Mildred Joanne Smith (Mildred Joanne Smith)

Mildred Joanne Smith

Actress. She will be best remembered for playing Sidney Poitier’s wife ‘Cora Brooks’ in the racially-charged film “No Way Out” (1951). Born in Ohio (some sources state her year of birth was 1921), she marked her Broadway debut in the play “Men to the Sea” (1944) and went on to appear in a half-dozen productions including “Beggar’s Holiday” (1946 to 1947), which starred Zero Mostel and ran for over one-hundred performances. In 1952, she nearly died in a plane crash in which 25 people perished. She sustained a broken back as well as fractured ribs. After her recovery, she collaborated with Duke Ellington on a London stage musical revue titled “Cockles and Champagne”. She later became an editor for the publication Our World and taught English in the White Plains School District. (bio by: C.S.)

Born

  • May, 16, 1923
  • USA

Died

  • July, 07, 2015

Cemetery

  • Kensico Cemetery
  • USA

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