Jean Donahue (born Jean Willes; April 15, 1923 – January 3, 1989) was an American film and television actress. She appeared in approximately 65 films in her 38-year career.

Early years

Born Jean Willesin Los Angeles to William Simmons Willes and Velma Harrington Duncan Willes, she spent part of her childhood in Seattle and part in Salt Lake City. After she and her parents returned to Los Angeles, she began acting with a little theater group there.

Career

Willes began using her married name for billing in 1947. Her first film was '' The Winner's Circle'' (1948). Willes is familiar to modern viewers for her roles in several

Three Stooges The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy team active from 1922 until 1970, best remembered for their 190 short-subject films by Columbia Pictures. Their hallmark styles were physical, farce, and slapstick comedy. Six total ...

short subjects, such as '' Monkey Businessmen'' as well as '' A Snitch in Time'', ''

Don't Throw That Knife ''Don't Throw That Knife'' is a 1951 short film, short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Shemp Howard). It is the 131st entry in the series released by Columbia ...

'' and '' Gypped in the Penthouse''. She was a favorite of director

Edward Bernds Edward Bernds (July 12, 1905May 20, 2000) was an American screenwriter and director, born in Chicago, Illinois. Career While in his junior year in Lake View High School, he and several friends formed a small radio clique and obtained amateur li ...

, who cast her in many shorts and features. She played roles ranging from an Air Force captain to prostitutes. She was one of the "four queens" pursuing

Clark Gable William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901November 16, 1960) was an American actor often referred to as the "King of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". He appeared in more than 60 Film, motion pictures across a variety of Film genre, genres dur ...

in '' The King and Four Queens'' (1956). Later that year she appeared as Nurse Sally Withers in the original movie version of ''

Invasion of the Body Snatchers ''Invasion of the Body Snatchers'' is a 1956 American science-fiction horror film produced by Walter Wanger, directed by Don Siegel, and starring Kevin McCarthy and Dana Wynter. The black-and-white film was shot in 2.00:1 Superscope and in t ...

.'' She made the transition to television, debuting in an episode of ''

Boston Blackie Boston Blackie is a fictional character created by author Jack Boyle (1881–1928). Blackie was originally depicted as a jewel thief and safecracker in Boyle's stories, and became a private detective in adaptations for films, radio and televisi ...

''. She appeared in dozens of series in varied roles and genres such as Westerns and

anthology series An anthology series is a written series, radio, television, film, or video game series that presents a different story and a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a different ca ...

; '' Crossroads''; '' The Californians''; ''

Richard Diamond, Private Detective ''Richard Diamond, Private Detective'' is an American detective drama, created by Blake Edwards, which aired on radio from 1949 to 1953, and on television from 1957 to 1960. Radio Dick Powell starred in the ''Richard Diamond, Private Detective' ...

'' with

David Janssen David Janssen (born David Harold Meyer; March 27, 1931 – February 13, 1980) was an American film and television actor who is best known for his starring role as Richard Kimble in the television series '' The Fugitive'' (1963–1967). Janssen a ...

; several episodes of the

Burns and Allen Burns and Allen were an American comedy duo consisting of George Burns and his wife, Gracie Allen. They worked together as a successful comedy team that entertained vaudeville, film, radio, and television audiences for over forty years. The ...

television series titled ''

The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show ''The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show'', sometimes called ''The Burns and Allen Show'', is a half-hour television sitcom broadcast from 1950 to 1958 on CBS. It starred George Burns and Gracie Allen, one of the most enduring acts in entertainm ...

''; in the 1956 television show ''

The Great Gildersleeve ''The Great Gildersleeve'' was a radio situation comedy broadcast in the United States from August 31, 1941 to 1958. Initially written by Leonard Lewis Levinson, it was one of broadcast history's earliest spin-off programs. The series was buil ...

'' as the scheming girlfriend Eva Jane in the episode "One Too Many Secretaries"; ''

The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology series, anthology television series created by Rod Serling in which characters find themselves dealing with often disturbing or unusual events, an experience described ...

'' ("

Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up? "Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?" is episode 64 of the American television anthology series '' The Twilight Zone.'' It originally aired on May 26, 1961, on CBS. Opening narration Plot While investigating reports about a UFO, state ...

"); four episodes of ''

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 12, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 431 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running Western, the second-longest-running Western series on ...

'' between 1959 and 1968; ''

Hazel Hazels are plants of the genus ''Corylus'' of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family, Betulaceae,Germplasmgobills Information Network''Corylus''Rushforth, K ...

''; '' Trackdown'' ("The Bounty Hunter" with

Robert Culp Robert Martin Culp (August 16, 1930 – March 24, 2010) was an American actor and screenwriter widely known for his work in television. Culp earned an international reputation for his role as Kelly Robinson on ''I Spy (1965 TV series), I Spy'' ( ...

and

Steve McQueen Terrence Stephen McQueen (March 24, 1930November 7, 1980) was an American actor. His antihero persona, emphasized during the height of counterculture of the 1960s, 1960s counterculture, made him a top box office draw for his films of the late ...

); ''

The Munsters ''The Munsters'' is an American sitcom about the home life of a family of benign monsters that aired from 1964 to 1966 on CBS. The series stars Fred Gwynne as Herman Munster (Frankenstein's monster),Episodes referring to the fact that Herman is ...

''; '' Perry Mason''; ''

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, airing on CBS and NBC, alternately, between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. Between 1962 a ...

''; ''

Bat Masterson Bartholemew William Barclay "Bat" Masterson (November 26, 1853 – October 25, 1921) was a U.S. Army scout, lawman, professional gambler, and journalist known for his exploits in the late 19th and early 20th-century American Old West. He was bo ...

'' with

Gene Barry Gene Barry (born Eugene Klass; June 14, 1919 – December 9, 2009) was an American stage, screen, and television actor and singer. Barry is best remembered for his leading roles in the films '' The Atomic City'' (1952) and ''The War of the Worl ...

; ''

The Beverly Hillbillies ''The Beverly Hillbillies'' is an American television sitcom that was broadcast on CBS from 1962 to 1971. It had an ensemble cast featuring Buddy Ebsen, Irene Ryan, Donna Douglas, and Max Baer Jr. as the Clampetts, a poor backwoods family ...

'' with

Buddy Ebsen Buddy Ebsen (born Christian Ludolf Ebsen Jr.; April 2, 1908 – July 6, 2003), also known as Frank "Buddy" Ebsen, was an American actor and dancer. One of his most famous roles was as Jed Clampett in the CBS television sitcom ''The Beverly Hillb ...

; ''

McHale's Navy ''McHale's Navy'' is an American sitcom starring Ernest Borgnine that aired 138 half-hour episodes over four seasons, from October 11, 1962, to April 12, 1966, on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC television network. The series was filmed i ...

'' with

Ernest Borgnine Ernest Borgnine ( ; born Ermes Effron Borgnino; January 24, 1917 – July 8, 2012) was an American actor whose career spanned over six decades. He was noted for his gruff but relaxed voice and gap-toothed Cheshire Cat grin. A popular perf ...

; ''

Tombstone Territory ''Tombstone Territory'' is an American Western television series starring Pat Conway and Richard Eastham. The first two seasons aired on ABC from 1957 to 1959. The first season was sponsored by Bristol-Myers (consumer products) and the seco ...

''; '' Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre'';

Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney ( ; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer, voice actor, and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the Golden age of American animation, American animation industry, he introduced several develop ...

's ''

Zorro Zorro ( or , Spanish for "fox") is a fictional character created in 1919 by American Pulp magazine, pulp writer Johnston McCulley, appearing in works set in the Pueblo de Los Ángeles in Alta California. He is typically portrayed as a dashin ...

'' with Guy Williams; and ''

Kojak ''Kojak'' is an American Action film, action Crime film, crime Drama (film and television), drama television series starring Telly Savalas as the title character, New York City Police Department Detective Lieutenant Theophilus "Theo" Kojak. Tak ...

'' with Telly Savalas. In 1958, in the episode "Queen of the Cimarron" of the syndicated western television series ''

Frontier Doctor ''Frontier Doctor'' is an American Western television series starring Rex Allen that aired in syndication from September 26, 1958, until June 20, 1959. The series was also known as ''Unarmed'' and ''Man of the West''.TV Guide Guide to TV. Bar ...

'', starring

Rex Allen Rex Elvie Allen Sr. (December 31, 1920 – December 17, 1999), known as "The Arizona Cowboy", was an American film and television actor, singer and songwriter; he was also the narrator of many Disney nature and Western productions. For his cont ...

, Willes portrayed Fancy Varden, the owner of the Golden Slipper Saloon who attempts to establish her own cattle empire with animals infected with

anthrax Anthrax is an infection caused by the bacterium '' Bacillus anthracis'' or ''Bacillus cereus'' biovar ''anthracis''. Infection typically occurs by contact with the skin, inhalation, or intestinal absorption. Symptom onset occurs between one ...

. Willes portrayed Belle Starr in a 1959 episode of the ABC/

Warner Brothers 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 ...

Western series '' Maverick'' entitled "Full House," in which

Joel Grey Joel Grey (born Joel David Katz; April 11, 1932) is an American actor, singer, dancer, photographer, and theatre director. He is best known for portraying the Master of Ceremonies in the musical ''Cabaret (musical), Cabaret'' on Broadway theatre, ...

played

Billy the Kid Henry McCarty (September 17 or November 23, 1859July 14, 1881), alias William H. Bonney, better known as Billy the Kid, was an American outlaw and gunfighter of the Old West who was linked to nine murders: four for which he was solely res ...

and

James Garner James Scott Garner (né Bumgarner; April 7, 1928 – July 19, 2014) was an American actor. He played leading roles in more than 50 theatrical films, which included ''The Great Escape (film), The Great Escape'' (1963) with Steve McQueen; Paddy Ch ...

performed a bravura pistol-twirling exhibition woven into the plot. In the same year for Warners she played Anna Sage in '' The FBI Story''. Willes played the character Ruth in the '' Wanted: Dead or Alive'' episode, "The Eager Man", Manila Jones in "The Montana Kid", and Meghan Francis in "The Kovack Affair". Willes played Amelia Monk in the 1967 episode, "Siege at Amelia's Kitchen", on the syndicated

, ''

Death Valley Days ''Death Valley Days'' is an American Western (genre), Western anthology series featuring true accounts of the American Old West, particularly the Death Valley country of southeastern California. Created in 1930 by Ruth Woodman, the program was ...

'' hosted by Robert Taylor.

Personal life

Willes's second husband was NFL football player Gerard Cowhig. The couple had one son, Gerry. Jean Willes-Gene Barry-Adele Mara in Bat Masterson

Death

Willes died of

liver cancer Liver cancer, also known as hepatic cancer, primary hepatic cancer, or primary hepatic malignancy, is cancer that starts in the liver. Liver cancer can be primary in which the cancer starts in the liver, or it can be liver metastasis, or secondar ...

Van Nuys, California Van Nuys ( ) is a neighborhood in the central San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. Home to Van Nuys Airport and the Van Nuys City Hall, Valley Municipal Building, it is the most populous neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley ...

on January 3, 1989. She was 65 years of age. She is buried in San Fernando Mission Cemetery in Mission Hills, California.{{cite book , last1=Wilson , first1=Scott , title=Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, edition=3rd , date=2016 , publisher=McFarland , isbn=978-0-7864-7992-4 , page=810 , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7-DgDAAAQBAJ&dq=%22Jean+Willes%22+actress&pg=PA810 , access-date=March 18, 2022 , language=en

Selected filmography

Dennis Morgan Jean Willes Crossroads 1955

* '' So Proudly We Hail!'' (1943) as Lieutenant Carol Johnson * '' Here Come the Waves'' (1944) as Johnny Cabot Fan (uncredited) * '' Salty O'Rourke'' (1945) as The Other Girl (uncredited) * '' You Came Along'' (1945) as Showgirl (uncredited) * '' Incendiary Blonde'' (1945) as Nightclub Patron (uncredited) * '' Monkey Businessmen'' (1946, Short) as Nurse Shapely (uncredited) * '' Sing While You Dance'' (1946) as Miss Flint * '' Blondie Knows Best'' (1946) as Dr. Titus's Nurse / Receptionist (uncredited) * '' Cigarette Girl'' (1947) as D.A.'s Secretary (uncredited) * '' Down to Earth'' (1947) as Betty * '' Blondie in the Dough'' (1947) as Miss Marsh, Thorpe's Secretary (uncredited) * ''

The Mating of Millie ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...

'' (1948) as Party Girl (uncredited) * '' The Winner's Circle'' (1948) as Jean Trent * '' Chinatown at Midnight'' (1949) as Alice * '' A Woman of Distinction'' (1950) as Pearl – Switchboard Operator (uncredited) * '' Kill the Umpire'' (1950) as Pretty Girl (uncredited) * '' David Harding, Counterspy'' (1950) as Nurse (uncredited) * ''

The Petty Girl ''The Petty Girl'' (1950), known in the UK as ''Girl of the Year'', is a musical romantic comedy Technicolor film starring Robert Cummings and Joan Caulfield. Cummings portrays painter George Petty who falls for Victoria Braymore (Caulfield), ...

'' (1950) as Fleeing Chorine (uncredited) * '' The Fuller Brush Girl'' (1950) as Mary (uncredited) * ''

Emergency Wedding ''Emergency Wedding'' (titled ''Jealousy'' in the UK) is a 1950 American comedy film directed by Edward Buzzell and starring Larry Parks, Barbara Hale and Willard Parker. It is a remake of '' You Belong to Me'', a film in which Parks appeared i ...

'' (1950) as Guest (uncredited) * '' A Snitch in Time'' (1950, Short) as Miss Gladys Scudder * '' Revenue Agent'' (1950) as Marge King * ''

'' (1951, Short) as Lucy Wyckoff * '' Never Trust a Gambler'' (1951) as The Brunette at Police Station (uncredited) * '' The Family Secret'' (1951) as Cigarette Girl (uncredited) * ''

Hula-La-La ''Hula-La-La'' is a 1951 short film, short subject directed by Hugh McCollum starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Shemp Howard). It is the 135th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures s ...

'' (1951, Short) as Luana * '' The First Time'' (1952) as Fawn Wallace (uncredited) * '' Jungle Jim in the Forbidden Land'' (1952) as Denise * '' The Sniper'' (1952) as Woman on Street (uncredited) * '' A Yank in Indo-China'' (1952) as Cleo * '' Gobs and Gals'' (1952) as Mrs. Riley – Gerrens' Secretary (uncredited) * '' Son of Paleface'' (1952) as Penelope (uncredited) * '' Torpedo Alley'' (1952) as Peggy Moran (uncredited) * '' All Ashore'' (1953) as Rose * ''

Abbott and Costello Go to Mars ''Abbott and Costello Go to Mars'' is a 1953 American science fiction film, science fiction comedy film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello and directed by Charles Lamont. It was produced by Howard Christ ...

'' (1953) as Captain Olivia * '' Run for the Hills'' (1953) as Frances Veach * ''

From Here to Eternity ''From Here to Eternity'' is a 1953 American romantic Drama (film and television)#War drama, war drama film directed by Fred Zinnemann and written by Daniel Taradash, based on the 1951 From Here to Eternity (novel), novel of the same name by J ...

'' (1953) as Annette, club receptionist (uncredited) * '' The Glass Web'' (1953) as Sonia * '' A Star Is Born'' (1954) as Fan at benefit show (uncredited) * '' Masterson of Kansas'' (1954) as Dallas Corey – aka Mrs. Bennett * '' Bowery to Bagdad'' (1955) as Claire Culpepper * '' 5 Against the House'' (1955) as Virginia * '' Gypped in the Penthouse'' (1955, Short) as Jane * '' Count Three and Pray'' (1955) as Selma (uncredited) * '' Bobby Ware Is Missing'' (1955) as Janet Ware * '' The Lieutenant Wore Skirts'' (1956) as Joan Sweeney * ''

'' (1956) as Nurse Sally Withers * '' The Revolt of Mamie Stover'' (1956) as Gladys * ''

Toward the Unknown ''Toward the Unknown'', originally called ''Flight Test Center'' and titled ''Brink of Hell'' in its UK release, is a 1956 American aviation film about the dawn of supersonic flight filmed on location at Edwards Air Force Base. Starring William ...

'' (1956) as Carmen (uncredited) * '' The King and Four Queens'' (1956) as Ruby McDade * '' The Man Who Turned to Stone'' (1957) as Tracy * ''

Hell on Devil's Island ''Hell on Devil's Island'' is a 1957 American adventure film directed by Christian Nyby and written by Steven Ritch. The film stars Helmut Dantine, William Talman (actor), William Talman, Donna Martell, Jean Willes, Rex Ingram (actor), Rex Ingram ...

'' (1957) as Suzanne * '' The Tijuana Story'' (1957) as Liz March * '' Hear Me Good'' (1957) as Rita Hall * '' Decision'' (1958, TV series) "The Tall Man" as Laura Dawson * '' Desire Under the Elms'' (1958) as Florence Cabot * '' Trackdown'' (1958) "The Bounty Hunter" as Jannette York * '' No Time for Sergeants'' (1958) as WAF Captain * '' Official Detective'' (1958, TV Series) as Pat Dengue * '' Lawman'' (1958, TV Series) as Kate Wilson * '' These Thousand Hills'' (1959) as Jen * ''

'' (1959) as Grace Williams * '' The FBI Story'' (1959) as Anna Sage * '' Yancy Derringer'' (1960, TV Series) as Jessie Belle * '' Elmer Gantry'' (1960) as Prostitute (uncredited) * '' Ocean's 11'' (1960) as Gracie Bergdof * '' The Crowded Sky'' (1960) as Gloria Panawek * '' By Love Possessed'' (1961) as Junie McCarthy * ''

'' (1961, TV Series) "

" as Ethel McConnell, the dancer * '' Gun Street'' (1961) as Joan Brady * ''

Gypsy {{Infobox ethnic group , group = Romani people , image = , image_caption = , flag = Roma flag.svg , flag_caption = Romani flag created in 1933 and accepted at the 1971 World Romani Congress , po ...

'' (1962) as Betty Cratchitt * ''

'' (1963) (Season 1 Episode 32: "Death of a Cop") as Eva * ''

'' (1964) (Season 2 Episode 26: "Another Neighbor") as Countess Maria * ''

'' (1964) (Season 1 Episode 9) as Mrs. Cartwright * ''

'' (1964) as Margot Monet * ''

'' (1965) (Season 3 Episode 26: "Jed and the Countess") as Countess Maria * ''

'' (1968) as Mrs. O'Brien * '' The Cheyenne Social Club'' (1970) as Alice * ''

Bite the Bullet "Biting the bullet" is a metaphor which is used to describe a situation, often a debate, where one accepts an inevitable impending hardship or hard-to-refute point, and then endures the resulting pain with fortitude. It has been suggested that i ...

'' (1975) as Rosie

References

{{Reflist

External links

{{commons category * {{IMDb name * {{Find a Grave {{Authority control {{DEFAULTSORT:Willes, Jean 1923 births 1989 deaths 20th-century American actresses Actresses from Greater Los Angeles American film actresses Deaths from liver cancer in California American expatriates in Mexico