Cliff Robertson Mona Freeman Two Worlds of Charlie Gordon 1961

Monica Elizabeth "Mona" Freeman (June 9, 1926 – May 23, 2014) was an American actress and painter.

Early years

Freeman was born in

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

, and grew up in

Pelham, New York Pelham is a suburban town in Westchester County, approximately 10 miles northeast of Midtown Manhattan. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 13,078, an increase from the 2010 census. Historically, Pelham was composed of five villages ...

. A lumberman's daughter, she was a model while in high school, and was selected the first "

Miss Subways "Miss Subways" was a title accorded to individual New York City women between 1941 and 1976. The woman who was Miss Subways at any one time appeared on posters placed on New York City Subway trains, along with a brief description of her. In 1957, ...

" of the

New York City transit system The New York City Transit Authority (also known as NYCTA, the TA, or simply Transit, and branded as MTA New York City Transit) is a public-benefit corporation in the U.S. state of New York that operates public transportation in New York City. P ...

in 1940.

Career

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

signed Freeman to a contract after she moved to

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...

. She eventually signed a movie contract with

Howard Hughes Howard Robard Hughes Jr. (December 24, 1905 – April 5, 1976) was an American business magnate, record-setting pilot, engineer, film producer, and philanthropist, known during his lifetime as one of the most influential and richest people in th ...

. Her contract was later sold to

. Her first film appearance was in the 1944 film '' Till We Meet Again''. She became a popular teenage movie star. After a series of roles as a pretty, naive teenager, she complained of being typecast. As an adult, Freeman's career slowed and she appeared in mostly

B-movies 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 featur ...

, though an exception was her role in the

film noir Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American ' ...

'' Angel Face'' (1952). She also co-starred in the hit film ''

Jumping Jacks ''Jumping Jacks'' is a 1952 American semi- musical comedy film starring the comedy team of Martin and Lewis. The film was directed by Norman Taurog, and released by Paramount Pictures. It was one of the military comedies that marked the duo's ea ...

'' with the

comedy team A double act (also known as a comedy duo) is a form of comedy originating in the British music hall tradition, and American vaudeville, in which two comedians perform together as a single act. Pairings are typically long-term, in some cases fo ...

Dean Martin Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American singer, actor and comedian. One of the most popular and enduring American entertainers of the mid-20th century, Martin was nicknamed "The King of Cool". M ...

and

Jerry Lewis Jerry Lewis (born Joseph Levitch; March 16, 1926 – August 20, 2017) was an American comedian, actor, singer, filmmaker and humanitarian. As his contributions to comedy and charity made him a global figure in popular culture, pop culture ...

. Freeman's appearances in films ended in the 1950s, but she continued to work in television. Among her appearances were seven guest roles on ''

The United States Steel Hour ''The United States Steel Hour'' is an anthology series which brought hour long dramas to television from 1953 to 1963. The television series and the radio program that preceded it were both sponsored by the U.S. Steel, United States Steel Corpor ...

'' from 1960 to 1962 and three on ''

Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and 4 short stories, all of which involve a c ...

'', all of them roles as Mason's client: Jane Wardman in "The Case of the Lurid Letter" (1962), Rosanne Ambrose in "The Case of the Illicit Illusion" (1964), and Ellen Payne in "The Case of the 12th Wildcat" (1965). She appeared in two episodes of '' Wanted: Dead or Alive'' starring

Steve McQueen Terrence Stephen McQueen (March 24, 1930November 7, 1980) was an American actor. His antihero persona, emphasized during the height of the counterculture of the 1960s, made him a top box-office draw for his films of the late 1950s, 1960s, and 1 ...

titled "The Fourth Headstone" (Season One, Episode 9, air date 11/1/1958) and "Breakout" (Season 2 Episode 4, aired 9/26/1959), and two episodes of ''

Maverick Maverick, Maveric or Maverik may refer to: History * Maverick (animal), an unbranded range animal, derived from U.S. cattleman Samuel Maverick Aviation * AEA Maverick, an Australian single-seat sportsplane design * General Aviation Design Burea ...

'' titled "The Cats of Paradise" (1959) and "Cruise of the Cynthia B." (1960), both starring

James Garner James Garner (born James Scott Bumgarner; April 7, 1928 – July 19, 2014) was an American actor. He played leading roles in more than 50 theatrical films, including '' The Great Escape'' (1963) with Steve McQueen; Paddy Chayefsky's ''The Ameri ...

, in which she played a recurring role as crazy-eyed swindler Modesty Blaine. She also appeared in an episode of ''

Riverboat A riverboat is a watercraft designed for inland navigation on lakes, rivers, and artificial waterways. They are generally equipped and outfitted as work boats in one of the carrying trades, for freight or people transport, including luxury un ...

'' titled "The Boy from Pittsburgh" (1959) starring

Darren McGavin Darren is a masculine given name of uncertain etymological origins. Some theories state that it originated from an Anglicisation of the Irish first name Darragh or Dáire, meaning "Oak Tree". According to other sources, it is thought to come from ...

and

Burt Reynolds Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. (February 11, 1936 – September 6, 2018) was an American actor, considered a sex symbol and icon of 1970s American popular culture. Reynolds first rose to prominence when he starred in television series such as ' ...

, an episode of ''

Checkmate Checkmate (often shortened to mate) is any game position in chess and other chess-like games in which a player's king is in check (threatened with ) and there is no possible escape. Checkmating the opponent wins the game. In chess, the king is ...

'' titled "Don't Believe a Word She Says" (1961) starring

Doug McClure Douglas Osborne McClure (May 11, 1935February 5, 1995) was an American actor whose career in film and television extended from the 1950s to the 1990s. He is best known for his role as the cowboy Trampas during the entire run from 1962 to 1971 o ...

and Sebastian Cabot, and an episode of '' The Tall Man'' titled "Petticoat Crusade" (1961) starring

Barry Sullivan Barry Sullivan may refer to: *Barry Sullivan (American actor) (1912–1994), US film and Broadway actor *Barry Sullivan (stage actor) (1821–1891), Irish born stage actor active in Britain and Australia *Barry Sullivan (lawyer), Chicago lawyer and ...

as Pat Garrett and

Clu Gulager William Martin Gulager (; November 16, 1928 – August 5, 2022), better known as Clu Gulager, was an American television and film actor and director born in Holdenville, Oklahoma. He first became known for his work in television, appearing in ...

Billy the Kid Billy the Kid (born Henry McCarty; September 17 or November 23, 1859July 14, 1881), also known by the pseudonym William H. Bonney, was an outlaw and gunfighter of the American Old West, who killed eight men before he was shot and killed at t ...

, along with numerous other

leading lady A leading actor, leading actress, or simply lead (), plays the role of the protagonist of a film, television show or play. The word ''lead'' may also refer to the largest role in the piece, and ''leading actor'' may refer to a person who typica ...

roles in various television series, including anthologies. Freeman was a portrait painter and concentrated on painting after 1961. Her best-known portrait is that of businesswoman Mary See, founder of

See's Candies See's Candies is an American manufacturer and distributor of candy, particularly chocolates. It was founded by Charles See, his wife Florence, and his mother Mary in Los Angeles, California in 1921. The company is now headquartered in South San ...

Personal life and death

Freeman married Pat Nerney, a car dealer, in Los Angeles in 1945. The couple had one daughter, Mona. They divorced in 1952. In 1961, she married H. Jack Ellis, a businessman from Los Angeles. Freeman died on May 23, 2014, at the age of 87 after a long illness, at her

Beverly Hills Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Bev ...

home.

Partial filmography

Mona Freeman, husband Pat Nerney, and Phyllis Thaxter, 1949

* '' Till We Meet Again'' (1944) - Elise * ''

National Velvet ''National Velvet'' is a novel by Enid Bagnold (1889–1981), first published in 1935. It was illustrated by Laurian Jones, Bagnold's daughter, who was born in 1921. Plot summary ''National Velvet'' is the story of a 14-year-old girl named ...

'' (1944) - Schoolgirl (uncredited) * ''

Here Come the Waves ''Here Come the Waves'' is a 1944 American romantic comedy musical film directed by Mark Sandrich. It stars Bing Crosby and Betty Hutton. Plot The film opens with naval scenes and a chorus of WAVES singing ‘The Navy Song’ on stage, and conti ...

'' (1944) - Fainting Girl (uncredited) * '' Together Again'' (1944) - Diana Crandall * '' Roughly Speaking'' (1945) - Barbara, ages 15–20 * ''

Junior Miss ''Junior Miss'' is a collection of semi-autobiographical stories by Sally Benson first published in ''The New Yorker''. Between 1929 and the end of 1941, the prolific Benson published 99 stories in ''The New Yorker'', some under her pseudonym of ...

'' (1945) - Lois Graves * ''

Danger Signal ''Danger Signal'' is a 1945 film noir starring Faye Emerson and Zachary Scott. The screenplay was adapted from the 1939 novel of the same name by Phyllis Bottome. Plot A mysterious pulp writer—and psychopath—named Ronnie Mason, steals a de ...

'' (1945) - Anne Fenchurch * ''

Our Hearts Were Growing Up ''Our Hearts Were Growing Up'' is a 1946 American comedy film directed by William D. Russell and written by Melvin Frank, Norman Panama and Frank Waldman. It is the sequel to the 1944 film ''Our Hearts Were Young and Gay''. The film stars Gail ...

'' (1946) - Girl (uncredited) * ''

Black Beauty ''Black Beauty: His Grooms and Companions, the Autobiography of a Horse'' is an 1877 novel by English author Anna Sewell. It was composed in the last years of her life, during which she was bedridden and seriously ill.Merriam-Webster (1995). ...

'' (1946) - Anne Wendon * ''

That Brennan Girl ''That Brennan Girl'', also known as ''Tough Girl'', is a 1946 Melodrama#Film, melodrama film produced and directed by Alfred Santell and starring James Dunn (actor), James Dunn, Mona Freeman, William Marshall (bandleader), William Marshall, and J ...

'' (1946) - Ziggy Brennan * ''

Dear Ruth ''Dear Ruth'' is a successful 1944 Broadway play written by Norman Krasna. It ran for 680 performances. History Krasna wrote a serious play, '' The Man with Blond Hair'', which received a tepid response. He said that Moss Hart suggested he wri ...

'' (1947) - Miriam Wilkins * ''

Mother Wore Tights ''Mother Wore Tights'' is a 1947 Technicolor musical film starring Betty Grable and Dan Dailey as married vaudeville performers, directed by Walter Lang. This was Grable and Dailey's first film together, based on a book of the same name by Miria ...

'' (1947) - Iris * ''

Variety Girl ''Variety Girl'' is a 1947 American musical comedy film directed by George Marshall and starring Mary Hatcher, Olga San Juan, DeForest Kelley, Frank Ferguson, Glenn Tryon, Nella Walker, Torben Meyer, Jack Norton, and William Demarest. It was prod ...

'' (1947) - Mona Freeman * ''

Isn't It Romantic? "Isn't It Romantic?" is a popular song and part of the Great American Songbook. The music was composed by Richard Rodgers, with lyrics by Lorenz Hart. It has a 32-bar chorus in A–B–A–C form. Alec Wilder, in his book ''American Popular Song: ...

'' (1948) - Susie Cameron * '' Streets of Laredo'' (1949) - Rannie Carter * ''

The Heiress ''The Heiress'' is a 1949 American romantic drama film directed and produced by William Wyler, from a screenplay written by Ruth and Augustus Goetz, adapted from their 1947 stage play of the same title, which was itself adapted from Henry James ...

'' (1949) - Marian Almond * ''

Dear Wife ''Dear Wife'' is a 1949 comedy film starring Joan Caulfield and William Holden. It is the sequel to ''Dear Ruth'', which was based on the Broadway play of the same name by Norman Krasna. Plot Miriam Wilkins is a teenage girl who is campaigning ...

'' (1949) - Miriam Wilkins * ''

I Was a Shoplifter ''I Was a Shoplifter'' is a 1950 American film noir crime film directed by Charles Lamont and starring Scott Brady and Mona Freeman. Plot A shoplifter, Faye Burton, is being watched by Herb Klaxon, a security guard at a Los Angeles department sto ...

'' (1950) - Faye Burton * ''

Copper Canyon Copper Canyon (Spanish: Barrancas del Cobre) is a group of six distinct canyons in the Sierra Madre Occidental in the southwestern part of the state of Chihuahua in northwestern Mexico that is in size. The canyons were formed by six rivers th ...

'' (1950) - Caroline Desmond * '' Branded'' (1950) - Ruth Lavery * '' Dear Brat'' (1951) - Miriam Wilkins * ''

Darling, How Could You! ''Darling, How Could You!'' is a 1951 American period comedy film directed by Mitchell Leisen and starring Joan Fontaine and John Lund. The script is based on the 1905 J. M. Barrie play ''Alice Sit-by-the-Fire''. Plot In late 1906, brother and ...

'' (1951) - Amy * '' The Greatest Show on Earth'' (1952) - Spectator (uncredited) * ''

Flesh and Fury ''Flesh and Fury'' is a 1952 American film noir drama sport film directed by Joseph Pevney and starring Tony Curtis, Jan Sterling and Mona Freeman.Jumping Jacks ''Jumping Jacks'' is a 1952 American semi- musical comedy film starring the comedy team of Martin and Lewis. The film was directed by Norman Taurog, and released by Paramount Pictures. It was one of the military comedies that marked the duo's ea ...

'' (1952) - Betsy Carter * '' Thunderbirds'' (1952) - Lt. Ellen Henderson * '' Angel Face'' (1953) - Mary Wilton * ''

Battle Cry A battle cry or war cry is a yell or chant taken up in battle, usually by members of the same combatant group. Battle cries are not necessarily articulate (e.g. "Eulaliaaaa!", "Alala"..), although they often aim to invoke patriotic or religious ...

'' (1955) - Kathy - later Mrs. Danny Forrester * '' Before I Wake'' (1955) - April Haddon * ''

The Road to Denver ''The Road to Denver'' is a 1955 American Western film directed by Joseph Kane starring John Payne, Mona Freeman, Lee J. Cobb, Ray Middleton and Skip Homeier. The supporting cast features Lee Van Cleef, Andy Clyde, Glenn Strange and Emory P ...

'' (1955) - Elizabeth Sutton * '' Dial 999'' (1955) - Terry Moffat Carradine * ''

Huk! ''Huk!'' is a 1956 American action film directed by John Barnwell and written by Stirling Silliphant and filmed in the Philippines. The film stars George Montgomery, Mona Freeman, John Baer, James Bell, Teddy Benavides and Mario Barri. The fil ...

'' (1956) - Cindy Rogers * ''

Hold Back the Night Hold may refer to: Physical spaces * Hold (ship), interior cargo space * Baggage hold, cargo space on an airplane * Stronghold, a castle or other fortified place Arts, entertainment, and media * Hold (musical term), a pause, also called a Ferm ...

'' (1956) - Anne Franklin McKenzie * ''

Dragoon Wells Massacre ''Dragoon Wells Massacre'' is a 1957 American CinemaScope DeLuxe Color Western film directed by Harold D. Schuster starring Barry Sullivan, Dennis O'Keefe, Mona Freeman and Katy Jurado. The supporting cast features Sebastian Cabot, Jack Elam a ...

'' (1957) - Ann Bradley * ''

The World Was His Jury ''The World Was His Jury'' is a 1958 American drama film directed by Fred F. Sears and starring Edmond O'Brien and Mona Freeman. It was released by Columbia Pictures. Plot A cruise ship's captain dies and Jerry Barrett is promoted to replace him. ...

'' (1958) - Robin Carson

Partial television credits

* '' Wanted: Dead or Alive'' (2 episodes) *: "The Fourth Headstone" (1958) - Jackie Harris *: "Breakout" (1959) - Margaret Dunn * ''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings. It ...

'' *: "The Monty Britton Story" (1958) - Betty Britton * ''

The Red Skelton Hour ''The Red Skelton Show'' is an American television comedy/variety show that aired from 1951 to 1971. In the decade prior to hosting the show, Richard "Red" Skelton had a successful career as a radio and motion pictures star. Although his televis ...

'' (2 episodes) *: "San Fernando's Singing Sensation" (1958) - Guest *: "Freddie Gets a Job" (1959) - Kathy * '' Pursuit'' *: "Calculated Risk" (1958) - Nina Hodges * ''

Playhouse 90 ''Playhouse 90'' was an American television anthology series, anthology drama series that aired on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 133 episodes. The show was produced at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California. Since live anthology dr ...

'' (3 episodes) *: "Sizeman and Son" (1956) - Marie Sizeman *: "

Three Men on a Horse ''Three Men on a Horse'' is a three-act farce co-authored by John Cecil Holm and George Abbott. The comedy focuses on a man who discovers he has a talent for choosing the winning horse in a race as long as he never places a bet himself. Originally ...

" (1957) - Audrey Trowbridge *: "The Long March" (1958) - Betsy * ''

The DuPont Show with June Allyson ''The DuPont Show with June Allyson'' (also known as ''The June Allyson Show'') is an American anthology drama series which aired on CBS from September 21, 1959, to April 3, 1961, with rebroadcasts continuing until June 12, 1961. The series was ...

'' *: "The Pledge" (1959) - Sandra McAllen * ''

'' (2 episodes) *: " The Cats Of Paradise" (1959) - Modesty Blaine *: " The Cruise of the Cynthia B" (1960) - Modesty Blaine * ''

Johnny Ringo John Peters Ringo (May 3, 1850 – July 13, 1882), known as Johnny Ringo, was an American Old West outlaw loosely associated with the Cochise County Cowboys in frontier boomtown Tombstone, Arizona Territory. He took part in the Mason County ...

'' *: "Mrs. Ringo" (1960) - Marilyn Barber * ''

United States Steel Hour ''The United States Steel Hour'' is an anthology series which brought hour long dramas to television from 1953 to 1963. The television series and the radio program that preceded it were both sponsored by the U.S. Steel, United States Steel Corpor ...

'' *: " The Two Worlds of Charlie Gordon" (1961) * ''

'' (3 episodes) *: " The Case of the Lurid Letter" (1962) - Jane Wardman *: " The Case of the Illicit Illusion" (1964) - Rosanne Ambrose *: " The Case of the 12th Wildcat" (1965) - Ellen Payne

References

External links

*
Mona Freeman; Aveleyman.com
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Freeman, Mona 1926 births 2014 deaths American film actresses American television actresses American portrait painters American women painters Actresses from New York (state) Artists from New York (state) Painters from New York (state) Paramount Pictures contract players 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American painters 20th-century American women artists Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) 21st-century American women