Mary Jane Frehse (July 18, 1915 – September 6, 1985), was an American actress, singer, and dancer.

Professional life

Jane, age six, and her 12-year-old sister Ruth formed a singing

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

act known as The Frazee Sisters.''The New York Times''
Biography of Jane Frazee The act broke up in 1940, when Jane landed a leading role in the

B film A B movie or B film is a low-budget commercial motion picture. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified films intended for distribution as the less-publicized bottom half of a double feature ...

Melody and Moonlight ''Melody and Moonlight'' is a 1940 American film starring Jane Frazee. Plot Kay Barnett is a free spirit, much like her aunt Adelaide, but such flamboyant behavior is disapproved of by Kay's father, Otis Barnett. He much prefers her to become ...

'' (1940) for

Republic Pictures Republic Pictures Corporation (currently held under Melange Pictures, LLC) was an American motion picture production-distribution corporation in operation from 1935 to 1967, that was based in Los Angeles. It had studio facilities in Studio City an ...

. Shortly after the film's release she was signed by

Universal Pictures Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...

and was featured in ''

Buck Privates ''Buck Privates'' is a 1941 musical military comedy film that turned Bud Abbott and Lou Costello into bona fide movie stars. It was the first service comedy based on the peacetime draft of 1940. The comedy team made two more service comedies ...

'', the high-grossing 1941

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

film starring

Bud Abbott William Alexander "Bud" Abbott (October 2, 1897 – April 24, 1974) was an American comedian, actor and producer. He was best known as the straight man half of the comedy duo Abbott and Costello. Early life Abbott was born in Asbury Park, New ...

and

Lou Costello Louis Francis Cristillo (March 6, 1906 – March 3, 1959), professionally known as Lou Costello, was an American comedian, actor and producer. He was best known for his double act with straight man Bud Abbott and their routine " Who's on First? ...

. The strong impression she made in that film elevated her to leading-lady roles in Universal's popular "B" musicals, usually appearing opposite

Robert Paige Robert Paige (born John Arthur Paige, December 2, 1911 – December 21, 1987) was an actor and a TV newscaster and political correspondent and Universal Pictures leading man who made 65 films in his lifetime: he was the only actor ever allowed t ...

. She left Universal in late 1942, when she married actor-director

Glenn Tryon Glenn Tryon (born Glenn Monroe Kunkel; August 2, 1898 – April 18, 1970) was an American film actor, screenwriter, director and producer. He appeared in more than 60 films between 1923 and 1951. Biography He was born as Glenn Monroe Kunke ...

, who was 16 years her senior. The actress was still very much in demand and returned to Republic for more musicals. She also appeared frequently in budget features for

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...

. After World War II, most of the larger Hollywood studios curtailed their lower-budget productions and produced fewer features. This affected scores of actors, who sought refuge at the smaller studios that had been making low-budget features all along. Thus, Jane Frazee found steady if unprestigious work at

Monogram Pictures Monogram Pictures Corporation was an American film studio that produced mostly low-budget films between 1931 and 1953, when the firm completed a transition to the name Allied Artists Pictures Corporation. Monogram was among the smaller studios i ...

and

Lippert Pictures Lippert Pictures was an American film production and distribution company controlled by Robert L. Lippert. History Robert L. Lippert (1909-1976) was a successful exhibitor, owning a chain of movie theaters in California and Oregon. He was frustrat ...

, in addition to her Republic duties. This led to the even lower-budgeted and faster-paced field of westerns, and television (including the early adventure series '' Adventures of Superman''). The actress ended her screen career co-starring in

short subject A short film is any motion picture that is short enough in running time not to be considered a feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes ...

s produced by

Warner Brothers Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American Film studio, film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios, Burbank, Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, Califo ...

. These were the popular

Joe McDoakes ''Joe McDoakes'' is an American short film comedy series produced and directed by Richard L. Bare for Warner Bros. A total of 63 black and white live action one-reel short subjects films were made and released between 1942 and 1956. The ''Joe ...

comedies starring George O'Hanlon. The 10-minute shorts were domestic sketches noted for their wild comic exaggeration, and Frazee (who appeared without billing) earned her laughs with excellent comedy timing. The series lapsed in 1956.

Personal life and death

On May 28, 1942, Frazee married associate producer Glenn Tryon in Yuma, Arizona. They were divorced on April 16, 1947, in Las Vegas, Nevada, and had one son, Timothy. On April 24, 1948, Frazee married Whitey Christensen, a screen double for Roy Rogers, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Frazee died of pneumonia at the Flagship Health Center in Newport Beach, California, in 1985 at age 67.

Filmography

Billed with sister Ruth as The Frazee Sisters

* ''Captain Blue Blood'' (1935) * ''Study and Understudy'' (1936) * ''Up in Lights'' (1938) * ''Rollin' in Rhythm'' (1939) * ''Pharmacy Frolics'' (1939) * ''Arcade Varieties'' (1939) * ''Swing Styles'' (1939)

Films

* ''

'' (1940) * ''Music in the Morgan Manner'' (1941) (as Herself) * ''

'' (1941) * ''

Angels with Broken Wings ''Angels with Broken Wings'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Bernard Vorhaus and starring Jane Frazee and Binnie Barnes. It was released by Republic Pictures. Cast *Binnie Barnes ... Sybil Barton *Gilbert Roland ... Don Pablo Vin ...

'' (1941) * ''

San Antonio Rose "San Antonio Rose" is a swing instrumental introduced in late 1938 by Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys. Quickly becoming the band's most popular number, Wills and band members devised lyrics, which were recorded on April 16, 1940, and releas ...

'' (1941) * '' Sing Another Chorus'' (1941) * ''

Moonlight in Hawaii ''Moonlight in Hawaii'' is a 1941 American musical film comedy starring Jane Frazee. Maria Montez has a small role, with her hair dyed blonde.

'' (1941) * '' Hellzapoppin''' (1941) * '' Don't Get Personal'' (1942) * '' What's Cookin'?'' (1942) * '' Almost Married'' (1942) * ''

Moonlight Masquerade ''Moonlight Masquerade'' is a 1942 United States, American film starring Dennis O'Keefe and Jane Frazee. It is also known as ''Moonstruck'' and ''Tahiti Honey''. Plot Two business partners, John Bennett, Sr. and Robert Forrester, are starting t ...

'' (1942) * ''

Get Hep to Love ''Get Hep to Love'' is a 1942 musical film starring Gloria Jean, Donald O'Connor, Jane Frazee, Robert Paige and Peggy Ryan. The film was directed by Charles Lamont. Plot Doris Stanley is an adolescent singer ("14 going on 15") billed as an ...

'' (1942) * ''

Moonlight in Havana ''Moonlight in Havana'' is a 1942 American film romantic comedy directed by Anthony Mann and featuring Allan Jones, Jane Frazee, and Marjorie Lord. This was Mann's second film as director.. Choreography by Lester Horton. Plot Baseball star Jo ...

'' (1942) * ''

When Johnny Comes Marching Home "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" (Roud 6637), sometimes "When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again", is a popular song from the American Civil War that expressed people's longing for the return of their friends and relatives who were fighting in the ...

'' (1942) * ''

Hi'ya, Chum ''Hi'ya, Chum'' is a 1943 American musical comedy film starring Jane Frazee and the Ritz Brothers. Cast * Ritz Brothers - Merry Madcaps * Jane Frazee - Sunny Lee * Robert Paige - Tommy Craig * June Clyde - Madge Tracy * Paul Hurst Paul M ...

'' (1943) * ''

Keep 'Em Slugging ''Keep 'Em Slugging'' is a 1943 American film starring the Little Tough Guys and directed by Christy Cabanne for Universal Pictures. This was the final film in Universal's Little Tough Guys series, and although Universal still billed the group as ...

'' (1943) (in footage from ''Hi'ya, Chum'') * ''

Rhythm of the Islands ''Rhythm of the Islands'', also known as ''Isle of Romance'', is a 1943 American film directed by Roy William Neill starring Jane Frazee. Plot summary Two ambitious guys from Brooklyn, Tommy Jones and Eddie Dolan, get the idea of buying a trop ...

'' (1943) * '' Beautiful But Broke'' (1944) * ''

Cowboy Canteen ''Cowboy Canteen'' is a 1944 American musical western film directed by Lew Landers and starring Charles Starrett. Plot Entertainers perform on a dude ranch for soldiers. Cast * Charles Starrett as Steve Bradley * Jane Frazee as Connie Gray * ...

'' (1944) * ''

Rosie the Riveter Rosie the Riveter is an allegorical cultural icon in the United States who represents the women who worked in factories and shipyards during World War II, many of whom produced munitions and war supplies. These women sometimes took entirely new ...

'' (1944) * '' Swing in the Saddle'' (1944) * ''

Kansas City Kitty ''Kansas City Kitty'' is a 1944 United States, American romance film, romantic musical film directed by Del Lord, starring Joan Davis and Jane Frazee. The film features the singing The Williams Brothers, Williams Brothers, including the youngest ...

'' (1944) * '' She's a Sweetheart'' (1944) * ''

Practically Yours ''Practically Yours'' is a 1944 comedic film made by Paramount Pictures, directed by Mitchell Leisen, written by Norman Krasna and starring Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurray. Plot When a young pilot, Daniel Bellamy, is presumed dead after cra ...

'' (1944) * ''

The Big Bonanza ''The Big Bonanza'' is a 1944 American Western film starring Jane Frazee, Richard Arlen, Gabby Hayes, Robert Livingston and Lynne Roberts. Plot Escaping from jail after being falsely accused of cowardice, Army captain Jed Kilton ends up at ...

'' (1944) * '' Ten Cents a Dance'' (1945) * '' Swingin' on a Rainbow'' (1945) * ''

George White's Scandals ''George White's Scandals'' were a long-running string of Broadway revues produced by George White that ran from 1919–1939, modeled after the ''Ziegfeld Follies''. The "Scandals" launched the careers of many entertainers, including W. C. Fie ...

'' (1945) * ''

A Guy Could Change ''A Guy Could Change'' is a 1946 American drama film starring Allan Lane and Jane Frazee. The supporting cast features 13-year-old Robert Blake (billed as "Bobby Blake"), Wallace Ford, Adele Mara and Gerald Mohr. ''A Guy Could Change'' was the ...

'' (1946) * '' Calendar Girl'' (1947) * ''

Springtime in the Sierras ''Springtime in the Sierras'' is a 1947 American Trucolor Western film directed by William Witney and starring Roy Rogers, Trigger, Jane Frazee and Andy Devine. The film is now in the public domain. Plot Singing cowboy Roy Rogers and the So ...

'' (1947) * ''

On the Old Spanish Trail ''On the Old Spanish Trail'' is a 1947 American Trucolor Western film starring Roy Rogers and directed by William Witney. Plot Cast *Roy Rogers as Roy Rogers *Trigger as Trigger, the Smartest Horse in the West *Tito Guízar as Rico / Th ...

'' (1947) * ''

The Gay Ranchero '' The Gay Ranchero '' is a 1948 American Western film starring Roy Rogers. It was filmed in Wildwood Regional Park in Thousand Oaks, California.Fleming, E.J. (2010). ''The Movieland Directory: Nearly 30,000 Addresses of Celebrity Homes, Film ...

'' (1948) * ''

Under California Stars '' Under California Stars '' is a 1948 American Trucolor Western (genre), Western film directed by William Witney and starring Roy Rogers, Jane Frazee and Andy Devine. The film was shot in Trucolor. After returning from Hollywood, Los Angeles, ...

'' (1948) * '' Incident'' (1948) * ''

Grand Canyon Trail '' Grand Canyon Trail '' is a 1948 American Western film starring Roy Rogers combining Western action with Three Stooges-style slapstick. Robert Livingston plays the head villain and James Finlayson plays the sheriff. The Republic Pictures f ...

'' (1948) * ''

Last of the Wild Horses ''Last of the Wild Horses'' is a 1948 American Western film directed by Robert L. Lippert and starring James Ellison, Mary Beth Hughes and Jane Frazee. It was featured in episode 611 of '' Mystery Science Theater 3000''. Plot Duke Barnum, a ...

'' (1948) * ''

Rhythm Inn ''Rhythm Inn'' is a 1951 American film starring Jane Frazee. Plot A bandleader desperate to get his musicians' instruments out of hock promises a pawnbroker that his star singer will give him a private performance. Cast * Jane Frazee as Carol ...

'' (1951)

Joe McDoakes short subjects

Jane Frazee co-starred as Joe's wife Alice, without screen credit: * ''So You Want to Be Your Own Boss'' (1954) * ''So You Want to Go to a Nightclub'' (1954) * ''So You're Taking in a Roomer'' (1954) * ''So You Want to Know Your Relatives'' (1954) * ''So You Don't Trust Your Wife'' (1955) * ''So You Want to Be a Gladiator'' (1955) * ''So You Want a Model Railroad'' (1955) * ''So You Think the Grass is Greener'' (1956)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Frazee, Jane 1910s births 1985 deaths Singers from Minnesota American film actresses American female dancers Dancers from Minnesota 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American singers 20th-century American women singers 20th-century American dancers Vaudeville performers Western (genre) film actresses Actresses from Minnesota Universal Pictures contract players Deaths from pneumonia in California