Myrna Dell and Joe DiMaggio at the Stork Club, 1949

Myrna Dell (born Marilyn Adele Dunlap; March 5, 1924 – February 11, 2011) was an American actress, model, and writer who appeared in numerous motion pictures and television programs over four decades. A Hollywood

glamour girl Glamour photography is a genre of photography in which the subjects are portrayed in erotic poses ranging from fully clothed to nude. The term may be a euphemism for erotic photography. For glamour models, body shape and size are directly relate ...

in the early part of her career, she is best known today for her work in

B-picture 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 featur ...

s, particularly film noir thrillers and

Westerns The Western is a genre set in the American frontier and commonly associated with folk tales of the Western United States, particularly the Southwestern United States, as well as Northern Mexico and Western Canada. It is commonly referred ...

Early life and career

Dell's mother was silent-film actress Carol Price. Dell entered show business when she was 16 as a dancer with the Earl Carroll Revue in New York. Her film debut came in '' A Night at Earl Carroll's'' (1940), after which she appeared in ''

Ziegfeld Girl Ziegfeld Girls were the chorus girls and showgirls from Florenz Ziegfeld's theatrical Broadway revue spectaculars known as the '' Ziegfeld Follies'' (1907–1931), in New York City, which were based on the Folies Bergère of Paris. Desc ...

'' (1941), ''

Raiders of Red Gap ''Raiders of Red Gap'' is a 1943 American Western film directed by Sam Newfield and written by Joseph O'Donnell. The film stars Robert Livingston as the Lone Rider and Al St. John as his sidekick "Fuzzy Jones", with Myrna Dell, Ed Cassidy, ...

'' (1943), 'and ''

Up in Arms ''Up in Arms'' is a 1944 musical film directed by Elliott Nugent and starring Danny Kaye and Dinah Shore. It was nominated for two Academy Awards in 1945. Plot Danny Weems works as an elevator operator in a New York Medical building, so he can b ...

'' (1943). She found work at Monogram Pictures, a "budget" studio specializing in inexpensive entertainments for double-feature theaters. She appeared as an ingenue in a B-western, ''

Arizona Whirlwind ''Arizona Whirlwind'' is a 1944 American Western film directed by Robert Emmett Tansey. It stars Ken Maynard, Hoot Gibson, and Bob Steele. Cast * Ken Maynard as U.S. Marshal * Hoot Gibson as U.S. Marshal * Bob Steele as himself * Ian Ke ...

'' (1944), with silent-screen veterans Ken Maynard,

Hoot Gibson Edmund Richard "Hoot" Gibson (August 6, 1892 – August 23, 1962) was an American rodeo champion, film actor, film director, and producer. While acting and stunt work began as a sideline to Gibson's focus on rodeo, he successfully transitioned ...

, and Bob Steele. She signed a contract with

RKO Radio Pictures RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, was an American film production and distribution company, one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orph ...

in 1944, and followed the path of other RKO starlets: bit parts and chorus-girl appearances in features, then dialogue roles in short subjects starring

Leon Errol Leon Errol (born Leonce Errol Sims, July 3, 1881 – October 12, 1951) was an Australian-American comedian and actor in the United States, popular in the first half of the 20th century for his appearances in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in film ...

Edgar Kennedy Edgar Livingston Kennedy (April 26, 1890 – November 9, 1948) was an American comedic character actor who appeared in at least 500 films during the silent and sound eras. Professionally, he was known as "Slow Burn", owing to his ability to por ...

, and then featured roles in "B" pictures and smaller roles in "A" pictures. Myrna Dell was very prolific at RKO, and many fans know her best from these pictures. Beginning as a showgirl in the Eddie Cantor-

Joan Davis Josephine "Joan" Davis (June 29, 1907 – May 22, 1961) was an American comedic actress whose career spanned vaudeville, film, radio, and television. Remembered best for the 1950s television comedy ''I Married Joan'', Davis had a successful earl ...

musical comedy ''

Show Business Show business, sometimes shortened to show biz or showbiz (since 1945), is a vernacular term for all aspects of the entertainment industry.''Oxford English Dictionary'' 2nd Ed. (1989) From the business side (including managers, agents, produce ...

'' (1944), Dell gradually worked her way up, from a

Zane Grey Pearl Zane Grey (January 31, 1872 – October 23, 1939) was an American author and dentist. He is known for his popular adventure novels and stories associated with the Western genre in literature and the arts; he idealized the American fronti ...

western to gradually larger roles in three of the studio's popular

Falcon Falcons () are birds of prey in the genus ''Falco'', which includes about 40 species. Falcons are widely distributed on all continents of the world except Antarctica, though closely related raptors did occur there in the Eocene. Adult falcons ...

mysteries with

Tom Conway Tom Conway (born Thomas Charles Sanders, 15 September 1904 – 22 April 1967) was a British film, television, and radio actor remembered for playing private detectives (including The Falcon, Sherlock Holmes, Bulldog Drummond, and The Saint) ...

, and finally becoming established as a hard-boiled glamour girl in film noir thrillers like ''

Nocturne A nocturne is a musical composition that is inspired by, or evocative of, the night. History The term ''nocturne'' (from French '' nocturne'' 'of the night') was first applied to musical pieces in the 18th century, when it indicated an ensembl ...

'' (1946), ''

The Locket The Locket may refer to: *The Locket (1946 film), an American film directed by John Brahm * ''The Locket'' (1970 film), a Spanish film directed by Rafael Gil * ''The Locket'' (2002 film), an American television film directed by Karen Arthur * "The L ...

'' (1946), and '' Destination Murder'' (1950). She once told a reporter that she loathed the glamour-girl image, stating, "After a time... a girl gets bored with the glamour, the atmosphere, the drinking, the cigarettes to smoke, the wolves." Between assignments she returned to the

unit to play dangerous blondes opposite the flustered comic, and would even play incidental walk-ons not calling for any dialogue (she's the nightclub blonde silently kibitzing

Tommy Noonan Tommy Noonan (born Thomas Noone; April 29, 1921 – April 24, 1968) was a comedy genre film performer, screenwriter and producer. He acted in a number of high-profile films as well as B movies from the 1940s through the 1960s, and he is best ...

's card game in the 1946 comedy ''

Ding Dong Williams ''Ding Dong Williams'' is a 1946 American comedy film directed by William Berke, and written by Brenda Weisberg and M. Coates Webster. The film stars Glen Vernon (under his real name, Glenn Vernon), Marcy McGuire, Felix Bressart, Anne Jeffreys, ...

''). In 1948 her term contract with RKO ran out, and she began freelancing at other studios. She played sultry blondes for Republic, Columbia,

Universal Universal is the adjective for universe. Universal may also refer to: Companies * NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company ** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of NBCUniversal ** Universal TV, a ...

Paramount Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to: Entertainment and music companies * Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS. The following busin ...

, and Lippert. She occasionally returned to RKO and Monogram; her last major role in motion pictures was as the ''femme fatale'' in Monogram's Bowery Boys comedy ''

Here Come the Marines ''Here Come the Marines'' is a 1952 comedy film starring The Bowery Boys. The film was released on June 29, 1952 by Monogram Pictures and is the twenty-sixth film in the series. Plot After Slip is drafted into the Marines, the rest of the gang ...

'' (1952). With roles in feature films becoming fewer, Dell turned to television in 1952 for the ''

China Smith ''China Smith'' is a 30-minute American syndicated television adventure series starring Dan Duryea. It is set in Singapore. It was released in the fall of 1952. The program's alternate title was ''The Affairs of China Smith'', and the last 26 epis ...

'' series. She went on to appear on such programs as ''

Gang Busters ''Gang Busters'' is an American dramatic radio program heralded as "the only national program that brings you authentic police case histories." It premiered on January 15, 1936, and was broadcast over 21 years through November 27, 1957. Histo ...

'', ''

Lux Video Theatre ''Lux Video Theatre'' is an American television anthology series that was produced from 1950 until 1957. The series presented both comedy and drama in original teleplays, as well as abridged adaptations of films and plays. Overview The ''Lux Vid ...

'', ''Crusader'', '' Dragnet'', '' The Ethel Barrymore Theatre'', ''

Maverick Maverick, Maveric or Maverik may refer to: History * Maverick (animal), an unbranded range animal, derived from U.S. cattleman Samuel Maverick Aviation * AEA Maverick, an Australian single-seat sportsplane design * General Aviation Design Burea ...

'', '' Pete and Gladys'', '' Batman'', '' Hazel'', ''

The Donna Reed Show ''The Donna Reed Show'' is an American sitcom starring Donna Reed as the middle-class housewife Donna Stone. Carl Betz co-stars as her pediatrician husband Dr. Alex Stone, and Shelley Fabares and Paul Petersen as their teenage children, Mary ...

'', and '' The Texan''. Her last film appearance was in '' Buddy Buddy'' (1981) as well as an uncredited appearance in an episode of ''

Unsolved Mysteries ''Unsolved Mysteries'' is an American mystery documentary television show, created by John Cosgrove and Terry Dunn Meurer. Documenting cold cases and paranormal phenomena, it began as a series of seven specials, presented by Raymond Burr, Ka ...

''. In her later years, she worked as a writer for ''Hollywood: Then and Now'' Magazine in which she shared countless stories about her days as an actress and thanking such figures as Jack L. Warner,

Louis B. Mayer Louis Burt Mayer (; born Lazar Meir; July 12, 1882 or 1884 or 1885 – October 29, 1957) was a Canadian-American film producer and co-founder of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios (MGM) in 1924. Under Mayer's management, MGM became the film industr ...

, and

Samuel Goldwyn Samuel Goldwyn (born Szmuel Gelbfisz; yi, שמואל געלבפֿיש; August 27, 1882 (claimed) January 31, 1974), also known as Samuel Goldfish, was a Polish-born American film producer. He was best known for being the founding contributor an ...

for their contributions to the film industry. She and actress

Jacqueline White Jacqueline Jane White (born November 23, 1922) is an American former actress, who had a brief career in Hollywood motion pictures during the 1940s and early-1950s working as a contract player at both studios MGM and RKO, and perhaps best reme ...

are often credited for creating autograph shows.

Personal life

On June 15, 1951, Dell married Jack Buchtel, a restaurateur. In the 1960s, she married Herbert Patterson, an actor. A California native all her life, Dell continued living in the state by spending her final years in

Studio City, California Studio City is a neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles, California, in the southeast San Fernando Valley, just west of the Cahuenga Pass. It is named after the studio lot that was established in the area by film producer Mack Sennett in 192 ...

answering fan mail and keeping her fans up to date through her personal website. She died from natural causes on February 11, 2011 at her studio apartment one month shy of her 87th birthday. She was survived by one daughter, Laura Patterson, who spread her ashes next to the Hollywood Sign.

Filmography

*1940: '' A Night at Earl Carroll's'' - Showgirl (uncredited) *1941: ''

'' - Ziegfeld Girl (uncredited) *1943: ''

'' - Jane Roberts *1943: ''

In Old Oklahoma ''In Old Oklahoma'' (reissued as ''War of the Wildcats'') is a 1943 American Western film directed by Albert S. Rogell starring John Wayne and Martha Scott. The film was nominated for two Academy Awards, one for Music Score of a Dramatic or C ...

'' - Blonde (uncredited) *1943: ''

Jive Junction ''Jive Junction'' is a 1943 American comedy film directed by Edgar G. Ulmer and written by Irving Wallace, Walter Doniger and Malvin Wald Malvin Daniel Wald (August 8, 1917 – March 6, 2008) was an American screenwriter most famous for writin ...

'' - Senior Hostess (uncredited) *1943: ''

'' - Jane Roberts *1944: ''

'' - Goldwyn Girl (uncredited) *1944: ''

'' - Ruth Hampton *1944: ''

'' - Showgirl (uncredited) *1944: ''

Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo ''Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo'' is a 1944 American war film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The screenplay by Dalton Trumbo is based on the 1943 book of the same name by Captain Ted W. Lawson. Lawson was a pilot on the historic Doolittle Raid, ...

'' - Girl in Officers' Club (uncredited) *1944: ''

Belle of the Yukon ''Belle of the Yukon'' is a 1944 American comedy musical Western film produced and directed by William A. Seiter and starring Randolph Scott, Gypsy Rose Lee, Dinah Shore and Bob Burns. Based on a story by Houston Branch and set in the days of ...

'' - Chorine (uncredited) *1945: '' Wanderer of the Wasteland'' - Gambler's Girl (uncredited) *1945: ''

The Falcon in San Francisco ''The Falcon in San Francisco'' is a 1945 American crime and mystery film directed by Joseph H. Lewis and stars Tom Conway, Rita Corday and Edward Brophy, who played the recurring role of "Goldie" Locke. The film was the 11th in The Falcon serie ...

'' - Beautiful Girl in Hotel Hall (uncredited) *1945: ''

Radio Stars on Parade ''Radio Stars on Parade'' is a 1945 American comedy film directed by Leslie Goodwins from a screenplay by Robert E. Kent and Monte Brice, from Kent's original story. Produced and distributed by RKO Radio Pictures, it was released on August 1, 1 ...

'' - Phil's Secretary (uncredited) *1945: '' Double Honeymoon'' (Short) - Newlywed Wife *1945: ''

It's Your Move ''It's Your Move'' is an American sitcom television series created by Ron Leavitt and Michael G. Moye, starring Jason Bateman, Tricia Cast, Caren Kaye, Ernie Sabella, David Garrison, and Garrett Morris. The show originally aired on NBC from S ...

'' (Short) - Neighbor (uncredited) *1945: '' Beware of Redheads'' (Short) - Gloria Richards, the Redhead *1945: '' Man Alive'' - River Boat Captain's Daughter (uncredited) *1946: ''

Maid Trouble A maid, or housemaid or maidservant, is a female domestic worker. In the Victorian era domestic service was the second largest category of employment in England and Wales, after agricultural work. In developed Western nations, full-time maids ...

'' (Short) *1946: '' The Spiral Staircase'' - Murder Victim (uncredited) *1946: '' Oh, Professor Behave!'' (Short) *1946: '' The Falcon's Alibi'' - Falcon's Dancing Partner (uncredited) *1946: ''

'' - Club Creon Blonde (uncredited) *1946: '' Twin Husbands'' (Short) - Miss Ward *1946: '' I'll Take Milk'' (Short) - Barbara *1946: '' Step by Step'' - Gretchen *1946: ''

'' - Susan *1946: '' Lady Luck'' - Mabel (uncredited) *1946: ''

Vacation in Reno ''Vacation in Reno'' is a 1946 film directed by Leslie Goodwins and starring Jack Haley, Anne Jeffreys, Iris Adrian, Wally Brown, Alan Carney, and Morgan Conway. Plot Jack Carroll (portrayed by Jack Haley) and his wife (Anne Jeffreys) have an a ...

'' - Madeleine Dumont *1946: ''

The Falcon's Adventure ''The Falcon's Adventure'' is a 1946 film. It is the 13th of 16 films about the Falcon and the final film of RKO's Falcon series starring Tom Conway. It was directed by William Berke, who had served as producer for the previous entry in the ser ...

'' - Doris Blanding *1946: ''

'' - Thelma *1948: '' The Judge Steps Out'' - Mrs. Joan Winthrop *1948: '' Fighting Father Dunne'' - Paula Hendricks *1948: ''

Guns of Hate ''Guns of Hate'' is a 1948 Western film''Guns of Hate''
at

'' - Dixie Merritt *1948: '' The Uninvited Blonde'' (Short) - Lulu, The Uninvited Blonde *1949: '' Rose of the Yukon'' - Rose Flambeau *1949: '' Search for Danger'' - Wilma Rogers *1949: '' The Lost Tribe'' - Norina *1949: '' Roughshod'' - Helen Carter *1949: ''

Lust for Gold ''Lust for Gold'' is a 1949 American Western film directed by S. Sylvan Simon and starring Ida Lupino and Glenn Ford. The film is about the legendary Lost Dutchman gold mine, starring Ford as the "Dutchman" and Lupino as the woman he loves. ...

'' - Lucille (uncredited) *1949: ''

The Girl from Jones Beach ''The Girl from Jones Beach'' is a 1949 American comedy film directed by Peter Godfrey and written by I. A. L. Diamond. The film stars Ronald Reagan, Virginia Mayo, Eddie Bracken, Dona Drake, Henry Travers and Lois Wilson. The film was release ...

'' - Lorraine Scott *1949: ''

The Gal Who Took the West ''The Gal Who Took the West'' is a 1949 American Western film directed by Frederick de Cordova starring Yvonne De Carlo, Charles Coburn, Scott Brady and John Russell. It was nominated for an award by the Writers Guild of America 1950. Plot ...

'' - Nancy *1950: ''

Radar Secret Service ''Radar Secret Service'' is a 1950 action film starring John Howard, produced by Barney A. Sarecky and directed by Sam Newfield. The film was featured on the American television show ''Mystery Science Theater 3000''. Plot In the post-World War T ...

'' - Marge *1950: '' Destination Murder'' - Alice Wentworth *1950: ''

The Furies The Erinyes ( ; sing. Erinys ; grc, Ἐρινύες, pl. of ), also known as the Furies, and the Eumenides, were female chthonic deities of vengeance in ancient Greek religion and mythology. A formulaic oath in the ''Iliad'' invokes ...

'' - Dallas Hart *1950: ''

Joe Palooka in the Squared Circle ''Joe Palooka in the Squared Circle'' is a 1950 American film in the '' Joe Palooka'' series. References External links * 1950 films American black-and-white films Films based on American comics Joe Palooka films {{comics-film-stub ...

'' - Sandra Reed *1951: '' Never Trust a Gambler'' - Dolores Alden *1951: '' Secrets of Beauty'' - Kay Joyce *1951: '' The Strip'' - Paulette Ardrey *1951: ''

The Bushwhackers The Bushwhackers are a professional wrestling tag team who competed first as the New Zealand Kiwis and then as The Sheepherders during their 36-year career as a tag team. They wrestled in the World Wrestling Federation, Jim Crockett Promotions, ...

'' - Norah Taylor *1951: '' Reunion in Reno'' - Mrs. Virginia Mason *1952: ''

'' (TV Series) - Norma Breighlee / Officer Jone Perlie *1952: ''

'' - Lulu Mae *1952: ''

'' (TV Series) - 'Empress' Shira *1953: '' Mr. & Mrs. North'' (TV Series) - Fifi LaMer *1954: ''

'' (TV Series) - Cynthia *1954: '' The New Adventures of China Smith'' (TV Series) *1955: '' Night Freight'' - Sally *1955: ''

Toughest Man Alive ''Toughest Man Alive'' is a 1955 American drama film directed by Sidney Salkow and starring Dane Clark, Lita Milan, and Anthony Caruso. Based on an original screenplay by Steve Fisher, the film was released on November 6, 1955. Plot Cast * ...

'' - Nancy *1955: '' Last of the Desperados'' - Clara Wightman *1956: ''

Jungle Jim Jungle Jim is the fictional hero of a series of jungle adventures in various media. The series began on January 7, 1934, as an American newspaper comic strip chronicling the adventures of Asia-based hunter Jim Bradley, who was nicknamed Jungle J ...

'' (TV Series) - Mickey Worth *1956: ''Crusader'' (TV Series) - Julie *1956: ''

The Naked Hills ''The Naked Hills'' is a 1956 American Western film directed by Josef Shaftel, starring David Wayne, Keenan Wynn, and James Barton. Plot summary Tracy Powell, an Indiana farmer, gets the gold fever and heads for Stockton, California in 1849 ...

'' - Aggie *1956: ''

Ethel Barrymore Theater The Ethel Barrymore Theatre is a Broadway theater at 241 West 47th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1928, it was designed by Herbert J. Krapp in the Elizabethan, Mediterranean, and Adam styles ...

'' (TV Series) *1956: '' Dragnet'' (TV Series) *1956: '' The Millionaire'' (TV Series) - Helen *1953-1957: ''

Schlitz Playhouse ''Schlitz Playhouse of Stars'' is an anthology series that was telecast from 1951 until 1959 on CBS. Offering both Television comedy, comedies and Dramatic programming, drama, the series was sponsored by the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company. The ti ...

'' (TV Series) - Mae Holmes / Sally *1957: '' State Trooper'' (TV Series) - Carol Smith *1957: ''

The Adventures of Jim Bowie ''The Adventures of Jim Bowie'' is an American Western television series that aired on ABC from 1956 to 1958. Its setting was the 1830s-era Louisiana Territory. The series was an adaptation of the book ''Tempered Blade'', by Monte Barrett. Synop ...

'' (TV Series) - Helen Harris *1958: ''

'' (TV Series) - Anita *1959: ''

U.S. Marshal The United States Marshals Service (USMS) is a federal law enforcement agency in the United States. The USMS is a bureau within the U.S. Department of Justice, operating under the direction of the Attorney General, but serves as the enforce ...

'' (TV Series) *1959: '' The Texan'' (TV Series) - Miss Delly *1960: '' Ma Barker's Killer Brood'' - Lou *1961: '' Pete and Gladys'' - Mrs. Wingfield *1963: ''

'' (TV Series) - Saleswoman *1963: '' Hazel'' (TV Series) - Receptionist *1966: '' Batman'' (TV Series) - Pedestrian *1978: ''

The One Man Jury ''The One Man Jury'' (released as ''The Loner'' on UK video) is a 1978 American neo-noir film directed by Charles Martin (1910-1983) and starring Jack Palance, Christopher Mitchum, Pamela Shoop, and Cara Williams. Plot Jim Wade ( Jack Palance ...

'' - Landlady *1981: '' Buddy Buddy'' - Cashier (final film role)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Dell, Myrna 1924 births 2011 deaths Actresses from Los Angeles American film actresses American television actresses Writers from California American memoirists Western (genre) film actresses Western (genre) television actors American female dancers American dancers 20th-century American actresses American women memoirists People from Studio City, Los Angeles 21st-century American women