Helen Wood (June 4, 1917 – February 8, 1988) was an American actress active in film and radio primarily during the 1930s. She is not to be confused with the actress and performer Helen nnWood (1935–1998), who later appeared in ''Deep Throat''.

Biography

Wood was born in

Clarksville, Tennessee Clarksville is a city in Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. The city had a population of 166,722 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Tennessee, fifth-most populo ...

, to Edwin Wood (who worked in real estate and insurance) and Hazel Case. She had a younger sister, Mary Martha. After winning a beauty contest at Clarksville's Capitol Theatre in 1933 as a teenager, Wood earned a trip to Hollywood, where she was cast in ''

Roman Scandals ''Roman Scandals'' is a 1933 American black-and-white pre-Code musical film starring Eddie Cantor, Ruth Etting, Gloria Stuart, Edward Arnold and David Manners. It was directed by Frank Tuttle. The film features a number of intricate production ...

'' (1933). She then returned to Clarksville to finish high school. Upon her return to Hollywood after graduation, she signed a contract with MGM. She reportedly spent $4,000 on a vocal coach who helped her drop her Southern accent. She later signed at

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc., formerly 20th Century Fox, is an American film studio, film production and Film distributor, distribution company owned by the Walt Disney Studios (division), Walt Disney Studios, the film studios division of the ...

, where she was made to compete for parts against fellow actresses

Rita Hayworth Rita Hayworth (born Margarita Carmen Cansino; October 17, 1918May 14, 1987) was an American actress, dancer, and Pin-up model, pin-up girl. She achieved fame in the 1940s as one of the top stars of the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of ...

(then Margarita Cansino) and Dixie Dunbar. On-screen, she was frequently paired with actor Thomas Beck. Supposedly she had to back out of a big role due to an illness early on in her career. She also worked in radio in the late 1930s.

Personal life

In December 1940, Wood married Dr. Alfred Huenergardt; the marriage ended in divorce. In October 1942, she married Dr. Erle Henriksen. She died in Los Angeles on February 8, 1988.

Selected filmography

* ''

'' (1933) * ''

Moulin Rouge Moulin Rouge (, ; ) is a cabaret in Paris, on Boulevard de Clichy, at Place Blanche, the intersection of, and terminus of Rue Blanche. In 1889, the Moulin Rouge was co-founded by Charles Zidler and Joseph Oller, who also owned the Olympia (Par ...

'' (1934) * ''

Kid Millions ''Kid Millions'' is a 1934 American musical film directed by Roy Del Ruth, produced by Samuel Goldwyn Productions, and starring Eddie Cantor. Its elaborate "Ice Cream Fantasy Finale" production number was filmed in three-strip Technicolor, one ...

'' (1934) * ''

Gold Diggers of 1935 ''Gold Diggers of 1935'' is an American Warner Bros. musical film directed and choreographed by Busby Berkeley, his directorial debut. It stars Dick Powell, Adolphe Menjou, Gloria Stuart, and Alice Brady, and features Hugh Herbert, Gle ...

'' (1935) * ''

Mary Jane's Pa ''Mary Jane's Pa'' is a 1935 American drama film directed by William Keighley and written by Tom Reed and Peter Milne. The film stars Aline MacMahon, Guy Kibbee, Tom Brown, Robert McWade, Minor Watson, and Nan Grey. The film was released by W ...

'' (1935) * ''

In Caliente ''In Caliente'' (also known as ''Viva Señorita'') is a 1935 American romantic musical comedy film directed by Lloyd Bacon, starring Dolores del Río and Pat O'Brien. The film was written by Ralph Block and Warren Duff. The musical numbers ...

'' (1935) * ''

Anna Karenina ''Anna Karenina'' ( rus, Анна Каренина, p=ˈanːə kɐˈrʲenʲɪnə) is a novel by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy, first published in book form in 1878. Tolstoy called it his first true novel. It was initially released in serial in ...

'' (1935) * ''

She Married Her Boss ''She Married Her Boss'' is a 1935 American comedy film directed by Gregory La Cava and starring Claudette Colbert, Melvyn Douglas and Raymond Walburn. It was produced and distributed by Columbia Pictures, who had enjoyed a major success the pr ...

'' (1935) * '' The Goose and the Gander'' (1935) * ''

A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a Comedy (drama), comedy play written by William Shakespeare in about 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One s ...

'' (1935) * '' My Marriage'' (1936) * '' Champagne Charlie'' (1936) * ''

High Tension ''High Tension'' (French: ''Haute tension'', ; also known as ''Switchblade Romance'' in some English-speaking countries) is a 2003 French slasher film directed by Alexandre Aja, co-written with Grégory Levasseur, and starring Cécile de France ...

'' (1936) * ''

Charlie Chan at the Race Track ''Charlie Chan at the Race Track'' is the 12th film in the 20th Century Fox-produced Charlie Chan series starring Warner Oland in the title role. Plot When a prominent racehorse owner winds up dead-allegedly kicked to death by his prized sta ...

'' (1936) * '' Sing, Baby, Sing'' (1936) * '' Can This Be Dixie?'' (1936) * '' Crack-Up'' (1936) * '' Almost a Gentleman'' (1939) * ''

Sorority House North American fraternity and sorority housing refers largely to the houses or housing areas in which fraternity and sorority members live and work together. In addition to serving as housing, fraternity and sorority housing may also serve to ...

'' (1939) * ''

The Pilgrimage Play ''The Pilgrimage Play'' is a 1949 historical drama film directed by Frank Strayer, from an original screenplay by Arthur Pierson. It was adapted from the play by Christine Wetherill Stevenson. The film stars Nelson Leigh, Stephen Chase, and Leo ...

'' (1949)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Wood, Helen (actress) American film actresses American radio actresses Actresses from Tennessee People from Clarksville, Tennessee 1917 births 1988 deaths 20th-century American actresses