Elaine Elizabeth Shepard (April 2, 1913 – September 6, 1998) was a Broadway and film actress in the 1930s and 1940s. She was also the author of ''The Doom Pussy'', a semi-fictional account of aviation in the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

Film and stage

Shepard worked as a model on the West Coast before she became active in films. Her first film appearance was in the 1936

Republic A republic () is a " state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th ...

serial ''

Darkest Africa ''Darkest Africa'' (1936) is a Republic movie serial. This was the first serial produced by Republic Pictures and was a loose sequel to a Mascot Pictures serial called ''The Lost Jungle'', also starring Clyde Beatty. Mascot, and other companies, ...

'', in which she played Valerie Tremaine, the heroine of the film. This was followed with a series of leading roles in other minor films, such as ''

You Can't Fool Your Wife ''You Can't Fool Your Wife'' is a 1940 American comedy film directed by Ray McCarey and written by Jerome Cady. The film stars Lucille Ball, James Ellison, Robert Coote, Virginia Vale, Emma Dunn and Elaine Shepard. The film was released on May ...

'', a 1940 comedy starring

Lucille Ball Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an American actress, comedienne and producer. She was nominated for 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning five times, and was the recipient of several other accolades, such as the Gold ...

. She then had several minor roles in major films, including playing a secretary in '' Topper'' and uncredited roles in ''

Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo ''Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo'' is a 1944 American war film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The screenplay by Dalton Trumbo is based on the 1943 book of the same name by Captain Ted W. Lawson. Lawson was a pilot on the historic Doolittle Raid, ...

'' and the 1946 ''

Ziegfeld Follies The ''Ziegfeld Follies'' was a series of elaborate theatrical revue productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 to 1931, with renewals in 1934 and 1936. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as ''The Ziegfeld Follies of the Ai ...

''. A more prominent role came in ''

Seven Days Ashore ''Seven Days Ashore'' is a 1944 American comedy film directed by John H. Auer and written by Edward Verdier, Irving Phillips and Lawrence Kimble. The film stars Wally Brown, Alan Carney, Marcy McGuire, Virginia Mayo, Elaine Shepard, Gordon Oliv ...

'', a musical in which she plays the principal love interest for the band of sailors on shore leave. Shepard's Broadway credits included performing in the ensemble in ''Nina Rosa'' (1931) and portraying Mildred Hunter in ''

Panama Hattie ''Panama Hattie'' is a 1940 American musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter and book by Herbert Fields and B. G. DeSylva. The musical is about a nightclub owner, Hattie Maloney, who lives in the Panama Canal Zone and ends up dealing with ...

'' (1940) and a maid in ''The Land Is Bright'' (1942).

Freelance journalism

Shepard abandoned acting and turned to freelance journalism, reporting from international trouble spots including the Congo and Northern Ireland. She interviewed international leaders, and in 1959 she was the only female reporter accredited to travel with President Dwight Eisenhower when he toured the Middle East. She is best known in this role for her

coverage, which became the basis for her 1967 book ''The Doom Pussy'', recounting her experiences with aviators in the early part of the war. This book includes use of the phrase " the whole nine yards", an old American colloquialism.

Personal life

Shepard was married to George Hartmann.

Films

* ''

'' (1936) - Valerie Tremaine * ''

I Cover Chinatown ''I Cover Chinatown'' is a 1936 American crime film directed by Norman Foster and starring Foster, Elaine Shepard and Theodore von Eltz.Pitts p.130 A San Francisco Chinatown tour guide gets mixed up with a murder. It was Foster's debut as a direc ...

'' (1936) - Gloria Watkins * '' Law of the Ranger'' (1937) - Evelyn Polk * ''

The Fighting Texan ''The Fighting Texan'' is a 1937 American Western film directed by Charles Abbott and written by Joseph O'Donnell. The film stars Kermit Maynard, Elaine Shepard, Frank LaRue, Budd Buster, Ed Cassidy, Murdock MacQuarrie, Art Miles and Bruce Mitc ...

'' (1937) - Judy Walton * '' Topper'' (1937) - Secretary * ''

Night 'n' Gales ''Night 'n' Gales'' is a 1937 ''Our Gang'' short comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas. It was the 156th ''Our Gang'' short (157th episode, 68th talking short, and 69th talking episode that was released. Plot Though he would rather spend his ...

'' (1937) (an

Our Gang ''Our Gang'' (also known as ''The Little Rascals'' or ''Hal Roach's Rascals'') is an American series of comedy short films chronicling a group of poor neighborhood children and their adventures. Created by film producer Hal Roach, also the ...

short) - Mrs. Hood, Darla's mother * ''

Professor Beware ''Professor Beware'' is a 1938 comedy film starring Harold Lloyd and directed by Elliott Nugent. It was Phyllis Welch MacDonald's first and only film. Plot Three thousand years after ancient Egyptian Neferus's death, Professor Dean Lambert (who ...

'' (1938) - Anebi (uncredited) * '' There Goes My Heart'' (1938) - Customer (uncredited) * ''

'' (1940) - Peggy * ''

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 ...

'' (1943) - Nancy Palmer * ''

'' (1944) - Annabelle Rogers * ''

'' (1944) - Girl in Officers' Club (uncredited) * ''

'' (1945) - Ziegfeld Girl (uncredited) * '' Fiamme sulla laguna'' (Italian, 1951) - Patricia (Last appearance)

Books

*''Forgive Us Our Press Passes'' (Prentice-Hall, 1962) *''The Doom Pussy'' (Trident Press, 1967) *''The Doom Pussy II'' (Rockoon Press, 1992)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Shepard, Elaine American film actresses American stage actresses American women journalists American people of the Vietnam War 1913 births 1998 deaths 20th-century American actresses American women in the Vietnam War Women in warfare post-1945 Women war correspondents 20th-century American women writers 20th-century American writers People from Olney, Illinois