Fay Helm (April 9, 1909 – September 27, 2003) was an American film actress. Born in Bakersfield, California, she appeared in about 65 films between 1936 and 1946. She is perhaps better known for films like A Child is Born (1939), Phantom Lady (1944),

Lady in the Dark ''Lady in the Dark'' is a musical with music by Kurt Weill, lyrics by Ira Gershwin and book and direction by Moss Hart. It was produced by Sam Harris. The protagonist, Liza Elliott, is the unhappy female editor of a fictional fashion magazine w ...

(1944) and Sister Kenny (1946).

Early years

Helm was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L.G. Helm of Bakersfield, California. Her father was "a widely known oil operator" in Bakersfield. She participated in drama as a student at the

University of Oregon The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a public research university in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 1876, the institution is well known for its strong ties to the sports apparel and marketing firm Nike, Inc, and its co-founder, billion ...

and acted in productions at the Portland Civic Theater. She also acted in the

Bakersfield Community Theatre Bakersfield Community Theatre (BCT) in Bakersfield, California is the oldest continuing community theatre in California; and the second oldest amateur community theatre in the Western United States: the Tacoma Little Theatre, est. 1918 in Tacoma ...

. Helm came to Hollywood in 1936 at the age of 22.

Personal life

Helm married attorney Jack Hardy February 15, 1941. Before that, she was married to assistant district attorney Norman Main. She and Main divorced in 1940. She died on September 27, 2003, and was buried October 15, 2003 in the Holy Cross Cemetery Culver City Los Angeles County, California, Section Y, Tier 12, Grave 54.

Film credits

* '' Fury'' (1936) - Townswoman (uncredited) * ''

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...

'' (1936) - Earthquake Survivor (uncredited) * '' Under Cover of Night'' (1937) - Maggie - Janet's Maid (uncredited) * ''

Song of the City ''Song of the City'' is a 1937 American musical film directed by Errol Taggart, written by Michael Fessier, and starring Margaret Lindsay, Dean Jagger, J. Carrol Naish, Nat Pendleton, Dennis Morgan and Marla Shelton. It was released on April 2, 1 ...

'' (1937) - Marge * '' A Girl with Ideas'' (1937) - Genevieve (uncredited) * '' Merry-Go-Round of 1938'' (1937) - Dainty Doris * '' Midnight Intruder'' (1938) - Marion Loring (uncredited) * '' Racket Busters'' (1938) - Mrs. Smith * '' I Am the Law'' (1938) - Mrs. Butler * '' Blondie'' (1938) - Mrs. Fuddle (uncredited) * '' Peck's Bad Boy with the Circus'' (1938) - Mrs. De Cava * '' Sergeant Madden'' (1939) - Nurse (uncredited) * '' Dark Victory'' (1939) - Miss Dodd * ''

They All Come Out ''They All Come Out'' is a 1939 American crime film directed by Jacques Tourneur, written by John C. Higgins, and starring Rita Johnson, Tom Neal, Bernard Nedell, Edward Gargan, John Gallaudet and Addison Richards. It was released on August ...

'' (1939) - Mamie Jacklin (uncredited) * '' Our Leading Citizen'' (1939) - Tonia * '' Hollywood Cavalcade'' (1939) - Nurse (uncredited) * '' Blondie Brings Up Baby'' (1939) - Mrs. Fuddle * '' A Child Is Born'' (1939) - The Woman * '' The Light That Failed'' (1939) - Red-Haired Girl (uncredited) * '' Abe Lincoln in Illinois'' (1940) - Mrs. Seth Gale (uncredited) * '' Parole Fixer'' (1940) - Rita Mattison * '' Blondie on a Budget'' (1940) - Mrs. Fuddle * '' Little Orvie'' (1940) - Mrs. Balliser * '' Women Without Names'' (1940) - Millie * ''

Dr. Kildare's Strange Case ''Dr. Kildare's Strange Case'' is a 1940 American drama film directed by Harold S. Bucquet. This was the fifth of a total of ten Dr. Kildare pictures. Horace MacMahon joined the cast regulars in the series as taxi driver "Foghorn" Murphy. Plot D ...

'' (1940) - Mrs. Henry Adams * '' Untamed'' (1940) - Miss Olcott * ''

Blondie Has Servant Trouble ''Blondie Has Servant Trouble'' is a 1940 American comedy film directed by Frank R. Strayer and starring Penny Singleton and Arthur Lake. It is sixth of the series of 28 Blondie movies. Plot summary Blondie proves to be a real nuisance to her ...

'' (1940) - Mrs. Fuddle * '' Dancing on a Dime'' (1940) - Miss Greenfield * '' Life with Henry'' (1940) - Office Secretary (uncredited) * '' Kitty Foyle'' (1940) - Prim Girl (uncredited) * '' Ride, Kelly, Ride'' (1941) - Nurse (uncredited) * '' The Wagons Roll at Night'' (1941) - Wife (uncredited) * '' Million Dollar Baby'' (1941) - Mrs. Grayson * '' The Hard-Boiled Canary'' (1941) - Miss Wilson * '' Blossoms in the Dust'' (1941) - Leta Eldredge (adopting Tony) (uncredited) * ''

Two in a Taxi ''Two in a Taxi'' is a 1941 American film directed by Robert Florey. Writer Marvin Wald was inspired by seeing a production of Clifford Odets' ''Waiting for Lefty'' to write this drama of cab drivers and their economic struggles. Cast * Anita L ...

'' (1941) - Ethel * '' The Wolf Man'' (1941) - Jenny * '' Wings for the Eagle'' (1942) - Miss Baxter * '' Give Out, Sisters'' (1942) - Susan Waverly * '' Halfway to Shanghai'' (1942) - Marion Mills * '' Night Monster'' (1942) - Margaret Ingston * '' Life Begins at Eight-Thirty'' (1942) - Ruthie (uncredited) * '' The Crystal Ball'' (1943) - Brad Cavanaugh's Secretary (uncredited) * '' Young and Willing'' (1943) - Miss Harris (uncredited) * '' Captive Wild Woman'' (1943) - Nurse Strand * '' Hers to Hold'' (1943) - Hannah Gordon * '' Honeymoon Lodge'' (1943) - Mrs. Mary Thomas (uncredited) * '' Calling Dr. Death'' (1943) - Mrs. Duval * '' Moonlight in Vermont'' (1943) - Lucy Meadows * '' Phantom Lady'' (1944) - Ann Terry * '' Ladies Courageous'' (1944) - WAVE (uncredited) * ''

'' (1944) - Miss Bowers * '' Mademoiselle Fifi'' (1944) - The Manufacturer's Wife * '' One Body Too Many'' (1944) - Estelle Hopkins * ''

A Song to Remember ''A Song to Remember'' is a 1945 American biographical film which tells a fictionalised life story of Polish pianist and composer Frédéric Chopin. Directed by Charles Vidor and starring Paul Muni, Merle Oberon, and Cornel Wilde. Plot Fr ...

'' (1945) - Madame Chopin (uncredited) * '' Son of Lassie'' (1945) - Joanna * '' The Falcon in San Francisco'' (1945) - Doreen Temple * ''

Dangerous Intruder ''Dangerous Intruder'' is a 1945 American film noir directed by Vernon Keays, starring Charles Arnt, Veda Ann Borg and Richard Powers .. Plot New-York-bound hitchhiker Jenny (Borg) is accidentally struck by a car. The driver, art dealer Max Duca ...

'' (1945) - Millicent * '' Sister Kenny'' (1946) - Mrs. McIntyre * '' The Locket'' (1946)Turner Classic Movies - Mrs. Bonner * '' That Brennan Girl'' (1946) - Helen, Ziggy's Neighbor (final film role)

References

External links

*
Biographical page with photographs
, filmdope.com; accessed March 24, 2015.

Find A Grave

More biographical details {{DEFAULTSORT:Helm, Fay 1909 births 2003 deaths American film actresses American stage actresses Actresses from Bakersfield, California Place of death missing 20th-century American actresses Burials at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City University of Oregon alumni 21st-century American women