Nancy Gates John Hudson The Millionaire 1955

Nancy Gates (February 1, 1926Katz, Ephraim (1979). ''The Film Encyclopedia: The Most Comprehensive Encyclopedia of World Cinema in a Single Volume''. Perigee Books. .P. 471. – March 24, 2019) was an American film and television actress.

Early life

Gates was born to Mr. and Mrs. Virgil Gates, in

Dallas, Texas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

. She grew up in nearby Denton, and was described as "a child wonder." A 1932 newspaper article about an Easter program at Robert E. Lee School noted, "Nancy Gates, presenting a soft-shoe number, will open the style show." That same year, she had a part in the Denton Kiddie Revue. In 1935, she appeared in the production '' A Kiss for Cinderella'', which starred Brenda Marshall, and a minstrel show that included Ann Sheridan, both of whom were from Denton. She was in show business before she finished high school, having her own radio program on WFAA in Dallas for two years while she was a student at Denton High School, from which she graduated. Musically oriented, Gates was featured as a singer in a 1942 concert by the North Texas State Teachers College stage band. Gates attended the

University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Public university, public research university in Norman, Oklahoma, United States. Founded in 1890, it had existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two territories became the ...

for one year before getting married.

Career

Film

Gates entered acting at a young age, receiving a contract with RKO at the age of 15, which required court approval because of her status as a minor.

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American director, actor, writer, producer, and magician who is remembered for his innovative work in film, radio, and theatre. He is among the greatest and most influential film ...

screen-tested her for a role in the 1942 film ''

The Magnificent Ambersons ''The Magnificent Ambersons'' is a 1918 novel by Booth Tarkington, the second in his ''Growth'' trilogy after '' The Turmoil'' (1915) and before ''The Midlander'' (1923, retitled ''National Avenue'' in 1927). It won the Pulitzer Prize for fict ...

''. Although she did not get the role, which went to

Anne Baxter Anne Baxter (May 7, 1923 – December 12, 1985) was an American actress, star of Hollywood films, Broadway theatre, Broadway productions, and television series. She won an Academy Awards, Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, Golden Globe, and t ...

, the test paved the way for her future entry into film. That same year she had her first credited role, in ''

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 ...

''. In 1943 she went on contract with RKO, her first film with them being '' Hitler's Children'' that same year. She began receiving roles in mostly B-movies, many of which were westerns or

sci-fi Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

, eventually receiving lead roles as the

heroine A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or Physical strength, strength. The original hero type of classical epics did such thin ...

. In 1948 she starred opposite Eddie Dean in '' Check Your Guns'', and in 1949 she played alongside Jim Bannon,

Marin Sais Marin Sais (born Mae Smith; August 2, 1890 – December 31, 1971) was an American actress whose career was most prolific during the silent film era of the 1910s and 1920s. Sais' acting career spanned over four decades and she is possibly best ...

, and

Emmett Lynn Emmett Earl Lynn (February 14, 1897 – October 20, 1958) was an American actor of the stage and screen. Early life Lynn was born in Muscatine, Iowa. When he was nine years old, Lynn became a song plugger in Denver, Colorado. From tha ...

in one installment of the '' Red Ryder'' film series, titled '' Roll, Thunder, Roll!''. She would star in several other films over the next ten years, especially in westerns such as '' Comanche Station'' (1959), and in support roles, most notably in two

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Honorific nicknames in popular music, Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and "Ol' Blue Eyes", he is regarded as one of the Time 100: The Most I ...

films, '' Some Came Running'' and '' Suddenly''. In total Gates starred or co-starred in 34 films and serials. She retired from acting in 1969.

Radio

Gates made her radio debut on the September 29, 1941, broadcast of CBS Radio's '' The Orson Welles Show'', playing opposite Welles in an adaptation of

Sherwood Anderson Sherwood Anderson (September 13, 1876 – March 8, 1941) was an American novelist and short story writer, known for subjective and self-revealing works. Self-educated, he rose to become a successful copywriter and business owner in Cleveland and ...

's short story " I'm a Fool". She performed in the soap opera ''Masquerade'' on

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...

in 1946–1947. A February 21, 1944, newspaper article noted that Gates would "appear in a series of air programs for the RKO Studios beginning Feb. 28." In 1951, she starred on '' Screen Director's Playhouse'' opposite William Holden in ''Remember the Night'' and on ''

Lux Radio Theatre ''Lux Radio Theatre'', sometimes spelled ''Lux Radio Theater'', a old-time radio, classic radio anthology series, was broadcast on the Blue Network, NBC Blue Network (1934–35) (owned by the National Broadcasting Company, later predecessor of A ...

'' in a supporting role in ''Sunset Boulevard''.

Television

Gates made a total of 55

television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

appearances. She made two appearances on the

television series A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, and cable, or distributed digitally on streaming plat ...

'' Maverick'', three appearances on '' Perry Mason'', three on ''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western television series that aired for eight seasons, first on the NBC television network (1957–1962) and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and reached the top of the ...

'', six on '' Lux Video Theater'', and two on ''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''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 ...

''. In 1957 she had a memorable role as defendant Martha Bradford in the '' Perry Mason'' episode, "The Case of the Crooked Candle"; then in 1964 she was cast in the role of the defendant, Mary Douglas, in "The Case of the Woeful Widower". In 1965 she again played the role of Perry's client, this time as Claire Armstrong, the title character, in "The Case of the Candy Queen". In 1958; she appeared on '' Trackdown'' as Ellen Hackett in "Killer Takes All". Her other TV appearances included ''The Third Man'', Science Fiction Theater, ''

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 ...

'', '' Studio 57'', '' The Lineup'', ''

Bus Stop A bus stop is a place where Public transport bus service, buses stop for passengers to get on and off the bus. The construction of bus stops tends to reflect the level of usage, where stops at busy locations may have shelter (building), shelters ...

'', '' The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse'', '' Your Play Time'', ''

Riverboat A riverboat is a watercraft designed for inland navigation on lakes, rivers, and artificial waterways. They are generally equipped and outfitted as work boats in one of the carrying trades, for freight or people transport, including luxury ...

'', ''

General Electric Theater ''General Electric Theater'' is an American anthology series hosted by Ronald Reagan that was broadcast on CBS radio and television. The series was sponsored by General Electric's Department of Public Relations. Radio After an audition show ...

'', '' Rawhide'', '' Letter to Loretta'', ''Laramie'', '' The Whistler'',''

The Mod Squad ''The Mod Squad'' is an American crime drama series, originally broadcast for five seasons on ABC from September 24, 1968, to March 1, 1973. It starred Michael Cole as Peter "Pete" Cochran, Clarence Williams III as Lincoln "Linc" Hayes, Pegg ...

'', '' Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre'', '' Bourbon Street Beat'', '' The Special for Women with Dinah Shore'', '' The Danny Thomas Hour'', '' Damon Runyon Theater'', ''

Kentucky Jones ''Kentucky Jones'' is an American comedy-drama television series starring Dennis Weaver which centers around a widowed Southern California veterinarian and rancher raising an adopted Chinese boy. Original episodes aired from September 19, 1964, u ...

'' and ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centered on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central charact ...

''.

Personal life

Gates retired in 1969 to be closer to her family. She was married to Hollywood attorney and business manager J. William Hayes, whom she met when he was a commercial pilot and she was a passenger on one of his flights. They had four children, twin daughters Cindy and Cathy, and sons who became

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...

producers, Jeffrey M. Hayes and Chip Hayes. J. William Hayes died in 1992. Gates died in March 2019 at the age of 93.

Filmography

*'' The Tuttles of Tahiti'' (1942) - Tupa's Daughter - Age 14 (uncredited) *''

'' (1942) - Girl (uncredited) *''

'' (1942) - Marjorie Forrester *'' Hitler's Children'' (1943) - Brenda *'' This Land Is Mine'' (1943) - Julie Grant *'' Gildersleeve's Bad Day'' (1943) - Margie Forrester *'' A Night of Adventure'' (1944) - Connie Matthews *''

Bride by Mistake ''Bride by Mistake'' is a 1944 American romantic comedy film directed by Richard Wallace, and starring Alan Marshal and Laraine Day. The screenplay is by Phoebe Ephron and Henry Ephron, based on a story by Norman Krasna, and is a remake of ...

'' (1944) - Jane Mason *'' The Master Race'' (1944) - Nina *''

Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a landlocked state in the Western United States. It borders Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the seventh-most extensive, th ...

'' (1944) - Hattie Ide *'' The Spanish Main'' (1945) - Lupita *'' Cheyenne Takes Over'' (1947) - Fay Wilkins *'' Check Your Guns'' (1948) - Cathy Jordan * '' Roll, Thunder, Roll!'' (1949) - Carol Loomis *'' The Greatest Show on Earth'' (1952) - Spectator (uncredited) *''

At Sword's Point ''At Sword's Point'', also known as ''Sons of the Three Musketeers'', is a 1952 American historical action adventure film directed by Lewis Allen and starring Cornel Wilde and Maureen O'Hara. It was shot in Technicolor by RKO Radio Pictures. T ...

'' (1952) - Princess Henriette *'' The Atomic City'' (1952) - Ellen Haskell *''

The Member of the Wedding ''The Member of the Wedding'' is a 1946 novel by Southern writer Carson McCullers. It took McCullers five years to complete, although she interrupted the work for a few months to write the novella '' The Ballad of the Sad Café''.McDowell, Mar ...

'' (1952) - Janice *'' Target Hong Kong'' (1953) - Ming Shan *''

Torch Song A torch song is a sentimental love song, typically one in which the singer laments an unrequited or lost love, either where one party is oblivious to the existence of the other, where one party has moved on, or where a romantic affair has affect ...

'' (1953) - Celia Stewart *'' Hell's Half Acre'' (1954) - Sally Lee *'' Suddenly'' (1954) - Ellen Benson *'' Masterson of Kansas'' (1954)Maltin, Leonard (1995). ''Leonard Maltin's Movie and Video Guide 1995''. Penguin Books. . P. 830. - Amy Merrick *'' Stranger on Horseback'' (1955) - Caroline Webb *'' Top of the World'' (1955) - Lieutenant Mary Ross *'' No Man's Woman'' (1955) - Louise Nelson *''

'' (1955) (Season 1 Episode 6: "Salvage") - Lois Williams *''

'' (1956) (Season 1 Episode 28: "Portrait of Jocelyn") - Debbie Halliday *'' The Bottom of the Bottle'' (1956) - Mildred Martin *'' World Without End'' (1956) - Garnet * '' Wetbacks'' (1956) - Sally Parker *'' Magnificent Roughnecks'' (1956) - Jane Rivers *'' The Search for Bridey Murphy'' (1956) - Hazel Bernstein *'' Death of a Scoundrel'' (1956) - Stephanie North *'' The Brass Legend'' (1956) - Linda Gipson *'' The Rawhide Trail'' (1958) - Marsha Collins *'' Some Came Running'' (1958) - Edith Barclay *'' The Gunfight at Dodge City'' (1959) - Lily, Lady Gay Saloon Owner *'' Comanche Station'' (1960) - Nancy Lowe

References

External links

*
Nancy Gates B-movie heroines
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gates, Nancy 1926 births 2019 deaths Actresses from Dallas American film actresses American radio actresses American television actresses People from Denton, Texas RKO Pictures contract players 21st-century American women