Known For
Acting
Known Credits
78
Gender
Female
Birthday
August 11, 1915 (110 years old)
Place of Birth
Deer Lodge, Montana, USA
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jean Parker (born Lois Mae Green; August 11, 1915 – November 30, 2005) was an American film and stage actress. She landed her first screen test while still in high school. She acted opposite such well-known actors as Katharine Hepburn, Robert Donat, Edward G. Robinson, Randolph Scott, and Laurel and Hardy. She was married four times and had one son, Robert Lowery Hanks.
Parker appeared in 70 movies from 1932 through 1966. In 1932, she posed as a flower girl and living poster in a float in the Tournament of Roses Parade, where she was seen by Ida Koverman, secretary to MGM mogul Louis B. Mayer. The following day the studio called her on the phone and invited her for a screen test.
Parker's film debut came in Divorce in the Family (1932). She had a successful career at MGM, RKO and Columbia including roles in such films as Little Women, Lady for a Day, Gabriel Over the White House, Limehouse Blues, The Ghost Goes West, and Rasputin and the Empress. In 1939, she starred opposite Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy in RKO's The Flying Deuces.
Parker remained active in film throughout the 1940s, playing opposite Lon Chaney in Dead Man's Eyes, and a variety of other films. During World War II, she toured many of the veteran hospitals throughout the U.S. and performed on radio. In the 1950s, Parker co-starred opposite Edward G. Robinson in Black Tuesday; had a small but effective role in The Gunfighter, and appeared in A Lawless Street (1955). Her last film appearance was Apache Uprising (1966).
Parker also appeared on Broadway. In 1949, she replaced Judy Holliday in Born Yesterday on Broadway and enjoyed a successful run in this classic. She appeared on Broadway opposite Bert Lahr in the play Burlesque. She did summer stock in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, toured in the play Candlelight and Loco, and performed on stage in other professional productions. In 1954, Parker played the role of "Cattle Kate Watson of Wyoming" in an episode of the syndicated television series Stories of the Century, the first western program to win an Emmy Award. The series starred and was narrated by Jim Davis. Later in her career and life, Parker continued a successful stint on the West Coast theatre circuit and worked as an acting coach.
At age 83, Parker moved into the Motion Picture and Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California, where she died of a stroke on November 30, 2005, at the age of 90. She was survived by her son, Robert, and granddaughters Katie and Nora Hanks. She was buried at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills.
| 1990 | The Laurel & Hardy Story: An Affectionate Rememberenceas Self (archive footage) | |
| 1968 | Cargo of Loveas Denise | |
| 1965 | Apache Uprisingas Mrs. Hawks | |
| 1957 | The Parson and the Outlawas Sarah Jones | |
| 1955 | A Lawless Streetas Cora Dean | |
| 1955 | Matinee Theateras | |
| 1954 | Black Tuesdayas Hatti Combest | |
| 1954 | Stories of the Centuryas Ella Watson aka Cattle Kate | |
| 1953 | Those Redheads from Seattleas Liz | |
| 1953 | Private Secretaryas | |
| 1952 | Toughest Man in Arizonaas Della | |
| 1950 | The Gunfighteras Molly | |
| 1949 | Suspenseas | |
| 1946 | Rolling Homeas Frances Crawford | |
| 1945 | Adventures of Kitty O'Dayas Kitty O'Day | |
| 1944 | One Body Too Manyas Carol Dunlap | |
| 1944 | Dead Man's Eyesas Heather Hayden | |
| 1944 | Bluebeardas Lucille | |
| 1944 | Oh, What a Night!as Valerie | |
| 1944 | Detective Kitty O'Dayas Kitty O'Day | |
| 1944 | Lady in the Death Houseas Mary Kirk Logan | |
| 1944 | The Navy Wayas Ellen Sayre | |
| 1943 | The Deerslayeras Judith Hutter | |
| 1943 | Minesweeperas Mary Smith | |
| 1943 | Alaska Highwayas Ann Coswell | |
| 1943 | High Explosiveas Connie Baker | |
| 1942 | The Traitor Withinas Molly Betts | |
| 1942 | Wrecking Crewas Peggy Starr | |
| 1942 | Tomorrow We Liveas Julie Bronson | |
| 1942 | Hi, Neighboras Dorothy Greenfield | |
| 1942 | I Live on Dangeras Susan Richards | |
| 1942 | Soaring Starsas Herself | |
| 1942 | Hello, Annapolisas Doris Henley | |
| 1942 | The Girl from Alaskaas Mary 'Pete' McCoy | |
| 1942 | Torpedo Boatas Grace Holman | |
| 1941 | No Hands on the Clockas Mrs. Louise Campbell | |
| 1941 | The Pittsburgh Kidas Patricia Mallory | |
| 1941 | Flying Blindas Shirley Brooks | |
| 1941 | Power Diveas Carol Blake | |
| 1941 | Roar of the Pressas Alice Williams | |
| 1940 | Young America Fliesas Jane | |
| 1940 | Beyond Tomorrowas Jean Lawrence | |
| 1940 | Son of the Navyas Stevie Moore | |
| 1940 | Knights of the Rangeas Holly Ripple | |
| 1939 | The Flying Deucesas Georgette | |
| 1939 | Parents on Trialas Susan Wesley | |
| 1939 | Flight at Midnightas Maxine Scott | |
| 1939 | She Married a Copas Linda Fay | |
| 1939 | Zenobiaas Mary Tibbett | |
| 1939 | Romance of the Redwoodsas June Martin | |
| 1938 | The Arkansas Traveleras Judy Allen | |
| 1938 | Romance of the Limberlostas Laurie | |
| 1938 | Penitentiaryas Elizabeth Mathews | |
| 1937 | The Barrieras Necia Gale | |
| 1937 | Life Begins with Loveas Carole Martin | |
| 1936 | The Texas Rangersas Amanda Bailey | |
| 1936 | The Farmer in the Dellas Adie Boyer | |
| 1935 | The Ghost Goes Westas Peggy Martin | |
| 1935 | Murder in the Fleetas Betty Lansing | |
| 1935 | Princess O'Haraas Princess O'Hara | |
| 1935 | Sequoiaas Toni Martin | |
| 1934 | Caravanas Timka | |
| 1934 | Limehouse Bluesas Toni | |
| 1934 | A Wicked Womanas Rosanne Stroud, aka Rosanne Trice | |
| 1934 | Have a Heartas Sally Moore | |
| 1934 | Operator 13as Eleanor | |
| 1934 | Lazy Riveras Sarah Lescalle | |
| 1934 | You Can't Buy Everythingas Elizabeth 'Beth' Burton Bell | |
| 1934 | Two Aloneas Mazie | |
| 1933 | Little Womenas Beth | |
| 1933 | Lady for a Dayas Louise | |
| 1933 | What Price Innocence?as Ruth Harper | |
| 1933 | Storm at Daybreakas Danitza | |
| 1933 | Made on Broadwayas Adele | |
| 1933 | Gabriel Over the White Houseas Alice Bronson | |
| 1933 | The Secret of Madame Blancheas Eloise | |
| 1932 | Rasputin and the Empressas Princess Maria (uncredited) | |
| 1932 | Divorce In The Familyas Miss Lucile SmIth |