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Mara Corday

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
37

Gender
Female

Birthday
January 3, 1930 (96 years old)

Place of Birth
Santa Monica, California, USA

Mara Corday

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mara Corday, born Marilyn Joan Watts (January 3, 1930 — February 9, 2025) was an American showgirl, model, actress, Playboy Playmate and a 1950s cult figure.

Wanting a career in films, Corday came to Hollywood while still in her teens and found work as a showgirl at the Earl Carroll Theatre on Sunset Boulevard. Her physical beauty brought jobs as a photographer's model that led to a bit part as a showgirl in the 1951 film Two Tickets to Broadway. She signed on as a Universal International Pictures (UI) contract player where she met actor Clint Eastwood with whom she would remain lifelong friends. With UI, Corday was given small roles in various B-movies and television series. In 1954, on the set of Playgirl, she met actor Richard Long. Following the death of Long's wife, the two began dating and wed in 1957.

Her roles were small until 1955 when she was cast opposite John Agar in Tarantula, a Sci-Fi B-movie that proved a modest success. She had another successful co-starring role in that genre (The Black Scorpion) as well as in a number of Western films. Respected film critic Leonard Maltin said that Corday had "more acting ability than she was permitted to exhibit."

Corday appeared as a pin-up girl in numerous men's magazines during the 1950s and was the Playmate of the October 1958 issue of Playboy, together with famous model and showgirl Pat Sheehan. In 1956, she had a recurring role in the ABC television series Combat Sergeant. From 1959 to early 1961, Corday worked exclusively doing guest spots on various television series. She then gave up her career to devote her time to raising a family. During her seventeen-year marriage to Long, she had three children.

A few years after her husband's passing in 1974, Corday's friend Clint Eastwood offered her a chance to return to filmmaking with a role in The Gauntlet (1977). She acted with him again in Sudden Impact (1983), Pink Cadillac (1989), and in her last film, The Rookie (1990).

Description above from the Wikipedia article Mara Corday,licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known For

Acting

1990The Rookieas Interrogator #2
1989Pink Cadillacas Stick Lady
1983Sudden Impactas Loretta - Coffee Shop Waitress
1977The Gauntletas Jail Matron
1960Surfside 6as
1959Adventures in Paradiseas Angel
1958Peter Gunnas
1958Wanted: Dead or Aliveas Lucinda Lorenz
1958Girls on the Looseas Vera Parkinson
1957Undersea Girlas Valerie Hudson
1957The Black Scorpionas Teresa Alvarez
1957The Quiet Gunas Irene
1957The Giant Clawas Sally Caldwell
1956Naked Gunas Louisa Jackson / Morales
1956A Day of Furyas Sharman Fulton
1956Raw Edgeas Paca
1955Tarantulaas Stephanie 'Steve' Clayton
1955Foxfireas Maria
1955Allen in Movielandas Self
1955The Man from Bitter Ridgeas Holly Kenton
1955Man Without a Staras Moccasin Mary
1954So This Is Parisas Yvonne
1954The George Gobel Showas Self
1954Dawn at Socorroas Letty Diamond
1954Francis Joins the WACSas Kate
1954Drums Across the Riveras Sue Randolph
1954Playgirlas Pam
1953Sweethearts on Paradeas Belle
1953Tarzan and the She-Devilas Locopo Woman
1953Problem Girlsas Dorothy Childers
1952Toughest Man in Arizonaas
1952Mr. & Mrs. Northas
1952Son of Ali Babaas Girl on Balcony (uncredited)
1952Sea Tigeras Lola, Hotel Proprietress
1952Tall, Dark and Deadas Greta Varden
1951The Adventures of Kit Carsonas
1950The Colgate Comedy Houras Self

Production