (1977). In 1992, she acted in a low-budget thriller ''Spirits'', as a nun. She acted in ''Flypaper'' (1997), followed by the low-budget film ''Drowning on Dry Land'' (1999). Many of the low-budget movies she acted in during the later part of her career were direct-to-video. She appeared in the pilot television movies for '' Kolchak: The Night Stalker'' and ''

Fantasy Island ''Fantasy Island'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Gene Levitt. It aired on ABC from 1977 to 1984. The series starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr. Roarke and Hervé Villechaize as his assistant, Tatto ...

''. Her many other series appearances include ''

The Big Valley ''The Big Valley'' is an American Western drama television series that originally aired from September 15, 1965, to May 19, 1969 on ABC. The series is set on the fictional Barkley Ranch in Stockton, California, from 1884 to 1888. The one-hour ...

'', ''

Mannix ''Mannix'' is an American detective television series that ran from 1967 to 1975 on CBS. It was created by Richard Levinson and William Link, and developed by executive producer Bruce Geller. The title character, Joe Mannix, is a private in ...

'', '' It Takes a Thief'', ''

Night Gallery ''Night Gallery'' is an American anthology television series that aired on NBC from December 16, 1970, to May 27, 1973, featuring stories of horror and the macabre. Rod Serling, who had gained fame from an earlier series, ''The Twilight Zone ...

'', ''

The Invaders ''The Invaders'' is an American science-fiction television series created by Larry Cohen that aired on ABC for two seasons, from 1967 to 1968. Roy Thinnes stars as David Vincent, who after stumbling across evidence of an in-progress invas ...

'', ''

Kojak ''Kojak'' is an American action crime drama television series starring Telly Savalas as the title character, New York City Police Department Detective Lieutenant Theodopolis "Theo" Kojak. Taking the time slot of the popular ''Cannon'' series, ...

'', '' Hawaii Five-O'', '' Tales of the Unexpected'', ''

Hart to Hart ''Hart to Hart'' is an American mystery television series that premiered on August 25, 1979, on ABC. The show stars Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers as Jonathan and Jennifer Hart, respectively, a wealthy couple who lead a glamorous jetset life ...

'', and ''

Charlie's Angels ''Charlie's Angels'' is an American crime drama television series that aired on ABC from September 22, 1976, to June 24, 1981, producing five seasons and 115 episodes. The series was created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts and was produced by ...

''. Lynley appeared in the fourth season of '' The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' in the two-part episode " The Prince of Darkness Affair". In 2000, in an interview with the ''

San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and Michael H. de Young. The pa ...

'', Lynley discussed the difficulty faced by middle-aged actresses in finding roles. She predicted she'd have a comeback in old age, stating, "I don't mean to sound conceited, but I am a very talented actress, and I have my head screwed on right." And she added "I'm not going to drug clinics, I look good, and I've got all my marbles. So I really believe I'll be back." In 2006, she appeared in a 30-minute film, '' Vic'', co-written and directed by

Sage Stallone Sage Moonblood Stallone (May 5, 1976 – July 13, 2012) was an American actor. He was the eldest child of actor Sylvester Stallone. Early life Sage Stallone was born in Los Angeles, California, the elder son and first child of Sasha Czack an ...

, the son of

Sylvester Stallone Sylvester Enzio Stallone (; born Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone, ) is an American actor and filmmaker. After his beginnings as a struggling actor for a number of years upon arriving to New York City in 1969 and later Hollywood in 1974, h ...

Personal life and death

In 1960, Lynley married publicist Michael Selsman. The marriage produced one child, Jill Selsman (a director of short films), and ended in divorce in 1964. She also had an 18-year intermittent affair with English broadcaster and writer

David Frost Sir David Paradine Frost (7 April 1939 – 31 August 2013) was a British television host, journalist, comedian and writer. He rose to prominence during the satire boom in the United Kingdom when he was chosen to host the satirical programme ...

.W. Lee Cozad, ''More Magnificent Mountain Movies: The Silverscreen Years, 1940–2004'', p. 219 (Sunstroke Media, 2006). Lynley died aged 77 of a heart attack on September 3, 2019, at her home in

Pacific Palisades, California Pacific Palisades is a neighborhood in the Westside region of Los Angeles, California, situated about west of Downtown Los Angeles. Pacific Palisades was formally founded in 1921 by a Methodist organization, and in the years that followed be ...

. She was cremated; her ashes were scattered at sea off the Southern California coast.

Selected filmography

Film

Television

References

External links

* * * *
Carol Lynley
(Aveleyman) {{DEFAULTSORT:Lynley, Carol 1942 births 2019 deaths 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses Actresses from New York City American child actresses American child models American expatriates in the United Kingdom American female models American film actresses American stage actresses American television actresses American people of Irish descent American people of English descent American people of Scottish descent American people of Welsh descent American people of German descent People from Manhattan