Jean Carmen (April 7, 1913 – August 26, 1993) was an American film, stage, and radio actress. She sometimes went by the stage name Julia Thayer. In addition to her appearances in various films throughout the 1930s, Carmen starred on

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 ...

in the original production of ''

The Man Who Came to Dinner ''The Man Who Came to Dinner'' is a comedy play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. It debuted on October 16, 1939, at the Music Box Theatre in New York City, where it ran until 1941, closing after 739 performances. It then enjoyed a number of N ...

'', appearing as a replacement for the role of June Stanley. In her later career, Carmen wrote, directed, and produced the film ''The Pawn'' in 1966.

Biography

Born in

Portland, Oregon Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the list of cities in Oregon, largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, Columbia rivers, Portland is ...

on April 7, 1913, Carmen was selected as one of the

WAMPAS Baby Stars The WAMPAS Baby Stars was a promotional campaign sponsored by the United States Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers, which honored 13 (15 in 1932) young actresses each year whom they believed to be on the threshold of movie stardom. ...

in 1934, the last year they were named. She had a supporting role as The Rider in the 1937 Republic Pictures western serial ''

The Painted Stallion ''The Painted Stallion'' is a 1937 American Western film serial from Republic Pictures. It was the sixth Republic serial of the sixty-six made by that company. Western serials such as this made up a third of the serials from Republic, a studio t ...

''. She also worked in radio and on

, in ''Stage Door'' and the original 1939 production of ''

'' (as a replacement for the role of June Stanley). Modern audiences will also remember Carmen as one of three gold diggers in the 1938

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 ...

comedy '' Healthy, Wealthy and Dumb''. She married Barrett Collyfer Dillow in 1949, whose family headed the B.F. Goodrich Company. In 1966, Carmen wrote, directed, and produced the film ''The Pawn'', credited as Jean Carmen Dillow. During this time, she resided in

Greenwich, Connecticut Greenwich (, ) is a town in southwestern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. At the 2020 census, the town had a total population of 63,518. The largest town on Connecticut's Gold Coast, Greenwich is home to many hedge funds and other ...

. Her son, Guy Dillow, starred in the film. She should not be confused with another actress with a similar name,

Jeanne Carmen Jeanne Laverne Carmen (August 4, 1930 – December 20, 2007) was an American model (person), model, actress and trick-shot golfer. Early life and career Carmen was born in Paragould, Arkansas. As a child, she picked cotton before running aw ...

, who was active in the 1950s and 1960s.

Death

Carmen died on August 26, 1993, in Charleston, South Carolina.

Filmography

Stage credits

References

External links

* * * 1913 births 1993 deaths American film actresses American stage actresses Actresses from Charleston, South Carolina Actresses from Portland, Oregon American women film directors American women screenwriters 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American singers WAMPAS Baby Stars 20th-century American women writers 20th-century American screenwriters {{US-theat-actor-1910s-stub