Jane Bryan (born Jane O'Brien; June 11, 1918 – April 8, 2009) was an American actress who appeared in Hollywood films throughout the late 1930s. She was groomed by

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...

to become one of its leading ladies, but instead chose to retire from acting in 1940 at age 22, after which she became a philanthropist and arts patron.

Early years

Born in

Hollywood, California Hollywood, sometimes informally called Tinseltown, is a List of districts and neighborhoods in Los Angeles, neighborhood and district in the Central Los Angeles, central region of Los Angeles County, California, within the city of Los Angeles. ...

, Bryan was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James O'Brien. Her father was an attorney. Her first dramatic training came in Jean Muir's theatrical workshop, where she was discovered by

Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress of film, television, and theater. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses in Hollywood history, she was noted for her willingness to play unsympatheti ...

Career

Bryan gained acting experience as an apprentice at the Hollywood Theatre Workshop. Her film debut came in '' The Case of the Black Cat'' (1936). Her screen career lasted only four years, but she appeared in prominent roles in several memorable films, including '' Marked Woman'' (1937) with Davis and

Humphrey Bogart Humphrey DeForest Bogart ( ; December 25, 1899 – January 14, 1957), nicknamed Bogie, was an American actor. His performances in classic Hollywood cinema made him an American cultural icon. In 1999, the American Film Institute selected Bogart ...

; '' Kid Galahad'' (1937) with Edward G. Robinson, Davis, and Bogart; '' A Slight Case of Murder'' (1938) with Robinson; '' Each Dawn I Die'' (1939) with

James Cagney James Francis Cagney Jr. (; July 17, 1899March 30, 1986) was an American actor and dancer. On stage and in film, he was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He won acclaim and maj ...

and

George Raft George Raft (né Ranft; September 26, 1901 – November 24, 1980) was an American film actor and dancer identified with portrayals of gangsters in crime melodramas of the 1930s and 1940s. A stylish leading man in dozens of movies, Raft is remembe ...

; '' Invisible Stripes'' (1939) with Raft,

William Holden William Franklin Holden (né Beedle Jr.; April 17, 1918 – November 12, 1981) was an American actor and one of the biggest box-office draws of the 1950s. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the film '' Stalag 17'' (1953) and the Pri ...

, and Bogart; and '' The Old Maid'' (1939) with Davis and Miriam Hopkins. Bryan's first leading role was in '' We Are Not Alone'' (1939).

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...

writer Robbin Coons described her work in that film as "a heart-touching performance in which sincerity and truth are radiant factors."

Marriage

Bryan married businessman and entrepreneur Justin Dart on New Year's Eve, 1939. They were married until his death in 1984. Dart took control of the United Drug Company in 1943, and rebranded the stores under the Rexall Drug name. The Darts were staunch Republicans and helped persuade their personal friend, former California governor

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...

, to run for president of the United States in 1980.

Public service

Bryan served on the United States Commission of Fine Arts in Washington, D.C. from 1971 to 1976.

Death

Jane Bryan Dart died at her home on April 8, 2009, aged 90, in

Pebble Beach, California Pebble Beach is an unincorporated area, unincorporated community on the Monterey Peninsula in Monterey County, California, Monterey County, California, United States. The small coastal residential community of mostly single-family homes is also ...

, following a lengthy illness. She was survived by her three children; three grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and two brothers.

Filmography

References

External links

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Obituary
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bryan, Jane 1918 births 2009 deaths Actresses from Los Angeles American film actresses Warner Bros. contract players 20th-century American actresses People from Pebble Beach, California California Republicans 21st-century American women