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Peggy Shannon

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
30

Gender
Female

Birthday
January 10, 1907 (119 years old)

Place of Birth
Pine Bluff, Arkansas, USA

Peggy Shannon

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Peggy Shannon (born Winona Sammon, January 10, 1907 – May 11, 1941) was an American actress. She appeared on the stage and screen of the 1920s and 1930s.

Shannon began her career as a Ziegfeld girl in 1923 before moving on to Broadway productions. She was signed to Paramount Pictures and groomed to replace Clara Bow as the newest "It girl", whom she replaced in the 1931 film, The Secret Call. Her growing dependency on alcohol eventually derailed her career. She appeared in her final film, Triple Justice, in 1940. In May 1941, Shannon died at the age of 34 from a heart attack, brought on by alcoholism. Her husband, Albert G. Roberts, shot himself three weeks after her death. Shannon was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas in 1907[ (some sources erroneously cite 1909 or 1910) to Edward and Nannie Sammon. She had a younger sister, Carol. She attended Annunciation Academy Catholic School and Pine Bluff High School before being hired as a chorus girl by Florenz Ziegfeld while visiting her aunt in New York in 1923. The following year she was cast in the Ziegfeld Follies followed by a role in Earl Carroll's Vanities. While on Broadway in 1927, she was spotted by B. P. Schulberg, production head of Paramount Pictures, and was offered a contract. When she arrived in Hollywood, she was hailed as the next "It girl", replacing the former, Clara Bow. Prior to the shooting of The Secret Call, Bow had suffered a nervous breakdown and Shannon was hired to replace her only two days after her arrival in Hollywood.

Shannon would sometimes work sixteen-hour days (from 10 a.m. to 4 a.m. the next day) while shooting a film, and when shooting wrapped, would rush to begin another film. She would occasionally work on two separate films in one day. Through films and publicity, Shannon became known as a fashion plate, wearing styles three months before they became popular. In 1932, she signed a new contract at Fox and became known as difficult and temperamental on the set and was rumored to have had a drinking problem. In 1934, Shannon returned to New York City to do the Broadway show, Page Miss Glory.

In 1935, she continued on Broadway with The Light Behind the Shadow, but was soon replaced, with a press release claiming a tooth infection, though rumors claimed it was her drinking. In 1936, she returned to Hollywood with Youth on Parole. She found it harder to conceal her drinking. Fewer movie roles were offered, while her drinking worsened. She made her last film appearance in the 1940 film, Triple Justice, opposite George O'Brien.

Known For

Acting

1940Triple Justiceas Susan
1940All About Hashas Edith Henry
1940The House Across the Bayas Alice
1940Cafe Hostessas Nellie
1939The Amazing Mr. Williamsas Kitty (uncredited)
1939Dad for a Dayas Mary Baker, Mickey's mother
1939The Womenas Mrs. Jones (uncredited)
1939Fixer Duganas Aggie Moreno
1939The Adventures of Jane Ardenas Lola Martin
1939Blackwell's Islandas Pearl Murray
1938Girls on Probationas Inmate Ruth
1937Youth on Paroleas Peggy
1936Ellis Islandas Betty Parker
1935The Case of the Lucky Legsas Thelma Bell
1935Night Life of the Godsas Daphne Lambert
1933Back Pageas Jerry Hampton
1933Fury of the Jungleas Joan Leesom
1933Turn Back the Clockas Elvina Evans Wright / Elvina Evans Gimlet
1933The Devil's Mateas Nancy Weaver
1933Delugeas Claire Arlington
1933Girl Missingas Daisy Bradford
1932False Facesas Elsie Fryer
1932The Painted Womanas Kiddo
1932Society Girlas Judy Gelett
1932Hotel Continentalas Ruth Carleton
1932This Reckless Ageas Mary Burke
1931Touchdown!as Mary Gehring
1931The Road to Renoas Lee Millet
1931Silenceas Norma Davis / Norma Powers
1931The Secret Callas Wanda Kelly

Production