Jean Rogers (born Eleanor Dorothy Lovegren, March 25, 1916 – February 24, 1991) was an American actress who starred in serial films in the 1930s and low–budget feature films in the 1940s as a

leading lady A leading actor, leading actress, or simply lead (), plays the role of the protagonist of a film, television show or play. The word ''lead'' may also refer to the largest role in the piece, and ''leading actor'' may refer to a person who typica ...

. She is best remembered for playing

Dale Arden Dale Arden is a fictional character, the fellow adventurer and love interest of Flash Gordon and a prototypic heroine for later female characters, including Princess Leia and Padme Amidala in '' Star Wars''. Flash, Dale and Dr. Hans Zarkov fi ...

in the science-fiction serials ''

Flash Gordon Flash Gordon is the protagonist of a space adventure comic strip created and originally drawn by Alex Raymond. First published January 7, 1934, the strip was inspired by, and created to compete with, the already established '' Buck Rogers'' adv ...

'' (1936) and ''

Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars ''Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars'' is a 1938 Universal Pictures 15–chapter science-fiction movie serial based on the syndicated newspaper comic strip ''Flash Gordon''. It is the second of the three Flash Gordon serials made by Universal between 1 ...

'' (1938).Obituary ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'', March 4, 1991.

Early life

Rogers was born in

Belmont, Massachusetts Belmont is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. It is a western suburb of Boston, Massachusetts, United States; and is part of the Greater Boston metropolitan area. At the time of the 2020 U.S. Census, the town's population stood at 27,29 ...

. Her father was an immigrant from

Malmö Malmö (, ; da, Malmø ) is the largest city in the Swedish county (län) of Scania (Skåne). It is the third-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg, and the sixth-largest city in the Nordic region, with a municipal popul ...

, Sweden. She graduated from Belmont High School. She had hoped to study art, but in 1933 she won a

beauty contest A beauty pageant is a competition that has traditionally focused on judging and ranking the physical attributes of the contestants. Pageants have now evolved to include inner beauty, with criteria covering judging of personality, intelligence, ...

Early career

Rogers was one of seven women chosen out of 2,700 passengers on excursion boats and ferries who were interviewed for roles in ''Eight Girls in a Boat''. The group began work in Hollywood on September 3, 1933. By 1937, Rogers was the only one of the seven featured as an actress.

''Flash Gordon''

Rogers was assigned the role of Dale Arden in the first two ''Flash Gordon'' serials.

Buster Crabbe Clarence Linden Crabbe II (; February 7, 1908 – April 23, 1983), known professionally as Buster Crabbe, was an American two-time Olympic swimmer and film and television actor. He won the 1932 Olympic gold medal for 400-meter freestyle swimmi ...

and Rogers were cast as the hero and heroine in the first serial, ''Flash Gordon''. The evil ruler

Ming the Merciless Ming the Merciless is a fictional character who first appeared in the ''Flash Gordon'' comic strip in 1934. He has since been the main villain of the strip and its related movie serials, television series and film adaptation. Ming is depicted as ...

(

Charles B. Middleton Charles Brown Middleton (October 3, 1874 – April 22, 1949) was an American stage and film actor. During a film career that began at age 46 and lasted almost 30 years, he appeared in nearly 200 films as well as numerous plays. Sometimes credi ...

) lusted after her, and Gordon was forced to rescue her from one situation after another. While filming the series in 1937, her costume caught fire and she suffered burns on her hands. Co-star Crabbe smothered the fire by wrapping a blanket on her. In the first serial, Arden competed with Princess Aura ( Priscilla Lawson) for Gordon's attention. Rogers' character was fragile, small-chested, diminutive, and totally dependent on Gordon for her survival; Lawson's Princess Aura was domineering, independent, voluptuous, conniving, sly, ambitious, and determined to make Gordon her own. The competition for Gordon's attention is one of the highlights of the film. In ''Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars'', the second serial, Rogers sported a totally different look. She had dark hair and wore the same modest costume in each episode. Rogers matured after the first serial, and no sexual overtones are seen in ''Trip to Mars''. Rogers told writer Richard Lamparski that she was not eager to do the second serial and asked her studio to excuse her from the

third Third or 3rd may refer to: Numbers * 3rd, the ordinal form of the cardinal number 3 * , a fraction of one third * 1⁄60 of a ''second'', or 1⁄3600 of a ''minute'' Places * 3rd Street (disambiguation) * Third Avenue (disambiguation) * Hi ...

Feature films

Despite starring in serial films, Rogers felt she was not going to improve her career unless she could participate in feature films. She discovered that working in feature films was more tedious. She played

John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne and nicknamed The Duke or Duke Wayne, was an American actor who became a popular icon through his starring roles in films made during Hollywood's Go ...

in the 1936 full-length motion picture '' Conflict'' and co-starred with

Boris Karloff William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), better known by his stage name Boris Karloff (), was an English actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film ''Frankenstein'' (1931) (his 82nd film) established ...

in the crime drama '' Night Key'' the following year. During the 1940s, Rogers appeared only in feature films, including '' The Man Who Wouldn't Talk'' (1940) with Lloyd Nolan, ''

Viva Cisco Kid ''Viva Cisco Kid'' is a 1940 American Western film directed by Norman Foster, written by Samuel G. Engel and Hal Long, and starring Cesar Romero, Jean Rogers, Chris-Pin Martin, Minor Watson, Stanley Fields and Nigel De Brulier. It was release ...

'' (1940) with

Cesar Romero Cesar Julio Romero Jr. (February 15, 1907 – January 1, 1994) was an American actor and activist. He was active in film, radio, and television for almost sixty years. His wide range of screen roles included Latin lovers, historical figures in c ...

as the

Cisco Kid The Cisco Kid is a fictional character found in numerous film, radio, television and comic book series based on the fictional Western character created by O. Henry in his 1907 short story "The Caballero's Way", published in ''Everybody's Magazi ...

, ''

Design for Scandal ''Design for Scandal'' is a 1941 American romantic comedy film directed by Norman Taurog. Rosalind Russell stars as a judge targeted by a newspaper tycoon unhappy with her decision in his divorce case. Plot When wealthy newspaper publisher Jud ...

'' (1941) with

Rosalind Russell Catherine Rosalind Russell (June 4, 1907November 28, 1976) was an American actress, comedienne, screenwriter, and singer,Obituary '' Variety'', December 1, 1976, p. 79. known for her role as fast-talking newspaper reporter Hildy Johnson in the H ...

and

Walter Pidgeon Walter Davis Pidgeon (September 23, 1897 – September 25, 1984) was a Canadian-American actor. He earned two Academy Award for Best Actor nominations for his roles in '' Mrs. Miniver'' (1942) and ''Madame Curie'' (1943). Pidgeon also starred in ...

, '' Whistling in Brooklyn'' (1943) with

Red Skelton Richard Red Skelton (July 18, 1913September 17, 1997) was an American entertainer best known for his national radio and television shows between 1937 and 1971, especially as host of the television program ''The Red Skelton Show''. He has stars ...

, '' A Stranger in Town'' (1943) with Frank Morgan, '' Backlash'' (1947), and ''

Speed to Spare ''Speed to Spare'' is a 1948 American drama film directed by William Berke, written by Milton Raison, and starring Richard Arlen, Jean Rogers, Richard Travis (actor), Richard Travis, Roscoe Karns, Nanette Parks and Pat Phelan. It was released on ...

'' (1948) with

Richard Arlen Richard Arlen (born Sylvanus Richard Mattimore, September 1, 1899 – March 28, 1976) was an American actor of film and television. Biography Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Arlen attended the University of Pennsylvania. He served in Canada as a ...

. Still, she was unhappy with the studios, possibly because she was relegated to

B-movie A B movie or B film is a low-budget commercial motion picture. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified films intended for distribution as the less-publicized bottom half of a double feat ...

productions on a lower salary. She decided to freelance with companies such as

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 ...

and

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...

(MGM). Her last appearance was in a supporting role in the suspense film '' The Second Woman,'' made in 1950 by

United Artists United Artists Corporation (UA), currently doing business as United Artists Digital Studios, is an American digital production company. Founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks, the stu ...

Later life

Rogers married Dan Winkler in 1943 after she was dropped by MGM. She continued freelancing until retiring in 1951. Because she starred mainly in low-budget films, she was never a top star. In a 1979 interview, she explained what it was like and why she decided not to play Dale Arden in the third ''Flash Gordon'' serial. Rogers was a lifelong Democrat who supported Adlai Stevenson's campaign during the 1952 presidential election and a practicing

Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched ...

. She died in

Sherman Oaks Sherman Oaks is a neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles, California located in the San Fernando Valley, founded in 1927. The neighborhood includes a portion of the Santa Monica Mountains, which gives Sherman Oaks a lower population density than ...

in 1991 at the age of 74 following surgery.Obituary ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'', February 28, 1991. She was later

cremated Cremation is a method of final disposition of a dead body through burning. Cremation may serve as a funeral or post-funeral rite and as an alternative to burial. In some countries, including India and Nepal, cremation on an open-air pyre ...

and her ashes returned to her family.

Selected filmography

*''

Footlight Parade ''Footlight Parade'' is a 1933 American pre-Code musical film starring James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell and featuring Frank McHugh, Guy Kibbee, Hugh Herbert and Ruth Donnelly. The film was written by Manuel Seff and Jam ...

'' (1933) as Chorus Girl (uncredited) *'' Eight Girls in a Boat'' (1934) (with Dorothy Wilson) as School Girl (uncredited) *'' Stand Up and Cheer!'' (1934) as Dancer (uncredited) *''

Twenty Million Sweethearts ''Twenty Million Sweethearts'' is a 1934 American Pre-Code musical comedy film directed by Ray Enright and starring Pat O'Brien, Dick Powell, Ginger Rogers, and The Mills Brothers. The film was remade in 1949 as '' My Dream Is Yours''. Plot Ag ...

'' (1934) as Radio Fan (uncredited) *''

Dames ''Dame'' is an honorific title and the feminine form of address for the honour of damehood in many Christian chivalric orders, as well as the British honours system and those of several other Commonwealth realms, such as Australia and New Zeala ...

'' (1934) as Chorus Girl (uncredited) *''

Manhattan Moon ''Manhattan Moon'' is an American romantic comedy directed by Stuart Walker, and stars Ricardo Cortez and Dorothy Page. It was released on August 5, 1935. Plot Cast * Ricardo Cortez as Dan Moore * Dorothy Page as Yvonne/Doris * Henry Moll ...

'' (1935) (with

ZaSu Pitts Zasu Pitts (; January 3, 1894 – June 7, 1963) was an American actress who starred in many silent dramas, including Erich von Stroheim's epic 1924 silent film ''Greed'', and comedies, transitioning successfully to mostly comedy films with the ...

) as Joan *'' Lady Tubbs'' (1935) as Debutante (uncredited) *''

His Night Out ''His Night Out'' is a 1935 American comedy film directed by William Nigh and written by Harry Clork and Doris Malloy. The film stars Edward Everett Horton, Irene Hervey, Jack La Rue, Robert McWade, Lola Lane and Willard Robertson. The fil ...

'' (1935) as Information (uncredited) *'' Stormy'' (1935) as Kerry Dorn *''

Tailspin Tommy in the Great Air Mystery ''Tailspin Tommy in the Great Air Mystery'' is a 12-episode 1935 Universal movie serial based on the Tailspin Tommy comic strip by Hal Forrest and starring Clark Williams, Jean Rogers and Noah Beery, Jr. The picture was the 96th of the 137 serials ...

'' (1935, Serial) (with

Noah Beery, Jr. Noah Lindsey Beery (August 10, 1913 – November 1, 1994) was an American actor often specializing in warm, friendly character roles similar to many portrayed by his Oscar-winning uncle, Wallace Beery. Unlike his more famous uncle, however, ...

) as Betty Lou Barnes *''

Fighting Youth ''Fighting Youth'' is a 1935 American drama film directed by Hamilton MacFadden and written by Henry Johnson, Hamilton MacFadden and newspaper reporter Florabel Muir. The film stars Charles Farrell, June Martel, Andy Devine, J. Farrell MacDo ...

'' (1935) as Blonde Student *'' The Adventures of Frank Merriwell'' (1936 serial) (with

Donald Briggs Donald Briggs (January 28, 1911 – February 3, 1986) was an American actor, who appeared in over 75 films and television shows between the 1930s and 1970s. Early life Briggs was born in Chicago, Illinois and died in Woodland Hills, California ...

) as Elsie Belwood *'' Don't Get Personal'' (1936) as Blondy *''

'' (1936, Serial) (with

) as Dale Arden *'' Spaceship to the Unknown'' (1936, edited serial) (with Buster Crabbe) as Dale Arden *'' Crash Donovan'' (1936) as Blonde (uncredited) *''

My Man Godfrey ''My Man Godfrey'' is a 1936 American screwball comedy film directed by Gregory La Cava and starring William Powell and Carole Lombard, who had been briefly married years before appearing together in the film. The screenplay for ''My Man Godf ...

'' (1936) (with

William Powell William Horatio Powell (July 29, 1892 – March 5, 1984) was an American actor. A major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, he was paired with Myrna Loy in 14 films, including the '' Thin Man'' series based on the Nick and Nora Charles characters cr ...

) as Socialite (uncredited) *''

Two in a Crowd ''Two in a Crowd'' is a 1936 romantic comedy film directed by Alfred E. Green and starring Joan Bennett and Joel McCrea. It was released by Universal Pictures. The screenplay was written by Lewis R. Foster, Doris Malloy, and Earle Snell, base ...

'' (1936) as Minor Role (uncredited) *'' Ace Drummond'' (1936 serial) (with Noah Beery, Jr.) as Peggy Trainor *'' Conflict'' (1936) (with

) as Maude Sangster *''

Mysterious Crossing ''Mysterious Crossing'' is a 1936 American film. It was directed by Arthur Lubin. Production It was originally called ''Murder on the Mississippi'', which was the title of the Fred MacIsaac story on which it was based. Universal bought this in J ...

'' (1936) as Yvonne Fontaine *''

When Love Is Young ''When Love Is Young'' is a 1937 American comedy film directed by Hal Mohr and starring Virginia Bruce, Kent Taylor, Walter Brennan, Greta Meyer, Christian Rub and William Tannen. Written by Joseph Fields and Eve Greene, it is based on the 1935 ...

'' (1937) as Irene Henry *''

Secret Agent X-9 ''Secret Agent X-9'' is a comic strip created by writer Dashiell Hammett ('' The Maltese Falcon'') and artist Alex Raymond (''Flash Gordon''). Syndicated by King Features, it ran from January 22, 1934 until February 10, 1996. Premise and publ ...

'' (1937, Serial) (with

Lon Chaney, Jr. Creighton Tull Chaney (February10, 1906 – July12, 1973), known by his stage name Lon Chaney Jr., was an American actor known for playing Larry Talbot in the film '' The Wolf Man'' (1941) and its various crossovers, Count Alucard (Dra ...

) as Shara Graustark *'' Night Key'' (1937) (with

) as Joan Mallory *''

The Wildcatter ''The Wildcatter'' is a 1937 American drama film directed by Lewis D. Collins and written by Charles Logue. The film stars Scott Kolk, Jean Rogers, J. Scott Smart, Suzanne Kaaren, Russell Hicks, Ward Bond, Wallis Clark and Jack Powell. The fil ...

'' (1937) as Helen Conlon *'' Reported Missing'' (1937) as Jean Clayton *''

'' (1938, Serial) (with Buster Crabbe) as Dale Arden *'' Deadly Ray from Mars'' (1938, edited serial) (with Buster Crabbe) as Dale Arden *''

Time Out for Murder ''Time Out for Murder'' is a 1938 American crime film directed by H. Bruce Humberstone, written by Jerome Cady, and starring Gloria Stuart, Michael Whalen, Chick Chandler, Douglas Fowley, Robert Kellard, Jane Darwell and Jean Rogers. It was rel ...

'' (1938) as Helen Thomas *''

Always in Trouble ''Always in Trouble'' is a 1938 American comedy film directed by Joseph Santley, and written by Robert Chapin and Karen DeWolf. The film stars Jane Withers, Jean Rogers, Arthur Treacher, Robert Kellard, Eddie Collins and Andrew Tombes. The film ...

'' (1938) (with Jane Withers) as Virginia Darlington *''

While New York Sleeps ''While New York Sleeps'' is a 1920 American crime drama film produced by Fox Film Corporation and directed by Charles Brabin, who was the husband of actress Theda Bara. The film tells three distinct episodic stories using the same actors, Este ...

'' (1938) as Judy King *'' Inside Story'' (1939) as June White *''

Hotel for Women ''Hotel for Women'' (or ''Elsa Maxwell's Hotel for Women'') is a 1939 American drama film directed by Gregory Ratoff and starring Ann Sothern, Linda Darnell, and James Ellison. It was Darnell's screen debut. Plot When she is jilted by her boyfr ...

'' (1939) (with Linda Darnell) as Nancy Prescott *'' Stop, Look and Love'' (1939) as Louise Haller *'' Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence'' (1939) (with

Glenn Ford Gwyllyn Samuel Newton "Glenn" Ford (May 1, 1916 – August 30, 2006) was a Canadian-American actor who often portrayed ordinary men in unusual circumstances. Ford was most prominent during Hollywood's Golden Age as one of the biggest box-offi ...

) as Anita Santos *'' The Man Who Wouldn't Talk'' (1940) (with Lloyd Nolan) as Alice Stetson *''

Charlie Chan in Panama ''Charlie Chan in Panama'' is a 1940 mystery film starring Sidney Toler. It is an unaccredited remake of Jacques Deval's novel "Marie Galante", produced by 20th Century Fox in 1934, directed by Henry King. Plot Charlie Chan must stop a spy from ...

'' (1940) (with

Sidney Toler Sidney Toler (born Hooper G. Toler Jr., April 28, 1874 – February 12, 1947) was an American actor, playwright, and theatre director. The second European-American actor to play the role of Charlie Chan on screen, he is best remembered for his ...

) as Kathi Lenesch *''

'' (1940) (with

) as Joan Allen *''

Brigham Young Brigham Young (; June 1, 1801August 29, 1877) was an American religious leader and politician. He was the second president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), from 1847 until his death in 1877. During his time as chu ...

'' (1940) as Clara Young *''

Yesterday's Heroes ''Yesterday's Heroes'' is a 1940 American drama film directed by Herbert I. Leeds and written by Irving Cummings Jr. and William Conselman Jr.. The film stars Jean Rogers, Robert Sterling, Ted North, Kay Aldridge, Russell Gleason and Richard " ...

'' (1940) as Lee Kellogg *''

Let's Make Music ''Let's Make Music'' is a 1941 American musical film directed by Leslie Goodwins starring Bob Crosby, Jean Rogers and Elisabeth Risdon. It was produced by RKO Pictures and written by Nathanael West. The film's songs include the classic "Big No ...

'' (1941) as Abby Adams *''

'' (1941) (with

) as Dotty *'' Dr. Kildare's Victory'' (1942) as Annabelle Kirke *''

Sunday Punch The following is a ''list of phrases from sports'' that have become idioms (slang or otherwise) in English. They have evolved usages and meanings independent of sports and are often used by those with little knowledge of these games. The sport fr ...

'' (1942) as Judy Galestrum *'' Pacific Rendezvous'' (1942) as Elaine Carter *''

The War Against Mrs. Hadley ''The War Against Mrs. Hadley'' is a 1942 American drama film directed by Harold S. Bucquet and starring Fay Bainter and Edward Arnold. The plot depicts how wealthy society matron Stella Hadley selfishly refuses to sacrifice her family or materi ...

'' (1942) (with

Fay Bainter Fay Okell Bainter (December 7, 1893 – April 16, 1968) was an American film and stage actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for ''Jezebel'' (1938) and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Early life Bainter wa ...

) as Patricia Hadley *''

Swing Shift Maisie ''Swing Shift Maisie'' (also known as ''Swing It, Maisie'') is a 1943 romantic comedy film directed by Norman Z. McLeod. It is the seventh in a series of 10 films starring Ann Sothern as Maisie, preceded by '' Maisie Gets Her Man'' (1942) and fo ...

'' (1943) (with

Ann Sothern Ann Sothern (born Harriette Arlene Lake; January 22, 1909 – March 15, 2001) was an American actress who worked on stage, radio, film, and television, in a career that spanned nearly six decades. Sothern began her career in the late 1920 ...

) *'' A Stranger in Town'' (1943) (with Frank Morgan) as Lucy Gilbert *''

'' (1943) as Iris Reed *'' Whistling in Brooklyn'' (1943) (with

) as Jean Pringle *''

Rough, Tough and Ready ''Rough, Tough and Ready'' is a 1945 American war comedy drama film directed by Del Lord and starring Chester Morris, Victor McLaglen and Jean Rogers. It aimed to replicate the success of the series of buddy films that McLaglen had previously sta ...

'' (1945) as Jo Matheson *''

The Strange Mr. Gregory ''The Strange Mr. Gregory'' is a 1945 American horror film, directed by Phil Rosen. It stars Edmund Lowe, Jean Rogers, and Don Douglas, and was released on November 14, 1945. Plot Mr. Gregory (Edmund Lowe) is a famous but reclusive magician. T ...

'' (1945) as Ellen Randall *''

Gay Blades ''Gay Blades'' is a 1946 American comedy film directed by George Blair and written by Albert Beich and Marcy Klauber. The film stars Allan Lane, Jean Rogers, Edward Ashley, Frank Albertson, Ann Gillis and Robert Armstrong. The film was relea ...

'' (1946) as Nancy Davis *'' Hot Cargo'' (1946) (with

William Gargan William Dennis Gargan (July 17, 1905February 17, 1979) was an American film, television and radio actor. He was the 5th recipient of the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 1967, and in 1941, was nominated for the Academy Award for Be ...

) as Jerry Walters *'' Backlash'' (1947; top billing) as Catherine Morland *''

'' (1948) (with

) as Mary McGee *'' Fighting Back'' (1948) (with

Morris Ankrum Morris Ankrum (born Morris Nussbaum; August 28, 1897 – September 2, 1964) was an American radio, television, and film character actor. Early life Born in Danville in Vermilion County in eastern Illinois, Ankrum originally began a career in ...

) as June Sanders *'' The Second Woman'' (1950) (with Robert Young) as Dodo Ferris (final film role)

References

External links

*
Tony LoBue's Dale Arden Page

Rotten Tomatoes Jean Rogers Filmography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rogers, Jean 1916 births 1991 deaths Actresses from Massachusetts American film actresses Film serial actresses People from Belmont, Massachusetts American people of Swedish descent Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract players 20th-century American actresses Belmont High School (Massachusetts) alumni American Lutherans Massachusetts Democrats California Democrats