Rosemary E. LaPlanche (October 11, 1923 – May 6, 1979) was an American beauty queen and actress. She won Miss California 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 18 and 28. Originating in 1921 as a "bathing beauty revue", the contest is judged on competition segments with scoring percentages: ''Priva ...

in 1941.

Early life

LaPlanche moved to

southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural List of regions of California, region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Its densely populated coastal reg ...

from

Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...

with her mother and sister,

Louise LaPlanche Louise LaPlanche (September 6, 1919 – September 7, 2012) was an American actress most active during the Golden Age of Hollywood from the 1920s to 1940s. LaPlanche made her film debut as in the 1923 silent film, '' The Hunchback of Notre Dame ...

, at a very early age.

Career

LaPlanche, who lived in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

, was Miss California 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 Pediatrics, pediatrician husband Dr. Alex Stone, and Shelley Fabares and Paul Petersen as their teenage childr ...

''. 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.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'' (1937) - Girl (uncredited) *'' Mad About Music'' (1938) - Schoolgirl (uncredited) *''

Irene Irene is a name derived from εἰρήνη (eirēnē), 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 States ...

'' (1940) - Charity Ball Guest (uncredited) *''Fall In'' (1942) - Canteen Girl (uncredited) *'' Two Weeks to Live'' (1943) - Miss LaPlanche, Dr. O'Brien's Nurse *'' Prairie Chickens'' (1943) - Yola *'' Swing Your Partner'' (1943) - Secretary *'' The Falcon in Danger'' (1943) - Falcon's Nurse (uncredited) *'' Mexican Spitfire's Blessed Event'' (1943) - Minor Role (uncredited) *''

Gildersleeve on Broadway ''Gildersleeve on Broadway'' is a 1943 American comedy 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 B ...

'' (1943) - Model (uncredited) *'' The Falcon and the Co-eds'' (1943) - Co-Ed (uncredited) *'' Around the World'' (1943) - Rosemary (uncredited) *'' The Falcon Out West'' (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, produce ...

'' (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 ...

'' (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 ...

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

Girl Rush ''Girl Rush'' is a 1944 American comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas (director), Gordon Douglas and written by Robert E. Kent. The film stars Wally Brown, Alan Carney, Frances Langford, Barbara Jo Allen, Robert Mitchum, Paul Hurst (actor), Pau ...

'' (1944) - Troupe Member (uncredited) *'' What a Blonde'' (1945) - Showgirl (uncredited) *'' Pan-Americana'' (1945) - Pan-American Girl (uncredited) *'' Having Wonderful Crime'' (1945) - Guest (uncredited) *'' Zombies on Broadway'' (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. ...

'' (1945) - Showgirl (uncredited) *'' Johnny Angel'' (1945) - Hatcheck Girl (uncredited) *'' Strangler of the Swamp'' (1946) - Maria Hart *'' Devil Bat's Daughter'' (1946) - Nina MacCarron *'' Betty Co-Ed'' (1946) - Glenda Warren *'' Jack Armstrong'' (1947, Serial) - Betty Fairfield *''

'' (1948) - Daisy Harris *'' An Old-Fashioned Girl'' (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 Actresses from Greater Los Angeles