Rosemary E. LaPlanche (October 11, 1923 – May 6, 1979) was an American beauty queen and actress. She won

Miss California The Miss California competition selects the representative for the state of California in the Miss America competition. The pageant began in Santa Cruz in 1924 and was held there in 1925. During the years 1926 through 1946 in years when the Mi ...

three years in a row (1939-1941), and won

Miss America Miss America is an annual competition that is open to women from the United States between the ages of 17 and 25. Originating in 1921 as a "bathing beauty revue", the contest is now judged on competitors' talent performances and interviews. As ...

in 1941.

Early life

LaPlanche moved to

southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the second most po ...

from

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...

with her mother and sister, Louise LaPlanche, at a very early age. Louise also became an actress.

Career

LaPlanche, who lived in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

, was

in 1939, 1940 and 1941. She was a finalist in 1939 and runner-up to Miss America in 1940. A new rule after her victory disallowed contestants from competing at the national level more than once. LaPlanche became an actress, signing with RKO after she won the Miss America title. She appeared in films such as ''

Angels' Alley ''Angels' Alley'' is a 1948 comedy film directed by William Beaudine and starring The Bowery Boys. It is the ninth film in the series and the first one without Bobby Jordan. Plot Slip's cousin Jimmy is released from prison for good behavior and ...

'' and in episodes of television programs like ''

The Donna Reed Show ''The Donna Reed Show'' is an American sitcom starring Donna Reed as the middle-class housewife Donna Stone. Carl Betz co-stars as her pediatrician husband Dr. Alex Stone, and Shelley Fabares and Paul Petersen as their teenage children, Mary an ...

''. She and her husband had a daily TV program, the ''Harry Koplan-Rosemary LaPlanche Show,'' on KHJ in Hollywood. LaPlanche also worked as a model In the 1960s, LaPlanche acted on a long-time interest and began to paint. She began by buying a book on art and a set of paints, and she later took lessons. She described her work as "impressionistic — just this side of realistic". Subjects of her works included birds, deserts, flowers, seashores, sheep, and people. In 1969, her paintings sold for prices ranging from $35 to $600,.

Personal life

She was married to Harry Koplan from 1947 until his death in 1973, and had two children: a daughter Carol and son Terry. She died from cancer in 1979, aged 55. She is interred in

San Fernando Mission Cemetery The San Fernando Mission Cemetery is a Catholic cemetery located in the Mission Hills community of the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles. The property adjoins the San Fernando Mission and Bishop Alemany Catholic High School. ThSan Fernando Mi ...

.Wilson, Scott. ''Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons'', 3d ed.: 2 (Kindle Locations 25047-25048). McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. Kindle Edition.

Partial filmography

*''

One Hundred Men and a Girl ''One Hundred Men and a Girl'' (styled 100 Men and a Girl in advertising) is a 1937 American musical comedy film directed by Henry Koster and starring Deanna Durbin and the maestro Leopold Stokowski. Written by Charles Kenyon, Bruce Manning, and ...

'' (1937) - Girl (uncredited) *''

Mad About Music ''Mad About Music'' is a 1938 American musical film directed by Norman Taurog and starring Deanna Durbin, Herbert Marshall, and Gail Patrick. Based on a story by Marcella Burke and Frederick Kohner, the film is about a girl at an exclusive boardin ...

'' (1938) - Schoolgirl (uncredited) *''

Irene Irene is a name derived from εἰρήνη (eirēnē), the Greek for "peace". Irene, and related names, may refer to: * Irene (given name) Places * Irene, Gauteng, South Africa * Irene, South Dakota, United States * Irene, Texas, United Stat ...

'' (1940) - Charity Ball Guest (uncredited) *''Fall In'' (1942) - Canteen Girl (uncredited) *''

Two Weeks to Live ''Two Weeks to Live'' is a 1943 American Lum and Abner film directed by Malcolm St. Clair. Plot This time around, Abner Peabody, proud owner of the Jot 'Em Down general store in Pine Ridge, Arkansas, inherits railroad stock from his Uncle Ern ...

'' (1943) - Miss LaPlanche, Dr. O'Brien's Nurse *''

Prairie Chickens ''Prairie Chickens'' is a 1943 American Western film and a sequel to ''Dudes are Pretty People'' (1942) and '' Calaboose'' (1943), Western films from "Hal Roach's Streamliners", a series of approximately 50-minute comedic movies, in this case d ...

'' (1943) - Yola *''

Swing Your Partner ''Swing Your Partner'' is a 1943 American comedy film directed by Frank McDonald and written by Dorrell McGowan and Stuart E. McGowan. The film stars Myrtle Wiseman, Scotty Wiseman, Barbara Jo Allen, Dale Evans, Ransom M. Sherman and Harry Ch ...

'' (1943) - Secretary *''

The Falcon in Danger ''The Falcon in Danger'' is a 1943 American mystery film directed by William Clemens and starring Tom Conway, Jean Brooks, Amelita Ward and Elaine Shepard.Jewell and Harbin 1982, p. 185. The film was the sixth of thirteen The Falcon detective f ...

'' (1943) - Falcon's Nurse (uncredited) *''

Mexican Spitfire's Blessed Event ''Mexican Spitfire's Blessed Event'' is a 1943 American comedy film directed by Leslie Goodwins and written by Charles E. Roberts and Dane Lussier. It is the sequel to the 1942 film '' Mexican Spitfire's Elephant''. The film stars Lupe Vélez, L ...

'' (1943) - Minor Role (uncredited) *''

Gildersleeve on Broadway ''Gildersleeve on Broadway'' is a 1943 American film starring Harold Peary as his radio character The Great Gildersleeve. It is the third of four Gildersleeve features, others were ''The Great Gildersleeve'' (1942), ''Gildersleeve's Bad Day'' (19 ...

'' (1943) - Model (uncredited) *''

The Falcon and the Co-eds ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

'' (1943) - Co-Ed (uncredited) *'' Around the World'' (1943) - Rosemary (uncredited) *''

The Falcon Out West ''The Falcon Out West'' (aka ''The Falcon in Texas'') is a 1944 American mystery film directed by William Clemens and starring Tom Conway, Joan Barclay and Barbara Hale. The film was part of RKO's The Falcon series of detective films, this ti ...

'' (1944) - Mary (uncredited) *''

Show Business Show business, sometimes shortened to show biz or showbiz (since 1945), is a vernacular term for all aspects of the entertainment industry.''Oxford English Dictionary'' 2nd Ed. (1989) From the business side (including managers, agents, produc ...

'' (1944) - Chorine (uncredited) *'' Step Lively'' (1944) - Louella, 'Daughter' in Rehearsal (uncredited) *'' Mademoiselle Fifi'' (1944) - Amanda (uncredited) *''

Youth Runs Wild ''Youth Runs Wild'' is a 1944 B movie directed by Mark Robson and starring Bonita Granville, Kent Smith, Jean Brooks, Glen Vernon and Vanessa Brown. The plot concerns inattentive parents and juvenile delinquency. The film was produced by Val Lewt ...

'' (1944) - Blanche (uncredited) *'' None but the Lonely Heart'' (1944) - Dancer (uncredited) *''

Heavenly Days ''Heavenly Days'' is a 1944 film starring Fibber McGee and Molly. It was the third and final feature film to feature the popular radio characters; unlike the two previous entries, none of the radio show's supporting cast members appeared in this f ...

'' (1944) - Minor Role (uncredited) *''

Girl Rush ''Girl Rush'' is a 1944 American comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas and written by Robert E. Kent. The film stars Wally Brown, Alan Carney, Frances Langford, Barbara Jo Allen, Robert Mitchum, Paul Hurst, Patti Brill and Sarah Padden. The fi ...

'' (1944) - Troupe Member (uncredited) *''

What a Blonde ''What a Blonde'' is a 1945 American screwball comedy film directed by Leslie Goodwins and starring Leon Errol, Richard Lane, Michael St. Angel, and Elaine Riley. The screenplay, by Charles Roberts, was based on a story by Oscar Brodney. The ...

'' (1945) - Showgirl (uncredited) *''

Pan-Americana ''Pan-Americana'' is a 1945 American romantic comedy film produced and directed by John H. Auer, from a screenplay by Lawrence Kimble, based on a story by Auer and Frederick Kohner. RKO released the film on March 22, 1945, and the picture stars P ...

'' (1945) - Pan-American Girl (uncredited) *''

Having Wonderful Crime ''Having Wonderful Crime'' is a 1945 American screwball comedy and mystery film directed by Eddie Sutherland from a screenplay by Howard J. Green, Stewart Sterling, and Parke Levy, based on the novel of the same name by Craig Rice. In her s ...

'' (1945) - Guest (uncredited) *''

Zombies on Broadway ''Zombies on Broadway'' (or ''Loonies on Broadway'' in the UK) is a 1945 American zombie comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas. It stars RKO's imitation Abbott and Costello, Alan Carney and Wally Brown, as a pair of men who are tasked with f ...

'' (1945) - Entertainer in Sarong (uncredited) *''

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) - Showgirl (uncredited) *''

Johnny Angel ''Johnny Angel'' is a 1945 American film noir directed by Edwin L. Marin and written by Steve Fisher (adapted by Frank Gruber) from the 1944 novel ''Mr. Angel Comes Aboard'' by Charles Gordon Booth. The movie stars George Raft, Claire Trevor a ...

'' (1945) - Hatcheck Girl (uncredited) *''

Strangler of the Swamp ''Strangler of the Swamp'' is a 1946 American horror film, produced and distributed by Producers Releasing Corporation. It was written and directed by Frank Wisbar, and stars Rosemary LaPlanche, Robert Barrat and Blake Edwards. It is a remake o ...

'' (1946) - Maria Hart *''

Devil Bat's Daughter ''Devil Bat's Daughter'' is a 1946 American horror film directed by Frank Wisbar. It stars Rosemary La Planche, who was crowned Miss America 1941. It is a sequel to the 1941 film ''The Devil Bat'', with no returning cast members. It marked the ...

'' (1946) - Nina MacCarron *''

Betty Co-Ed ''Betty Co-Ed'' is a 1946 American musical comedy film starring Jean Porter, directed by Arthur Dreifuss and produced by Sam Katzman. Plot Vaudeville is in Joanne Leeds's blood, but when she applies for admission at prestigious Upton College, sh ...

'' (1946) - Glenda Warren *'' Jack Armstrong'' (1947, Serial) - Betty Fairfield *''

'' (1948) - Daisy Harris *''

An Old-Fashioned Girl ''An Old-Fashioned Girl'' is a novel by Louisa May Alcott first published in 1869. The first six chapters of the novel were serialised in the '' Merry's Museum'' magazine between July and August 1869. Alcott added another thirteen chapters bef ...

'' (1949) - Emma Davenport *'' Federal Agents vs. Underworld, Inc.'' (1949) - Laura Keith

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Laplanche, Rosemary 1923 births 1979 deaths 20th-century American actresses Actresses from Los Angeles American film actresses Burials at San Fernando Mission Cemetery Miss America 1940s delegates Miss America Preliminary Swimsuit winners Miss America winners People from Greater Los Angeles