Patricia Wright Ellis (born July 5, 1921) is an American former actress and dancer, weather presenter, announcer, and commercial spokeswoman, who made several film and television appearances throughout the 1950s and 1960s. She also wrote, directed and produced, and was featured in printed adverts and educational videos for which she won awards, including at the Argentine Film Festival. Ellis is most notable for her role as the leading lady in the

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 ...

Cuckoo on a Choo Choo, opposite The Three Stooges. She was also an announcer on the late 1950s daytime television series '' Queen for a Day''.

Biography

Early life

Wright grew up in Washington state and attended Washington State University, before moving to Hollywood to start an acting career in the 1940s. She worked as a secretary production assistant in radio, and was a production assistant on The Bob Hope Show.

Film and TV roles

Wright signed with

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 ...

and her film appearances included '' Chained for Life'' (1952), ''

Trail Guide ''Trail Guide'' is a 1952 American Western (genre), western film directed by Lesley Selander and starring Tim Holt, Richard Martin (actor), Richard Martin and Linda Douglas . Distributed by RKO Pictures, it lost $20,000. Plot In the Old West, T ...

'' (1952), and '' Scandal Incorporated'' (1956). She appeared in several American television shows, including ''

Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. ''Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.''The show (and CBS) renders the title as ''Gomer Pyle – USMC''. is an American situation comedy that originally aired on CBS from September 25, 1964, to May 2, 1969. The series was a spin-off of ''The Andy Griffith Sho ...

'', '' The Adventures of Kit Carson,'' and '' The Ray Milland Show. '' In addition to her film and television roles, Wright worked for Fox News serving as Los Angeles' first ever television weathergirl. She also produced, wrote and directed educational multimedia for CBS.

Personal life

Wright in her post-acting career trained at UCLA and became a college Professor in Cal State Los Angeles. After retirement, Wright was the guest of honor at the 2008 Three Stooges Fan Club Meeting. Wright currently resides in

Newport Beach, California Newport Beach is a coastal city in South Orange County, California. Newport Beach is known for swimming and sandy beaches. Newport Harbor once supported maritime industries however today, it is used mostly for recreation. Balboa Island, Newport ...

and celebrated her 100th birthday on July 5, 2021.

Filmography

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Wright, Patricia 1921 births Living people Women centenarians American centenarians American film actresses American television actresses Place of birth missing (living people) 20th-century American actresses Actresses from Spokane, Washington 21st-century American women