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Suzanne Kaaren (March 21, 1912 – August 27, 2004) was an American
B-movie A B movie or B film is a low-budget commercial motion picture. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified films intended for distribution as the less-publicized bottom half of a double featur ...
actress and dancer who starred in stock film genres of the 1930s and 1940s:
horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, apoca ...
s, westerns,
comedies Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...
, and romances.


Early life

A native of New York City, she was born Sophie Kischnerman on March 21, 1912 in Brooklyn, New York. Kaaren attended
Erasmus Hall High School Erasmus Hall High School was a four-year public high school located at 899–925 Flatbush Avenue between Church and Snyder Avenues in the Flatbush neighborhood of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. It was founded in 1786 as Erasmus Hall Aca ...
and
Hunter College Hunter College is a public university in New York City. It is one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York and offers studies in more than one hundred undergraduate and postgraduate fields across five schools. It also admi ...
before being signed by
20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
in September 1933. In 1931, she won a high-jumping contest in a New York City school contest. Her parents refused to let her compete in the
Olympic Games The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a var ...
. She collected
butterflies Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the Order (biology), order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The ...
as a hobby and had several books filled with the insects.


Career


Early career

She acted with stock companies and posed as a model for commercial painters and cigarette advertising. Kaaren appeared in dramatic parts in New York theaters and trained at the Hedgerow Theatre in
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
,
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
. Early on, Kaaren was a Ziegfeld Girl and later was one of the original Rockettes. She performed on stage on December 27, 1932, the night
Radio City Music Hall Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue and Theater (structure), theater at 1260 Sixth Avenue (Manhattan), Avenue of the Americas, within Rockefeller Center, in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. Nicknamed "The Showplac ...
opened.


Movie actress

Kaaren left for
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, ...
in October 1933. Her starting salary with Fox Films was $150 per week. She was eventually cast opposite Tim McCoy in ''
Ridin' Gents "Ridin'" is a song by American rapper Chamillionaire featuring fellow American rapper Krayzie Bone of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, released on February 27, 2006, as the second single from his debut studio album '' The Sound of Revenge'' (2005). Pr ...
'', a
Monogram Pictures Monogram Pictures Corporation was an American film studio that produced mostly low-budget films between 1931 and 1953, when the firm completed a transition to the name Allied Artists Pictures Corporation. Monogram was among the smaller studios i ...
production. She was then signed by
Republic Pictures Republic Pictures Corporation (currently held under Melange Pictures, LLC) was an American motion picture production-distribution corporation in operation from 1935 to 1967, that was based in Los Angeles. It had studio facilities in Studio City an ...
to play a character in ''
From Rags To Riches From may refer to: * From, a preposition * From (SQL), computing language keyword * From: (email message header), field showing the sender of an email * FromSoftware, a Japanese video game company * Full range of motion, the travel in a range of ...
''. ''Ridin' Gents'' was filmed without either McCoy or Kaaren. She joined a troupe assembled by producer
Walter Wanger Walter Wanger (born Walter Feuchtwanger; July 11, 1894 – November 18, 1968) was an American film producer active from the 1910s, his career concluding with the turbulent production of '' Cleopatra,'' his last film, in 1963. He began at Para ...
, which also included Gloria Youngblood. The theatrical company was known as Trade Winds. The comedy ''
When's Your Birthday? ''When's Your Birthday?'' is a 1937 American romantic comedy film directed by Harry Beaumont and starring Joe E. Brown. While original prints of this film had a cartoon sequence in Technicolor directed by Bob Clampett and Leon Schlesinger, mos ...
'' (1937) showcased the zany
Joe E. Brown Joseph Evans Brown (July 28, 1891 – July 6, 1973) was an American actor and comedian, remembered for his friendly screen persona, comic timing, and enormous elastic-mouth smile. He was one of the most popular American comedians in the 19 ...
, with Kaaren among the supporting players in an
RKO Radio Pictures RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, was an American film production and distribution company, one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orphe ...
movie about an astrologer. In October 1941, Kaaren was added to the cast of '' I Married an Angel''. She portrayed a maid named Simone, and was uncredited. In October 1943, Pete Smith assigned Kaaren and
Harry Barris Harry Barris (November 24, 1905 – December 13, 1962) was an American popular singer and songwriter. He was one of the earliest singers to use "scat singing" in recordings. Barris, one of Paul Whiteman's Rhythm Boys, along with Bing Crosby and ...
the leading roles in an
MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 a ...
motion picture which was to be called ''Practical Joker''. The film was never made. Kaaren figured prominently 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. Six Stooges appeared ...
'' comedy short films. They are '' Disorder in the Court'', ''
Yes, We Have No Bonanza ''Yes, We Have No Bonanza'' is a 1939 short subject directed by Del Lord starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). It is the 39th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starrin ...
'', and '' What's the Matador?''. '' Miracles for Sale'' (1939) was based on the novel ''Death From A Tophat'' by
Clayton Rawson Clayton Rawson (August 15, 1906 – March 1, 1971) was an American mystery writer, editor, and amateur magician. His four novels frequently invoke his great knowledge of stage magic and feature as their fictional detective The Great Merlini, a pr ...
. Kaaren plays a woman who is separated into halves and then joined together again suspensefully. The
murder mystery Crime fiction, detective story, murder mystery, mystery novel, and police novel are terms used to describe narratives that centre on criminal acts and especially on the investigation, either by an amateur or a professional detective, of a crime, ...
has Robert Young and Florence Rice in prominent roles. She starred opposite Bela Lugosi in '' The Devil Bat''. The
cult film A cult film or cult movie, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a cult following. Cult films are known for their dedicated, passionate fanbase which forms an elaborate subculture, members of which engage ...
of the horror film genre is a Poverty Row production released by
Producers Releasing Corporation Producers Releasing Corporation was the smallest and least prestigious of the Hollywood film studios of the 1940s. It was considered a prime example of what was called "Poverty Row": a low-rent stretch of Gower Street in Hollywood where shoest ...
. In the movie, Lugosi breeds giant bats to attack people. Her final appearance on film was an uncredited role as the Duchess of Park Avenue (Manhattan) in 1984's '' The Cotton Club''.


Theater

Kaaren stepped into the character usually played by Ann Thomas in a Broadway presentation of ''Chicken Every Sunday''. Staged in September 1944, Thomas left the production to go to Hollywood. In July 1946, Kaaren's elder son, Brewster, was in the play with her as an eight-month-old. She was also joined by her husband,
Sidney Blackmer Sidney Alderman Blackmer (July 13, 1895 – October 6, 1973) was an American Broadway and film actor active between 1914 and 1971, usually in major supporting roles. Biography Blackmer was born and raised in Salisbury, North Carolina, t ...
, on stage at the
Bucks County Playhouse THE BUCKS COUNTRY PLAYHOUSE The Bucks County Playhouse is located in New Hope, Pennsylvania. When the ''Hope Mills'' burned in 1790, the grist mills were rebuilt as the ''New Hope Mills,'' by Benjamin Parry. The town was renamed for the mills. ...
in New Hope, Pennsylvania. In April 1953, the Blackmers starred in ''Glad Tidings'' in
Atlantic City, New Jersey Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020, the city had a population of 38,497.
. A month later, the show moved to the Quarterback Theatre, also in Atlantic City. In 1959, Kaaren appeared in ''The Royal Family'' at the Hinsdale Summer Theater in
Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
. Linda Darnell starred; Karyn Kupcinet and Stuart Brent were also in the cast. The theme was a famous family of the American stage.


Personal life

Kaaren married stage and screen actor Sidney Blackmer on June 13, 1943, in a civil ceremony in
Santa Ana, California Santa Ana () is the second most populous city and the county seat of Orange County, California. Located in the Greater Los Angeles region of Southern California, the city's population was 310,227 at the 2020 census, making Santa Ana the List of ...
.
Raquel Torres Raquel Torres (born Paula Marie Osterman or Wilhelmina von Osterman; November 11, 1908 – August 10, 1987) was a Mexican-born American film actress. Her sister was actress Renee Torres. Early life Torres was born in Hermosillo to a German em ...
was a witness at the wedding. Blackmer was married previously to Lenore Ulric. By this time, Kaaren was under contract to
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...
. The marriage was a turbulent one from the outset. The couple separated in September 1943 and Blackmer instructed his attorney to file for divorce in October, but the couple remained together until Blackmer's death in October 1973. The marriage produced two sons, Brewster and Jonathen. The Blackmers had lived in his family
home A home, or domicile, is a space used as a permanent or semi-permanent residence for one or many humans, and sometimes various companion animals. It is a fully or semi sheltered space and can have both interior and exterior aspects to it. H ...
in
Salisbury, North Carolina Salisbury is a city in the Piedmont region of North Carolina, United States; it has been the county seat of Rowan County since 1753 when its territory extended to the Mississippi River. Located northeast of Charlotte and within its metropolita ...
, until it was damaged by fire in 1984. Afterward, she resided in a rent-controlled Manhattan apartment at 100 Central Park South. According to her obituary, real estate developer (and later the 45th president of the United States)
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
bought the building and threatened to evict all the tenants and tear it down to build something more lucrative. Kaaren's apartment was assessed at $750,000, but she refused to budge, and, in 1998, a court ruled that Trump could turn the apartments into condos, but had to allow the rent-controlled tenants to remain. She was, therefore, given $750,000 compensation."Finally, a 'yes' on Blackmer house," ''Salisbury Post'', June 23, 2012.


Death

On August 27, 2004, Kaaren died from
pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severity ...
at the Lillian Booth Actors Home in
Englewood, New Jersey Englewood is a city in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, which at the 2020 United States census had a population of 29,308. Englewood was incorporated as a city by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1899, from por ...
, aged 92.


References


Further reading

* ''
Bismarck Tribune ''The Bismarck Tribune'' is a daily newspaper with a weekly audience of 82,000 unique readers, printed daily in Bismarck, North Dakota. Owned by Lee Enterprises, it is the only daily newspaper for south-central and southwest North Dakota. Histo ...
'', "New Browning Mystery Stars Suzanne Kaaren", September 9, 1939, page 8. * ''Fitchburg Sentinel'', "News and Comment Of Stage and Screen", October 2, 1937, page 5. * ''Long Beach Independent'', "Sidney Blackmer To Sue For Divorce", October 26, 1943, page 2. * ''
New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'', "Screen Notes", September 27, 1933, page 24. * ''New York Times'', "Girl Athlete Gets Movie Job", November 11, 1933, page 11. * ''New York Times'', "News Of The Screen", March 22, 1938, page 18. * ''New York Times'', "Screen News Here And In Hollywood", August 29, 1938, page 10. * ''New York Times'', "Screen News Here And In Hollywood", June 26, 1941, page 27. * ''New York Times'', "Screen News Here And In Hollywood", October 24, 1941, page 27. * ''New York Times'', "Sidney Blackmer Marries", August 9, 1943, page 10. * ''New York Times'', "Three Plays Delay Broadway Debuts", September 15, 1944, page 17. * ''New York Times'', "Vera Allen Named By Theatre Wing", July 4, 1946, page 23. * ''New York Times'', "Atlantic City Bills Listed", April 17, 1953, page 30. * ''New York Times'', "Early-Season Attractions In Jersey", May 3, 1953, page X17. * ''Ogden Standard-Examiner'', "Photo Collector", February 4, 1934, page 11. * ''Olean Times-Evening Herald'', "All Ready? Then Get Your Eyes Ready For A New Screen Beauty!", November 11, 1933, page 3. * ''Suburbanite Economist'', "Linda Darnell Plays Hinsdale", August 5, 1959, page 16. * ''Syracuse Herald Journal''. "In Step With:The Rockettes", December 27, 1992, page 182. * ''
Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'', "Astrology, Boxing Bouts Mix In Latest Joe E. Brown Picture", March 4, 1937, page 12. * ''Washington Post'', "Sidney Blackmer, Noted Actor, Dies", October 7, 1973, page B6.


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Kaaren, Suzanne Actresses from New York (state) American stage actresses American film actresses Female models from New York (state) American female dancers American dancers Hunter College alumni People from Brooklyn Vaudeville performers 20th-century American actresses 1912 births 2004 deaths The Rockettes Erasmus Hall High School alumni Dancers from New York (state) 20th-century American comedians Ziegfeld girls