Reel Character Series

 

Adele Jergens (Adele Louisa Jurgens 1917-2002) was an American B-movie supporting actress. Her celebrity status as "Miss World's Fairest" at the 1939 New York World's Fair gained her a great deal of recognition before landing a movie contract in 1944 with Columbia Pictures in mostly forgettable films. The 5' 9” brunette was soon better known as a blonde and typically cast as a tough-talking second female lead as a girlfriend of a gangster or burlesque dancer. She was cast in the Franchot Tone film, I Love Trouble (1948) followed by similar roles that became her mainstay throughout the Fifties such as Armored Car Robbery, 1950 (above) and The Miami Story, 1954. The latter revealing a plump-cheeked puffiness. She failed to become a major star but made an impression with a host of conniving female roles. She was married to film and television actor Glenn Langan from 1949 until his death in 1991. Perhaps tiring of typecast roles, Jergens retired from acting in 1956.

Reel Character Series

 

Barbara Pepper (Marion Pepper 1915-1969) was an American stage, television, radio, and film actress, often uncredited as "the blonde" in Thirties and Forties films. She had a lead role opposite Wallace Ford in the 1936 murder mystery, The Rogues' Tavern. During the Sixties, she was again uncredited in the 1963 comedies, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, and Who's Minding the Store?. The following year she was cast as Dr. Doolittle's dance partner in My Fair Lady. Gaining weight and fame late in her career, she was the television mom, Doris or Ruth, to the multi-talented pig, Arnold Ziffel, on the surreal Green Acres sitcom. A long-time friend of Lucille Ball, Pepper was initially considered for the role of Ethel Mertz on the I Love Lucy series. However, due to her drinking problem, she was not hired. Having both Mertz characters, adding William Frawley, with an off-camera alcohol problem was a concern to the producers. Yet Pepper was cast in several episodes of the series (above). Her final film appearance was in 1969's Hook, Line & Sinker, playing Jerry Lewis's secretary.

Beyond an Ingénue

 

Jacqueline Sue Browne (1930-2003) known professionally as either Kathie or Cathy Browne, began her career with an appearance in one episode of the film series Big Town, 1955. Her films were few but noticeable in her brief role in the movie, Murder by Contract, 1958, as a secretary and a for-hire party girl. The following year she did City of Fear. Both films starred Vince Edwards. The blonde-haired, blue-eyed actress was nearly typecast in ingénue parts, which kept her a very busy television actress in the Sixties and Seventies in numerous westerns, dramas, and comedies. Her first marriage was to actor, Sherwood Price, from 1953 to 1961. She appeared in four episodes of Perry Mason, 77 Sunset Strip, and Bonanza as the prospective bride of Pernell Roberts character. Star Trek fans will know her as Deela (above) in the episode, Wink of An Eye, 1966. She guest-starred with her second husband, Darren McGavin on his series, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, and in The Rockford Files for Pastoria Prime Pick, 1975, as a blackmailing mayor of a crooked town. Her last professional appearance before retiring was for a two-part episode of The Love Boat, 1980. Browne and McGavin's thirty-four-year marriage lasted until her death.