Evelyn Merchant (August 25, 1913 – April 2, 1995), known professionally as Harlene Wood (also Harley Wood, Jill Martin, Jill Jackson, and Jill Jackson-Miller) was an American film actress, composer, writer and author. She appeared in 20 films between 1935 and 1953.

Film actress

Wood entered show business as a radio actress before entering films in 1934. She appeared in approximately 20 films, playing small bit roles. Modern viewers will recognize her work in three 1937

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 appeare ...

films, ''

Dizzy Doctors ''Dizzy Doctors'' is a 1937 short subject directed by Del Lord starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). It is the 21st entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the co ...

'', '' Back to the Woods'' and '' Cash and Carry''.

Songwriter

In addition to her film work, Wood composed the song " Let There Be Peace on Earth" (1955) under the name "Jill Jackson-Miller," having adopted her surname from husband, songwriter Sy Miller. The song was popular enough to be used in the American Peace Crusade and earned her George Washington Honor Medal from the

Freedoms Foundation The Freedoms Foundation is an American non-profit, non-partisan, non-sectarian educational organization, founded in 1949. The foundation is located adjacent to the Valley Forge National Historical Park, near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Bill of R ...

. The pair also composed most of the songs for the television special. '' Imagine That!'' (1971) starring Dora Hall.

Death

Wood died on April 2, 1995, in

Honokaa, Hawaii Honokaa is a census-designated place (CDP) in the Hamakua District of Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States. The population was 2,699 at the 2020 census. Geography Honokaa is located on the north side of the island of Hawaii at (20.077617, -1 ...

References

External links

* 1913 births 1995 deaths American film actresses 20th-century American actresses American radio actresses {{US-film-actor-1910s-stub