Millicent Maxine Edwards (August 24, 1928 – August 26, 1998) was an American actress who performed on stage, in films, and on television.

Early years

She was born Millicent Maxine Edwards in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York. After moving to Florida, she graduated from Miami Edison High School.

Career

When she was 12 years old, Edwards danced in ''Let's Face It'', and at the age of 14, she appeared 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 ...

as a dancer in '' Ziegfeld Follies of 1943''. Her other Broadway credits include ''Laffing Room Only'' (1944) and ''The Duchess Misbehaves'' (1946). Edwards' film debut came in ''

My Wild Irish Rose ''My Wild Irish Rose'' is a 1947 film directed by David Butler. It stars Dennis Morgan and Arlene Dahl (in her debut film). It was nominated for an Academy Award in 1948. Plot A fictionalized biopic of Chauncey Olcott, the movie traces the rise ...

'' (1947). She also appeared in the films ''

Trail of Robin Hood '' Trail of Robin Hood '' is a 1950 American Trucolor Western film directed by William Witney and starring Roy Rogers. Filmed in the San Bernardino Mountains and Big Bear Lake California, it is notable for featuring a large cast of Western stars ...

'', ''

Spoilers of the Plains '' Spoilers of the Plains '' is a 1951 American Western film directed by William Witney, and starring Roy Rogers and Penny Edwards, with Foy Willing and the Riders of the Purple Sage. The film was distributed by Republic Pictures. "Happy Tra ...

'', '' Heart of the Rockies'', ''

In Old Amarillo '' In Old Amarillo '' is a 1951 American Western film starring Roy Rogers. Plot Roy is sent to investigate when a greedy land owner tries to capitalize on a drought, cheating property holders like Madge Adams and her grandmother out of the pro ...

'', ''

North of the Great Divide '' North of the Great Divide '' is a 1950 American western film directed by William Witney and starring Roy Rogers, Penny Edwards and Gordon Jones. Plot An Indian tribe, the Osekas, in the north-west near the Canadian border has been dependin ...

'', ''

Sunset in the West '' Sunset in the West '' is a 1950 American Trucolor Western film produced by Republic Pictures, directed by William Witney, and starring the "King of the Cowboys" Roy Rogers and his palomino Trigger, promoted as "The Smartest Horse in the Movi ...

'', ''

Street Bandits ''Street Bandits'' is a 1951 American crime film directed by R. G. Springsteen, written by Milton Raison, and starring Penny Edwards, Robert Clarke, Ross Ford, Roy Barcroft, John Eldredge and Helen Wallace. It was released on November 15, 1951 b ...

'', and ''

Missing Women The term "missing women" indicates a shortfall in the number of women relative to the expected number of women in a region or country. It is most often measured through male-to-female sex ratios, and is theorized to be caused by sex-selective abort ...

'', among others. In the late 1940s, Edwards toured the United States for 14 months, performing in

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 ...

. Public response to Edwards' appearance with

Roy Rogers Roy Rogers (born Leonard Franklin Slye; November 5, 1911 – July 6, 1998) was an American singer, actor, and television host. Following early work under his given name, first as co-founder of the Sons of the Pioneers and then acting, the rebra ...

in ''

'' (1950) led to her receiving a long-term contract with Republic Pictures. In the 1950s, Edwards appeared on television in

Westerns The Western is a genre set in the American frontier and commonly associated with folk tales of the Western United States, particularly the Southwestern United States, as well as Northern Mexico and Western Canada. It is commonly referred ...

and mystery programs. Edwards appeared as Nan Gable in the 1958 episode, "Two-Gun Nan", on the

syndicated television Broadcast syndication is the practice of leasing the right to broadcasting television shows and radio programs to multiple television stations and radio stations, without going through a broadcast network. It is common in the United States where ...

anthology series An anthology series is a radio, television, video game or film series that spans different genres and presents a different story and a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a differ ...

, ''

Death Valley Days ''Death Valley Days'' is an American old-time radio and television anthology series featuring true accounts of the American Old West, particularly the Death Valley country of southeastern California. Created in 1930 by Ruth Woodman, the program ...

''. In 1954, Edwards announced her retirement from acting "to do the Lord's work in whatever way He wills." She and her husband, Ralph Winters, planned to join the

Seventh-day Adventist Church The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbath, and ...

. In 1956, though, she appeared as Molly Crowley in the TV Western series ''

Cheyenne The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. Their Cheyenne language belongs to the Algonquian language family. Today, the Cheyenne people are split into two federally recognized nations: the Southern Cheyenne, who are enroll ...

'' in the episode titled "Johnny Bravo" that was released as a feature film called ''The Travelers''. She acted as a guest star on various American television series until 1961.

Personal life and death

Edwards was divorced from Ralph H. Winters and Jerry Friedman. She had a son and two daughters, one of whom is actress

Deborah Winters Deborah Brace Winters (born November 27, 1953) is an American film and television actress and realtor who has appeared in films such as ''Kotch'', '' The People Next Door'', ''Class of '44'' and the television miniseries '' The Winds of War''. ...

. Edwards died of lung cancer on August 26, 1998, in Friendswood, Texas, at the age of 70.

Partial filmography

*1948: ''

Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin' ''Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin is a 1948 American musical comedy film directed by George Sherman and starring Donald O'Connor. Also featured are Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride, (who later reprised essentially the same roles as Ma and Pa Kettl ...

'' *1948: ''

Two Guys from Texas ''Two Guys from Texas'' is a 1948 American comedy musical western film directed by David Butler and starring Dennis Morgan, Jack Carson, and Dorothy Malone. The film was written by Allen Boretz and I.A.L. Diamond, produced by Alex Gottlieb, ...

'' *1949: ''

Tucson , "(at the) base of the black ill , nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town" , image_map = , mapsize = 260px , map_caption = Interactive map ...

'' *1950: ''

'' *1951: '' Heart of the Rockies'' *1951: ''

'' *1951: ''

Million Dollar Pursuit ''Million Dollar Pursuit'' is a 1951 film noir crime film directed by R. G. Springsteen and starring Penny Edwards (actress), Penny Edwards, Grant Withers and Norman Budd.Martin p.470 The film's art direction was by Frank Hotaling. Plot Cast * ...

'' *1951: ''

Utah Wagon Train ''Utah Wagon Train'' is a 1951 American Western film directed by Philip Ford, written by John K. Butler, and starring Rex Allen, Penny Edwards, Buddy Ebsen, Roy Barcroft, Sarah Padden and Grant Withers. It was released on October 15, 1951, by ...

'' *1951: ''

The Wild Blue Yonder ''The Wild Blue Yonder'' is a 2005 science fiction fantasy film by German director Werner Herzog. It was presented at the 62nd Venice Film Festival, where it won the FIPRESCI Award. It was screened in competition at the Mar del Plata Internati ...

'' *1952: ''

Captive of Billy the Kid ''Captive of Billy the Kid'' is a 1952 American Western film directed by Fred C. Brannon and starring Allan Lane, Grant Withers and Penny Edwards.Boggs p.112 The film's sets were designed by the art director Frank Arrigo. Plot Cast * All ...

'' *1952: ''

Pony Soldier ''Pony Soldier'' is a 1952 American Northern Western film set in Canada, but filmed in Sedona, Arizona. It is based on a 1951 '' Saturday Evening Post'' story "Mounted Patrol" by Garnett Weston. It was retitled ''MacDonald of the Canadian Mou ...

'' *1952: '' Woman in the Dark'' *1953: '' Powder River'' *1957: ''

The Dalton Girls ''The Dalton Girls'' is a 1957 American Western film directed by Reginald Le Borg and starring Merry Anders, Lisa Davis, Penny Edwards, Sue George and John Russell. Plot Two men on horseback are fleeing a posse. Pistol shots are exchanged a ...

'' *1957: ''

The Restless Gun ''The Restless Gun'' is an American Western television series that appeared on NBC between 1957 and 1959, with John Payne in the role of Vint Bonner, a wandering cowboy in the era after the American Civil War. A skilled gunfighter, Bonner is an ...

'' Episode "Thicker Than Water" *1957: ''

Ride a Violent Mile ''Ride a Violent Mile'' is a 1957 American Western film directed by Charles Marquis Warren and written by Eric Norden. The film stars John Agar, Penny Edwards, John Pickard, Bing Russell, Richard Shannon and Charles H. Gray. The film was r ...

'' *1957: ''The Travellers'' (feature film compilation of two episodes of ''

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Edwards, Penny 1928 births 1998 deaths 20th-century American actresses American film actresses Deaths from cancer in Texas American stage actresses Broadway theatre people Vaudeville performers Western (genre) film actresses Western (genre) television actors