Marcia Mascotte Ralston (19 September 1906 – 23 November 1988) was an Australian-born American actress who appeared in Hollywood films in the 1930s and 1940s.

In Australia

Ralston's father was well known Australian singer and actor John Ralston. She attended

Bethlehem College, Ashfield Bethlehem College was an Independent School, Independent Roman Catholicism in Australia, Roman Catholic Comprehensive School#Australia, comprehensive Single-sex school, single-sex Secondary School, secondary day school for girls, located in Bla ...

and won third place in a 1926

Miss Australia Miss Australia was an Australian beauty pageant held from 1908 until 2000. It was replaced by Miss World Australia from 2002, and Miss Universe Australia from 2004. From 1926 to 1991 the program operated as the Miss Australia Quest, after which ...

competition. Known as Mascotte Ralston, she won a place in

J. C. Williamson's J. C. Williamson's, formerly Williamson, Garner, & Musgrove and Williamson and Musgrove, was an Australian theatrical management company and theatre owner. With its beginnings in the theatrical productions of J. C. Williamson and his p ...

Musical Comedy Company, working her way up from the chorus until she was playing Lili in Lilac Time. She had a leading part in the "comedy mystery" '' The Ghost Train'' from January 1927, and during its run she met drummer

Phil Harris Wonga Philip Harris (June 24, 1904 – August 11, 1995) was an American actor, bandleader, entertainer and singer. He was an orchestra leader and a pioneer in radio situation comedy, first with '' The Jack Benny Program'', then in '' The Phil ...

and they married on 2 September 1927, then moved to California. She had a Warner Bros. contract by 1937 and appeared in a number of supporting and leading roles, mostly in B films.

Career in Hollywood

Ralston's marriage to Harris ended in divorce in 1940. She continued to act in various bit parts and supporting roles until the late 1940s. Work after this included instructing for the

Arthur Murray Arthur Murray (born Moses Teichman; April 4, 1895 – March 3, 1991) was an American ballroom dancer and businessman, whose name is most often associated with the dance studio chain that bears his name. Early life and start in dance Arthur Mur ...

dance studio in the early 1950s. Ralston married Bud Henderson in 1954."Behind the Hollywood Scene" ''The Day'', November 15, 1954. Harrison Carroll
Accessed 31 December 2013 Henderson's sister Betty was married to actor Robert Young. The connection resulted in an occasional supporting role as Nurse Donnelly in the TV series '' Marcus Welby, M.D.'' in the early 1970s. Ralston died at Rancho Mirage, California in 1988.

Filmography

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ralston, Marcia 1906 births 1988 deaths Australian film actresses 20th-century Australian actresses Australian expatriate actresses in the United States