Astrid Allwyn (born Astrid Christofferson; November 27, 1905 – March 31, 1978) was an American

stage Stage or stages may refer to: Acting * Stage (theatre), a space for the performance of theatrical productions * Theatre, a branch of the performing arts, often referred to as "the stage" * ''The Stage'', a weekly British theatre newspaper * Sta ...

and

film actress An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), lite ...

Early years

Allwyn was born in South Manchester, Connecticut, part of a family that included four sisters and a brother. When she was three years old, her family moved to Springfield, Massachusetts. At age 13, she sang well enough in a concert to be offered a scholarship to the Boston Conservatory of Music, but she declined rather than move away from her home. After finishing high school, she moved to New York, hoping for a career as a concert singer, but she ended up taking classes at a business college and becoming a typist for a business on Wall Street.

Career

Allwyn studied dancing and dramatics in New York and later joined a stock company. Allwyn made her

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

debut in 1929 in

Elmer Rice Elmer Rice (born Elmer Leopold Reizenstein, September 28, 1892 – May 8, 1967) was an American playwright. He is best known for his plays ''The Adding Machine'' (1923) and his Pulitzer Prize-winning drama of New York tenement life, '' Street Sce ...

's '' Street Scene''. On the strength of her performance in '' Once in a Lifetime'', she was given film work. She signed with

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 ...

and began her screen career. In films, she often played the woman from whom the male star escaped, for example

Charles Boyer Charles Boyer (; 28 August 1899 – 26 August 1978) was a French-American actor who appeared in more than 80 films between 1920 and 1976. After receiving an education in drama, Boyer started on the stage, but he found his success in American fi ...

's character's fiancée in the 1939 version of '' Love Affair'' or

James Stewart James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an American actor and military pilot. Known for his distinctive drawl and everyman screen persona, Stewart's film career spanned 80 films from 1935 to 1991. With the strong morality h ...

's mentor's daughter in '' Mr. Smith Goes to Washington''.

Personal life

Her first husband was actor Robert Kent; the two appeared together in the 1936

Shirley Temple Shirley Temple Black (born Shirley Jane Temple;While Temple occasionally used "Jane" as a middle name, her birth certificate reads "Shirley Temple". Her birth certificate was altered to prolong her babyhood shortly after she signed with Fox in ...

film ''

Dimples A dimple, also called a gelasin (, ) is a small natural indentation in the flesh on a part of the human body, most notably in the cheek. Numerous cultures believe that cheek dimples are a good luck charm that entices people who perceive them as ...

''. They married on January 10, 1937, in Tijuana, Mexico, and were divorced in 1941. She remained married to second spouse Charles O. Fee until her death in 1978, at age 72. Two of their daughters,

Melinda Melinda is a feminine given name. Etymology The modern name ''Melinda'' is a combination of "Mel" with the suffix "-inda". "Mel" can be derived from names such as Melanie meaning "dark, black" in Greek, or from Melissa (μέλισσα) meaning ...

and Vicki, also became actresses.

Death

On March 31, 1978, Allwyn died of cancer in Los Angeles, California.

Complete filmography

*'' West of Broadway'' (1931) - Young woman (uncredited) *''

Lady with a Past ''Lady with a Past'' is a 1932 American pre-Code romantic comedy film starring Constance Bennett as a shy and very proper young lady who decides to invent a scandalous past for herself to spice up her life. It is based on the novel of the same na ...

'' (1932) - Lola *'' Love Affair'' (1932) - Linda Lee * ''

The Night Mayor ''The Night Mayor'' is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by Benjamin Stoloff and starring Lee Tracy, Evalyn Knapp and Don Dillaway.Palmer, p. 132 Cast * Lee Tracy as Mayor Bobby Kingston * Evalyn Knapp as Doree Dawn * Don Dillaw ...

'' (1932) - Patsy *'' Hat Check Girl'' (1932) - A Party Guest (uncredited) *''

The Girl From Calgary ''The Girl from Calgary'' is a 1932 American pre-Code musical comedy film directed by Phil Whitman, and starring Fifi D'Orsay and Paul Kelly. Plot summary A French-Canadian girl is a champion bronc rider and is also a nightclub singer. An amb ...

'' (1932) - Mazie Williams *''

Bachelor Mother ''Bachelor Mother'' (1939) is an American romantic comedy film directed by Garson Kanin, and starring Ginger Rogers, David Niven, and Charles Coburn. The screenplay was written by Norman Krasna from an Academy Award-nominated story by Felix Jac ...

'' (1932) - Lola Butler *''The Iron Master'' (1933) - Flo Lancert *'' Hello, Sister!'' (1933) - Webster's Secretary *''

He Couldn't Take It ''He Couldn't Take It'' is a 1933 American comedy film directed by William Nigh and starring Ray Walker, Virginia Cherrill and George E. Stone.Fetrow p.263 The script was written by Dore Schary and George Waggner and was made for Monogram Pict ...

'' (1933) - Blonde *'' Only Yesterday'' (1933) - (uncredited) *'' All of Me'' (1934) - Ray (uncredited) *''

Beggars in Ermine ''Beggars in Ermine'' is a 1934 American pre-Code film directed by Phil Rosen. Plot John Dawson, a steel-mill owner loses his legs and his company in an accident engineered by his crooked secretary/treasurer, Jim Marley. After meeting a blind ...

'' (1934) - Mrs. Vivian Dawson *''

Mystery Liner ''Mystery Liner'' is a 1934 American Pre-Code film directed by William Nigh, starring Noah Beery, Sr., and based on an Edgar Wallace story originally published in the ''Saturday Evening Post'' in 1924. The film was entered as a feature attracti ...

'' (1934) - Lila Kane *''

Monte Carlo Nights ''Monte Carlo Nights'' is a 1934 American pre-Code film directed by William Nigh. Plot A man wrongfully convicted of murder escapes custody and goes in search of real killer. The problem is that he only has one clue to go on. Cast *Mary Brian ...

'' (1934) - Blondie Roberts *''

Servants' Entrance ''Servants' Entrance'' is a 1934 American Pre-Code musical comedy film. It was written by Samson Raphaelson from the Sigrid Boo novel and directed by Frank Lloyd, with a cartoon sequence by Walt Disney (Who's company now ironically owns this fil ...

'' (1934) - Sigrid Hansen *''

The White Parade ''The White Parade'' is a 1934 film directed by Irving Cummings and starring Loretta Young and John Boles. It was written by Rian James, Jesse Lasky Jr., Sonya Levien and Ernest Pascal, from the novel by Rian James. Dedicated to "the memory of ...

'' (1934) - Gertrude Mack *''

One More Spring ''One More Spring'' is a 1935 American comedy drama film about three people, played by Janet Gaynor, Warner Baxter, and Walter Woolf King, living together in a tool room at Central Park as an alternative to being homeless. The film was written by ...

'' (1935) - Girl at Auction *''

The Great Hotel Murder ''The Great Hotel Murder'' is a 1935 American mystery film directed by Eugene Forde and starring Edmund Lowe, Victor McLaglen, Rosemary Ames and Mary Carlisle. It is based on ''Recipe for Murder'' a 1934 story by Vincent Starrett. The film stars ...

'' (1935) - Nora, Bookstand Girl (uncredited) *''

It's a Small World "It's a Small World" is a water-based boat ride located in the Fantasyland area at various Disney theme parks worldwide, including Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California; Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida; Tokyo D ...

'' (1935) - Nancy Naylor *''

Dante's Inferno ''Inferno'' (; Italian for "Hell") is the first part of Italian writer Dante Alighieri's 14th-century epic poem ''Divine Comedy''. It is followed by ''Purgatorio'' and '' Paradiso''. The ''Inferno'' describes Dante's journey through Hell, gui ...

'' (1935) - Girl in Stoke-Hold (uncredited) *'' Accent on Youth'' (1935) - Genevieve Lang *''

Ladies Love Danger ''Ladies Love Danger'' is a 1935 American comedy film directed by H. Bruce Humberstone and written by Samson Raphaelson, Robert Ellis and Helen Logan. The film stars Mona Barrie, Gilbert Roland, Donald Cook, Adrienne Ames, Hardie Albright a ...

'' (1935) - Chorus Girl (uncredited) *''

Way Down East ''Way Down East'' is a 1920 American silent romantic drama film directed by D. W. Griffith and starring Lillian Gish. It is one of four film adaptations of the melodramatic 19th century play ''Way Down East'' by Lottie Blair Parker. There w ...

'' (1935) - Kate *''

Hands Across the Table ''Hands Across the Table'' is a 1935 American romantic screwball comedy film directed by Mitchell Leisen and released by Paramount Pictures. It stars Carole Lombard as a manicurist looking for a rich husband and Fred MacMurray as a poor playboy, ...

'' (1935) - Vivian Snowden *''

Charlie Chan's Secret ''Charlie Chan's Secret'' is a 1936 American mystery film directed by Gordon Wiles and starring Warner Oland, Henrietta Crosman and Rosina Lawrence. It is the tenth film in 20th Century Fox, Fox's Charlie Chan series featuring Oland as the detec ...

'' (1936) - Janice Gage *''

It Had to Happen ''It Had to Happen'' is a 1936 American drama film starring George Raft and Rosalind Russell. The movie was written by Kathryn Scola, and Howard Ellis Smith, and directed by Roy Del Ruth. It is based on the 1909 short story "Canavan, the Man Wh ...

'' (1936) - Mabel Spears (scenes cut) *''

Follow the Fleet ''Follow the Fleet'' is a 1936 American RKO musical comedy film with a nautical theme starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in their fifth collaboration as dance partners. It also features Randolph Scott, Harriet Hilliard, and Astrid Allwyn, ...

'' (1936) - Mrs. Iris Manning *'' Star for a Night'' (1936) - Josephine Hall *''

'' (1936) - Cleo Marsh *''

Flying Hostess ''Flying Hostess'' is a 1936 American drama film directed by Murray Roth and starring William Gargan, Judith Barrett and William Hall.Paris p.75 A group of stewardesses undergo their training, and later thwart the hijacking of an airplane. Part ...

'' (1936) - Phyllis Crawford *''

Stowaway A stowaway or clandestine traveller is a person who secretly boards a vehicle, such as a ship, an aircraft, a train, cargo truck or bus. Sometimes, the purpose is to get from one place to another without paying for transportation. In other cas ...

'' (1936) - Kay Swift *''

Woman-Wise ''Woman-Wise'' is a 1937 American crime film directed by Allan Dwan and written by Ben Markson. The film stars Rochelle Hudson, Michael Whalen, Thomas Beck, Alan Dinehart, Douglas Fowley and George Hassell. The film was released on January 2 ...

'' (1937) - "Bubbles" Carson *'' Murder Goes to College'' (1937) - Greta Barry *''

Venus Makes Trouble ''Venus Makes Trouble'' is a 1937 American comedy film directed by Gordon Wiles and starring James Dunn, Patricia Ellis and Astrid Allwyn. It was produced and distributed by Columbia Pictures as a second feature. Synopsis The plot revolves a ...

'' (1937) - Iris Randall *'' It Could Happen to You'' (1937) - Angela *''

Love Takes Flight ''Love Takes Flight'' is a 1937 American drama film directed by Conrad Nagel and written by Lionel Houser and Mervin J. Houser. The film stars Bruce Cabot, Beatrice Roberts, John Sheehan, Astrid Allwyn, Elliot Fisher and Wild Bill Elliott. The ...

'' (1937) - Diane Audre *''

The Westland Case ''The Westland Case'' is a 1937 American mystery film directed by Christy Cabanne and starring Preston Foster, Frank Jenks, and Carol Hughes. Cast * Preston Foster as Bill Crane * Frank Jenks as Doc Williams * Carol Hughes as Emily Lou Martin ...

'' (1937) - Miss Brentino *'' International Crime'' (1938) - Phoebe Lane *'' Love Affair'' (1939) - Lois Clarke *''

Miracles for Sale ''Miracles for Sale'' is a 1939 American mystery film directed by Tod Browning, and starring Robert Young and Florence Rice. It was Browning's final film as a director. The film is based on a locked-room mystery novel by well-known mystery wr ...

'' (1939) - Mrs. Zelma La Claire *''

Honeymoon in Bali ''Honeymoon in Bali'' is a 1939 American romantic comedy film. It is also known by the alternative titles ''Husbands or Lovers'' and ''My Love for Yours''. Virginia Van Upp's screenplay was based on the short stories "Our Miss Keane" by Grace S ...

'' (1939) - Fortune Teller at Egret Room *'' Mr. Smith Goes to Washington'' (1939) - Susan Paine *''

Reno Reno ( ) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada-California border, about north from Lake Tahoe, known as "The Biggest Little City in the World". Known for its casino and tourism industry, Reno is the ...

'' (1939) - Flora McKenzie *''

The Lone Wolf Strikes ''The Lone Wolf Strikes'' is a 1940 crime drama film directed by Sidney Salkow, which stars Warren William, Joan Perry, and Eric Blore. The Lone Wolf character dates back to 1914, when author Louis Joseph Vance Louis Joseph Vance (September ...

'' (1940) - Binnie Weldon *''

Gangs of Chicago ''Gangs of Chicago'' is a 1940 crime film, starring Lloyd Nolan, Barton MacLane, Lola Lane, Ray Middleton, Astrid Allwyn, and Horace McMahon. Alan Ladd has a small uncredited role. Plot After the death of his corrupt father, young Matty Burn ...

'' (1940) - Virginia Brandt *''

The Leather Pushers ''The Leather Pushers'' is a 1922 American film serial starring Reginald Denny (and Billy Sullivan in the fourth series), and based on boxing stories by H. C. Witwer originally published in ''Collier's Weekly''. The screenplays were written by ...

'' (1940) - Pat Danbury *'' Meet the Missus'' (1940) - Violet Stevens *''

City of Missing Girls ''City of Missing Girls'' is a 1941 American film directed by Elmer Clifton. Plot The police led by Captain McVeigh and the Assistant District Attorney James J. Horton are baffled by the disappearances of several young girls with some being fou ...

'' (1941) - Nora Page *''

Melody for Three ''Melody for Three'' is a 1941 American film directed by Erle C. Kenton, one of the six films of the Dr. Christian series. Plot summary Dr. Christian takes an interest in a young boy, a violin prodigy, whose mother is a divorced music teache ...

'' (1941) - Gladys McClelland *''

The Hard-Boiled Canary ''The Hard-Boiled Canary'' is a 1941 American musical comedy film directed by Andrew L. Stone and written by Robert Lively and Andrew L. Stone. It was later reissued as ''There's Magic in Music''. The film stars Allan Jones, Susanna Foster, ...

'' (1941) - Girl (uncredited) *'' Puddin' Head'' (1941) - Yvonne Jones *'' Cracked Nuts'' (1941) - Ethel Mitchell *''

Unexpected Uncle ''Unexpected Uncle'' is a 1941 American comedy-drama film directed by Peter Godfrey and starring Charles Coburn, Anne Shirley, and James Craig. Cast *Anne Shirley as Kathleen Brown * James Craig as Johnny Kerrigan *Charles Coburn as Alfred Cr ...

'' (1941) - Sara Cochran *''

No Hands on the Clock ''No Hands on the Clock'' is a 1941 American comedy mystery film directed by Frank McDonald starring Chester Morris as detective Humphrey Campbell. The cast also included Jean Parker and Rose Hobart. It was produced by Pine-Thomas Productions ...

'' (1941) - Gypsy Toland *'' Hit Parade of 1943'' (1943) - Joyce Germaine

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Allwyn, Astrid 1905 births 1978 deaths 20th-century American actresses American film actresses American stage actresses Actresses from Connecticut Deaths from cancer in California People from Manchester, Connecticut Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale) 20th-century American singers