Hazel Brooks (September 8, 1924 – September 18, 2002) was an American actress.
Early years
The daughter of a sea captain, Brooks was born in
Cape Town
Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...
, South Africa. Her father died when she was three years old, and she moved with her mother to Brooklyn, New York. Her mother remarried and then divorced, resulting in custody battles over Brooks' half-brother. Brooks described her childhood as "very unhappy", noting that she attended 14 schools.
Career
Brooks became a model when she was 16 and was represented by Harry Conover and Walter Thornton. A talent scout picked her and five other models to appear in the MGM film ''
Du Barry Was a Lady
''Du Barry Was a Lady'' is a Broadway musical, with music and lyrics by Cole Porter, and the book by Herbert Fields and Buddy DeSylva.
'' (1943). She made a series of pictures at the studio during the 1940s, culminating with a supporting role in the 1947 film '' Body and Soul'' with
John Garfield
John Garfield (born Jacob Julius Garfinkle, March 4, 1913 – May 21, 1952) was an American actor who played brooding, rebellious, working-class characters. He grew up in poverty in New York City. In the early 1930s, he became a member of ...
.
A photo of her by Durward Garyhill was voted "Most Provocative Still of 1947" by the International Society of Photographic Arts in January 1948.
She had captured almost as much attention three years earlier in 1944 when, at age 19, she married the long-time head of her studio's fabled art department,
Cedric Gibbons
Austin Cedric Gibbons (March 23, 1890 – July 26, 1960) was an Irish-American art director for the film industry. He also made a significant contribution to motion picture theater architecture from the 1930s to 1950s. Gibbons designed the ...
, then 54. The wedding occurred on October 25, 1944. Although the age difference inspired a certain amount of winking in the gossip columns at the time, the marriage proved a strong one and lasted until Gibbons' death in 1960. Brooks subsequently married Dr. Rex Ross (1908-1999), a surgeon and founder of the Non-invasive Vascular Clinic at Hollywood Hospital.
According to long-time friend Maria Cooper Janis,
Gary Cooper
Gary Cooper (born Frank James Cooper; May 7, 1901May 13, 1961) was an American actor known for his strong, quiet screen persona and understated acting style. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice and had a further three nominations, a ...
's daughter and Cedric Gibbons's great-niece, Ross in the years after her retirement from films became a skilled still photographer. She also worked actively for a number of children's charities.
She had subsequent roles in '' Arch of Triumph'' and ''
Sleep, My Love
''Sleep, My Love'' is a 1948 American noir film directed by Douglas Sirk. It features Claudette Colbert, Robert Cummings and Don Ameche.
Plot
Alison Courtland, a wealthy New Yorker, hasn't a clue how she ended up on a train bound for Boston. Wh ...
'' in 1948, as well as ''
The Basketball Fix
''The Basketball Fix'' is a 1951 noir sports drama film directed by Felix E. Feist and starring John Ireland, Marshall Thompson and Vanessa Brown. The film is also known by the alternative title ''The Big Decision'' in the United Kingdom. It is ...
'' (1951) and ''
The I Don't Care Girl
''The I Don't Care Girl'' is a 1953 Technicolor film starring Mitzi Gaynor. It is a biography of entertainer Eva Tanguay.Bel Air residential district of
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...