Noreen Corcoran (1943 - 2016)

Noreen Corcoran, Who has died aged 72, was a teenage star of 1950s American television and a short-lived sex symbol during the following decade. After a series of small film and television parts in the early 1950s, her “apple pie” appeal was spotted by Ronald Reagan when she gave a screen test at CBS. Reagan […]

Ellen Corby (1911 - 1999)

Actress. She is best remembered for her role of ‘Esther “Grandma” Walton” in the television series, “The Waltons” (1972 to 1981). Born Ellen Hansen in Racine, Wisconsin, she grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and went to Hollywood in the early 1930s to start an acting career.  Her career began with a small role in the […]

Miriam Cooper (1891 - 1976)

Actress. Though she made her screen apprenticeship under D.W. Griffith’s direction, along with Mary Pickford, Mae Marsh, Blanche Sweet, Lillian and Dorothy Gish, Miriam Cooper never attained their prominence, even though she was cast in two silent classic movies, “The Birth of a Nation” and “Intolerance.” Married to director Raoul Walsh (1916-1926). (bio by: Hugo […]

Marilyn Cooper (1934 - 2009)

Actress. Known primarily for comedic character roles, she appeared on Broadway for nearly 40 years, and won a Tony Award in 1981. Raised in New York City, Cooper was inspired to persue a career in show business by her aunt, singer Belle Baker, and made her Broadway debut in the chorus of the 1956 “Mr. […]

Georgia Cooper (1882 - 1968)

Actress. Appeared in motion pictures from the 1920s to the 1940s. Married to actor Landers Stevens, mother of famed director George Stevens, grandmother of actor/director George Stevens, Jr. (bio by: A.J. Marik)

Edna Mae Cooper (1900 - 1986)

Actress. Appeared in motion pictures of the 1910s and 1920s. Left her film career behind at the advent of the talkies, but returned for one more movie, “The Ten Commandments, in 1956. Married to director/writer/cinematographer Karl Brown. Her grave has no marker. (bio by: A.J. Marik)

Pat Coombs (1926 - 2002)

Actress, Entertainer. One of Britain’s most beloved comic actresses. Born Patricia Doreen Coombs in Camberwell, London she began her career in the mid 1950’s. Often the foil of such comedian’s as Dick Emery, Bob Monkhouse and Peggy Mount she reached the height of her fame during the 1970’s. Amongst her numerous television and radio work […]

Georgina Cookson (1918 - 2011)

Actress. Although not much has been chronicled about her early life, she moved to London prior to initiating what was to become a distinguishable career in British films, TV and stage. Cookson marked her motion picture debut with the comedy “I Didn’t Do It” (1945) and appeared in the short-lived Broadway play “Love Goes to […]

Beryl Cooke (1906 - 2001)

British Actress. She was born and died in London, England. Film and television credits include “Fortunes of War,” “Oliver Twist,” “Emmerdale Farm,” “Mr. Digby Darling,” “Waiting for God,” “Love Hurts,” “Casualty,” “Fresh Fields,” “Only Fools and Horses,” “The Onedin Line,” “Z Cars,” and “Bless This House.” (bio by: Genet) Cause of death: Natural causes

Ida Conquest (1873 - 1937)

Actress. Ida grew up in Boston and at an early age became interested in acting. At first she took small parts to hone her acting skills later working in the Empire Theater stock company. Prior to the beginning of the twentieth century she and her family moved to New York city where she appeared in […]

Jane Connelly (1883 - 1925)

Actress. She appeared with her husband, Erwin Connelly, in Vaudeville. Among her handful of film appearances was as Buster Keaton’s mother in “Sherlock, Jr.” (1924).  She reportedly died after a nervous breakdown. (bio by: Bobb Edwards)  Family links:  Spouse:  Erwin Connelly (1873 – 1931)* *Calculated relationship

Jane Connell (1925 - 2013)

Entertainer. She will be best remembered for creating the role of Agnes Gooch in the Broadway production “Mame” which ran on stage from 1966 until 1970. She went onto repeat the part in the 1974 motion picture adaptation of the same name. Born Jane Sperry Bennett, a child of the depression and one of four […]

Juliette Compton (1899 - 1989)

Actress. She is best remembered as ‘Claire Collins’ in “Ladies of Leisure” (1930) opposite Barbara Stanwyck, as ‘Anna Dolores’ in “Morocco” (1930) opposite Marlene Dietrich, as ‘Mrs. Planet’ in “Devil And The Deep” (1932) opposite Gary Cooper and Cary Grant and as ‘Clothilde’ in “The Count of Monte Cristo”(1934). She died of cardiopulmonary arrest. (bio […]

Gilly Coman (1955 - 2010)

Actress. As star of British television in the 1980s and 1990s, she shall be best remembered as Aveline Boswell from the late-1980s series “Bread”. Born Gillian Helen Coman to a theatrical family, she was raised in Liverpool, studied at the Shelagh Elliot-Clarke School of Drama from age eight, appeared in commercials, and refined her craft […]

Goldie Colwell (1889 - 1982)

American actress in early silents (1913-1918). Sometimes credited as Goldie Caldwell. (bio by: A.J. Marik)

Antoñita Colomé (1911 - 2005)

Actress. Considered one of the most important actresses in the cinema of the 2nd Spanish Republic, she is remembered for her films “Un Caballero de Frac” (1931), “El Hombre que se Reía del Amor” (1932), “El Negro que Tenía el Alma Blanca” (1934), “El Malvado Carabel” (1935), “La Señorita de Trévelez” (1936), “Héroe a la […]

Madeleine Collinson (1952 - 2014)

Actress, Model. She will be best remembered for playing ‘Frieda Gellhorn’ in the Hammer Studio picture “Twins of Evil” (1971). Born an identical twin (her sister is actress and model Mary Collinson) in Malta, she moved to England in 1969. They were discovered by noted glamour photographer Harrison Marks who cast them in his sexy […]

Patricia Collinge Collinge (1892 - 1974)

Actress. Born in Dublin, Ireland, she performed on the London stage before coming to America in 1908 and continued her stage career as Broadway cast performer in many shows. She made her feature film debut in “The Little Foxes” (1941) and was nominated the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Her other screen credits included […]

Lois Collier (1922 - 1999)

Motion Picture Actress. She was known as a “Queen of the B’s” for her participation in many popular low-budget, or “B”, movies. She appeared in Jungle Queen (1945), Cobra Woman (1944), Outlaws of Cherokee Trail (1941), West of Cimarron (1941), The Phantom Plainsmen (1942), Santa Fe Scouts (1943), Ladies Courageous (1944), The Crimson Canary (1945), […]

Sylvia Coleridge (1909 - 1986)

British Actress. She was born in Darjeeling, India and died in London, England. Film and television credits include “Bleak House,” “Tess,” “Rebecca,” “Henry VIII,” “Jude the Obscure,” “Pride and Prejudice,” “The Importance of Being Earnest,” “Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV,” “Rumpole of the Bailey,” “Coronation Street,” “The Onedin Line,” “Dixon of Dock Green,” “Doctor […]

Shirley Bell Cole (1920 - 2010)

Radio Actress. A child star of the 1930s, she is remembered as the title “Little Orphan Annie” in the popular radio series of that name. Born Shirley Adrienne Bell, she was raised on the south side of Chicago and began entertaining early, singing in synagogue and on radio from age six. At 10, she answered […]

Barbara Colby (1939 - 1975)

Actress.  She starred on the series “Phyllis,” with Cloris Leachman. She appeared twice on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” as a prostitute, and also appeared on “Columbo,” and “The Odd Couple.” She and actor James Kiernan were walking to their parked car after teaching an acting class in Los Angeles, when they were gunned down […]

Claudette Colbert (1903 - 1996)

Actress who starred in more than 60 films. Claudette Colbert died in Speightstown, Barbados, on July 30, 1996. (This was her vacation home.) Her permanent address was Manhattan. She was born on September 13, 1903, in France. Her real name was “Lily Claudette Chauchoin.  While still a child her parents moved the family to New […]

Joan Cohn (1911 - 1996)

Actress in several films of the 1930s and 40s. Real name Elizabeth Rosiland Miller. Married to studio mogul Harry Cohn until his death in 1958. Later married British actor Laurence Harvey.  Family links:  Spouses:  Harry Cohn (1891 – 1958)  Harry Karl (1914 – 1982)  Laurence Harvey (1928 – 1973)  Children:  Jobella Cohn (____ – 1943)* […]

Ann Codee (1890 - 1961)

Belgian-born vaudeville, motion picture, and television actress of the 1920s through the 1960s. Performed in vaudeville with her husband, actor Frank Orth, in an act billed as “Codee & Orth.” The two appeared together in a series of movie shorts between 1929 and 1931.  (bio by: A.J. Marik)

Juanita Coco (1975 - 1993)

Australian television actress. Coco appeared on the talent program “Young Talent Time” from 1987 to 1988. The program also produced a feature film, “Young Talent Time-Now…1990” (1990). The show was responsible for starting the careers of singer/actresses Danni and Kylie Minogue. Coco’s death at age 17 was attributed to a car accident.

Paula Murad Coburn (1955 - 2004)

Actress. A native of Jamaica, Coburn was born Paula Murad, later moving to Cleveland, Ohio, with her parents, and then to Washington, D.C., where she was educated and then became host of the television series, “Real Estate Digest.” She later decided to further her acting career and she moved to Hollywood, California, where she met […]

Dorothy Coburn (1904 - 1978)

Actress. Fondly remembered as the dentist’s nurse in Laurel and Hardy’s “Leave ‘Em Laughing,” (1928) “The Battle of the Century” (1927) and “The Second 100 Years.” Coburn retired from acting at the advent of sound but later worked as a stunt double and became a stand-in for Ginger Rogers. Coburn died of Emphysema. (bio by: […]

Carolyn Coates (1927 - 2005)

American Actress. Coates, who grew up in Santa Monica, California, where she acted in children’s theater, went on to major in acting at the University of California, Los Angeles. In 1951, she met her future husband, actor James Noble, in Worchester, Mass., while playing Eliza Doolittle in ‘Pygmalion’. The couple, who married five years later, […]

Joyce Coad (1917 - 1987)

Actress. Best remembered as ‘Pearl’ in “The Scarlet Letter” (1926). (bio by: MC)