Marie Wilson (American Actress)
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Marie Wilson (born Katherine Elizabeth Wilson; August 19, 1916 – November 23, 1972) was an American radio, film, and television actress. She may be best remembered as the title character in ''
My Friend Irma ''My Friend Irma'' is a media franchise that was spawned by a top-rated, long-running radio situation comedy created by writer-director-producer Cy Howard. The radio show was so popular in the late 1940s that its success escalated the films, ...
''.


Early life

Wilson was born in
Anaheim, California Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orange County, the 10th-most p ...
, on August 19, 1916. Her nickname at
Anaheim High School Anaheim High School is a public, four-year high school in the city of Anaheim, California, United States and serves students living in the Colony District of Anaheim. Anaheim High School was first established in 1898, which makes it the oldest ...
was "Maybelle". Wilson graduated from high school in 1933.


Career


Radio

Although Wilson was afraid of the
microphone A microphone, colloquially called a mic or mike (), is a transducer that converts sound into an electrical signal. Microphones are used in many applications such as telephones, hearing aids, public address systems for concert halls and public ...
used in radio, she played scatterbrained Irma Peterson in the radio comedy ''
My Friend Irma ''My Friend Irma'' is a media franchise that was spawned by a top-rated, long-running radio situation comedy created by writer-director-producer Cy Howard. The radio show was so popular in the late 1940s that its success escalated the films, ...
'' from April 11, 1947, to August 23, 1954.


Film

Wilson began her career in Hollywood in the 1934 film ''Down to Their Last Yacht'' as a ship passenger, and then appeared in '' Babes in Toyland'' as Mary Quite Contrary. Wilson appeared in ''
Ladies Crave Excitement ''Ladies Crave Excitement'' is a 1935 American action–comedy drama film released by Mascot Pictures, directed by Nick Grinde and starring Norman Foster, Evalyn Knapp and Esther Ralston. Plot Don Phelan, the ace newsreel reporter, falls in lo ...
'' (1935), ''The Girl Friend'' (1935), '' Stars Over Broadway'' (1935), ''
Miss Pacific Fleet ''Miss Pacific Fleet'' is a 1935 American comedy film directed by Ray Enright. The film stars Joan Blondell, Glenda Farrell, and Hugh Herbert. The film was based on the short story of the same name by Frederick Hazlitt Brennan in the ''Collier's ...
'' (1935), '' The Big Noise'' (1936), ''
Melody for Two ''Melody for Two'' is a 1937 American musical film directed by Louis King and starring James Melton, Patricia Ellis and Marie Wilson. The film is notable for introducing the song "September in the Rain", which subsequently became a pop standard ...
'' (1937), '' Boy Meets Girl'' (1938), ''
Sweepstakes Winner ''Sweepstakes Winner'' is a 1939 American comedy film directed by William C. McGann, written by John W. Krafft, and starring Marie Wilson, Johnnie Davis, Allen Jenkins, Charley Foy, Jerry Colonna and Frankie Burke. It was released by Warner ...
'' (1939), ''
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
'' (1941), ''She's in the Army'' (1942), ''
You Can't Ration Love ''You Can't Ration Love'' is a 1944 American comedy film directed by Lester Fuller and written by Val Burton and Hal Fimberg. The film stars Betty Jane Rhodes, Johnnie Johnston, Marjorie Weaver, Johnnie Davis, Marie Wilson and Bill Edwards. ...
'' (1944), ''
Young Widow ''Young Widow'' is a 1946 drama film directed by Edwin L. Marin and starring Jane Russell and Louis Hayward. It focuses on Joan Kenwood, a young journalist who cannot get over her husband's death in World War II. Kenwood is reminded in large ways ...
'' (1946), and '' Never Wave at a WAC'' (1952). In 1936, she played Miss Murgatroyd in ''
Satan Met a Lady ''Satan Met a Lady'' is a 1936 American detective film directed by William Dieterle and starring Bette Davis and Warren William. The screenplay by Brown Holmes is a loose adaptation of the 1929 novel '' The Maltese Falcon'' by Dashiell Hammett ...
'', a loose adaptation of the 1929 novel '' The Maltese Falcon'' by
Dashiell Hammett Samuel Dashiell Hammett (; May 27, 1894 – January 10, 1961) was an American writer of hard-boiled detective novels and short stories. He was also a screenwriter and political activist. Among the enduring characters he created are Sam Spade ('' ...
. She was in ''
The Great Garrick ''The Great Garrick'' is a 1937 American historical comedy film directed by James Whale and starring Brian Aherne, Olivia de Havilland, and Edward Everett Horton. The film also features Lionel Atwill, Luis Alberni, Melville Cooper, and future sta ...
'' as Nicolle in 1937. Wilson was in ''
Fools for Scandal ''Fools for Scandal'' is a 1938 screwball comedy film starring Carole Lombard and Fernand Gravet, featuring Ralph Bellamy, Allen Jenkins, Isabel Jeans, Marie Wilson and Marcia Ralston, and produced and directed by Mervyn LeRoy. It was writ ...
'' as Myrtle in 1938. She was in '' Waterfront'' in 1939 as Ruby Waters. In 1949, she played Irma Peterson in the film ''
My Friend Irma ''My Friend Irma'' is a media franchise that was spawned by a top-rated, long-running radio situation comedy created by writer-director-producer Cy Howard. The radio show was so popular in the late 1940s that its success escalated the films, ...
'', reprising her role from the
radio series A radio program, radio programme, or radio show is a segment of content intended for broadcast on radio. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series. A single program in a series is called an episode. Radio networ ...
. In 1950, she again played Irma in ''
My Friend Irma Goes West ''My Friend Irma Goes West'' is a 1950 American comedy film directed by Hal Walker and based on the radio show ''My Friend Irma.'' It stars the comedy team of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. The film is a sequel to ''My Friend Irma'' (1949) and was ...
''. In 1952, she played Jane Sweet in '' A Girl in Every Port'', based on the short story ''They Sell Sailors Elephants'' by
Frederick Hazlitt Brennan Frederick Hazlitt Brennan (September 23, 1901 – June 30, 1962) was an American screenwriter of more than thirty films between 1929 and 1953 and the director of the ABC/Desilu western television series, ''The Life and Legend of Wyatt Ear ...
. In 1957, she played
Marie Antoinette Marie Antoinette Josèphe Jeanne (; ; née Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was the last queen of France before the French Revolution. She was born an archduchess of Austria, and was the penultimate child a ...
in ''
The Story of Mankind ''The Story of Mankind'' is a book written and illustrated by Dutch-American journalist, professor, and author Hendrik Willem van Loon. It was published in 1921. In 1922, it was awarded the Newbery Medal for an outstanding contribution to children ...
'', loosely based on the nonfiction book ''
The Story of Mankind ''The Story of Mankind'' is a book written and illustrated by Dutch-American journalist, professor, and author Hendrik Willem van Loon. It was published in 1921. In 1922, it was awarded the Newbery Medal for an outstanding contribution to children ...
'' (1921) by
Hendrik Willem van Loon Hendrik Willem van Loon (January 14, 1882 – March 11, 1944) was a Dutch-American historian, journalist, and children's book author. Life He was born in Rotterdam, Netherlands, the son of Hendrik Willem van Loon and Elisabeth Johanna Hanken. ...
. Wilson's last film was 1962's ''
Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation ''Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation'' is a 1962 American comedy film directed by Henry Koster and starring James Stewart and Maureen O'Hara. The film is based on the novel ''Mr. Hobbs' Vacation'', by Edward Streeter and features a popular singer of the ...
'', based on the novel by
Edward Streeter Edward Streeter (August 1, 1891 – March 31, 1976), sometimes credited as E. Streeter, was an American novelist and journalist, best known for the 1949 novel ''Father of the Bride (novel), Father of the Bride'' and his ''Dere Mable'' serie ...
. Wilson also had roles in
short film 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, including ''Bum Voyage'' (1934), ''Slide, Nellie, Slide'' (1936), '' Vitaphone Pictorial Revue (Series 2 No. 6)'' (1938), and '' Vitaphone Pictorial Revue (Series 2 No. 12)''.


Television

Wilson first appeared on television in the series ''
My Friend Irma ''My Friend Irma'' is a media franchise that was spawned by a top-rated, long-running radio situation comedy created by writer-director-producer Cy Howard. The radio show was so popular in the late 1940s that its success escalated the films, ...
'' from 1952 to 1954. She was in two episodes of '' Burke's Law''. Wilson was in the short-lived television series ''
Where's Huddles? ''Where's Huddles?'' is an American animated sitcom produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions that premiered on CBS on July 1, 1970. It ran for ten episodes as a summer replacement show for ''Hee Haw'', until September 2. It was similar in style to ...
''. Her last role was in 1972 as Margaret Cooperman in ''
Love, American Style ''Love, American Style'' is an anthology comedy television series that aired on ABC from 1969 to 1974. The series was produced by Paramount Television. During the 1971–72 and 1972–73 seasons, it was a part of ABC's Friday primetime lineup ...
''. Wilson was a guest on ''
The Ed Sullivan Show ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television program, television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York City, New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in Septembe ...
'' on four occasions.


Stage

In June and July 1950, Wilson portrayed Lady Teazle in a production of ''School for Scandal'' at the Circle Theater in Hollywood. She appeared with her husband, Allan Nixon, who played Charles Surface.


Walk of Fame

Wilson's talents have been recognized with three stars on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...
: for radio at 6301 Hollywood Boulevard, for television at 6765 Hollywood Boulevard, and for movies at 6601 Hollywood Boulevard.


Sculpture

Wilson's left leg was the model for a 35-ft (sometimes referred to as 34-ft), two-ton sculpture outside the Theme Hosiery (later Sanderson Hoisery) plant on Olympic and Barrington in West Los Angeles. The DuPont Co. commissioned the plaster leg, which was painted as if to be wearing nylons, to promote its new nylons product. Wilson was hoisted thigh-level at the sculpture's unveiling August 6, 1949.


Personal life

Wilson was married to actor
Allan Nixon Allan Hobbs Nixon (August 17, 1915 – April 13, 1995) was an American actor and novelist. Career Nixon was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1915. He studied journalism the University of Richmond but left college to play football professiona ...
from 1942 to 1950. Her 1951 marriage to actor Robert Fallon lasted until her death from cancer at age 56. Wilson was interred in the Columbarium of Remembrance at Forest Lawn Cemetery in
Hollywood Hills The Hollywood Hills are a residential neighborhood in the central region of Los Angeles, California. Geography The Hollywood Hills straddle the Cahuenga Pass within the Santa Monica Mountains. The neighborhood touches Studio City, Univer ...
.


Filmography


Film


Film shorts/documentaries


Television


References


Notes

# Original publisher
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. () is an American publishing house that was founded by Alfred A. Knopf Sr. and Blanche Knopf in 1915. Blanche and Alfred traveled abroad regularly and were known for publishing European, Asian, and Latin American writers i ...
in 1929.


Citations


Sources

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External links

*
Photographs and literature

"Everybody’s Friend: Remembering Stan Lee and Dan DeCarlo’s 'My Friend Irma,'" ''Hogan's Alley'' #16, 2009
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Wilson, Marie 1916 births 1972 deaths Actresses from Anaheim, California American film actresses American radio personalities American radio actresses American television actresses Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) Deaths from cancer in California Actresses from California 20th-century American actresses