Lynn Merrick (born Marilyn Llewelling;[1] November 19, 1919 – March 25, 2007) was an American actress who appeared in over 40 films during the 1940s, mainly for Columbia and Republic Studios.
Lynn Merrick | |
|---|---|
 Publicity Photo of Lynn Merrick | |
| Born | Marilyn Llewelling November 19, 1919 Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | March 25, 2007 (aged 87) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1940–1955 |
| Spouses | |
| Family | Goelet family |
Early life edit
Merrick was born Marilyn Llewelling on November 19, 1919 in Fort Worth, Texas.[1]
Career edit
In the 1930s, she studied acting and worked as a model after moving to California.[2]
In 1940, she was one of thirteen women selected by the Motion Picture Publicists Association as a "Baby Star", a selection process which was meant to highlight the most promising new film stars.[3] She made the bulk of her films during the 1940s, starring in 22 feature films for Republic Pictures; 16 of these were Don Barry westerns.
Her first Barry film was Two Gun Sheriff, and her last was Fugitive from Sonora. She later worked for Columbia Pictures, where she starred in films alongside Richard Dix, Chester Morris, and Warner Baxter. Merrick retired from films after Escape from Terror (1955),[2] starring and directed by Jackie Coogan.
In 1948, Merrick and her husband at the time, Conrad Nagel, appeared in summer stock theater in Pennsylvania, New York, and Connecticut.[4] After retiring from acting, Merrick was an executive with the Barbizon School of Modeling.[2]
Personal life edit
She was married and divorced twice. Her first marriage was to Nagel. They received an interlocutory decree on March 26, 1947,[5] and the divorce became final on August 26, 1948.[6]
On October 26, 1949, she wed producer Robert Goelet, Jr. in Europe.[4] Both unions were childless. In 1950, Merrick received emergency treatment at Santa Monical Hospital after taking an overdose of sleeping pills. A news story distributed by International News Service described the overdose as "the climax to a spat with her husband, wealthy Robert Goelet."[7]
Death edit
Merrick died on March 25, 2007, aged 87, at her home in West Palm Beach, Florida from undisclosed causes.[9]
Filmography edit
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 'Til We Meet Again | Fussy Woman's Daughter | Uncredited |
| Dr. Christian Meets the Women | Kity Browning | (as Marilyn Merrick) | |
| Flight Angels | Marilyn | (as Marilyn Merrick) | |
| Ragtime Cowboy Joe | Mary Curtiss | (as Marilyn Merrick) | |
| 1941 | A Missouri Outlaw | Virginia Randall | |
| Death Valley Outlaws | Carolyn Johnson | ||
| The Apache Kid | Barbara Taylor | ||
| Kansas Cyclone | Martha Ming | ||
| Desert Bandit | Sue Martin | ||
| The Gay Vagabond | Betty Dixon | ||
| Two Gun Sheriff | Ruth Norton | ||
| Sis Hopkins | Phyllis | ||
| 1942 | Outlaws of Pine Ridge | Ann Hollister | |
| The Sombrero Kid | Dorothy Russell | ||
| The Cyclone Kid | Mary Phillips | ||
| Jesse James, Jr. | Joan Perry | ||
| Stageeoach Express | Ellen Bristol | ||
| Arizona Terrors | Lila Adams | ||
| Youth on Parade | Emmy Lou Piper | ||
| 1943 | Doughboys in Ireland | Gloria Gold | |
| Days of Old Cheyenne | Nancy Carlyle | ||
| Dangerous Blondes | Mary Ralston | ||
| Is Everybody Happy? | Ann | ||
| Fugative from Sonora | Dixie Martin | ||
| Carson City Cyclone | Linda Wade | ||
| Dead Man's Gulch | Mary Logan | ||
| Mountain Rhythm | Linda Weaver | ||
| The Crime Doctor's Strangest Case | Ellen Trotter | ||
| 1944 | Meet Miss Bobby Socks | Helen Taylor | |
| Nine Girls | Eve Sharon | ||
| Stars on Parade | Dorothy Dean | ||
| Swing Out the Blues | Penelope Carstairs | ||
| 1945 | A Guy, a Gal and a Pal | Helen Carter | |
| Boston Blackie Booked on Suspicion | Constance Gloria Mannard | ||
| Voice of the Whistler | Joan Martin Sinclair | ||
| The Blonde from Brooklyn | Susan Parker aka Susanna Bellwither | ||
| 1946 | Dangerous Business | Lizbeth Ellsworth | |
| A Close Call for Boston Blackie | Geraldine 'Gerry' Peyton | ||
| 1948 | I Love Trouble | Mrs. Johnson | |
| 1954 | Escape from Terror | Lee Brooks | (final film role) |
References edit
- ^ a b Wilson, Scott (2016). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed. McFarland. p. 511. ISBN 9781476625997. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
- ^ a b c Lentz, Harris M. III (2008). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2007: Film, Television, Radio, Theatre, Dance, Music, Cartoons and Pop Culture. McFarland. ISBN 9780786434817. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
- ^ "Wampus Baby Star Surprised By Her Selection". Ames Daily Tribune. Iowa, Ames. April 17, 1941. p. 15. Retrieved June 6, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Lynn Merrick Weds Robert Goelet Jr". Joplin Globe. Missouri, Joplin. Associated Press. October 30, 1949. p. 7. Retrieved July 17, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Divorces". Billboard. May 17, 1947. p. 47. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
- ^ "Actress Lynn Merrick Severs Marriage Tie". The Ottawa Journal. Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. Associated Press. August 27, 1948. p. 21. Retrieved July 17, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Lynn Merrick Recovering From Sleeping Tablets". Long Beach Independent. California, Long Beach. International News Service. March 26, 1950. p. 38. Retrieved July 17, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Morning News, January 10, 1948, Who Was Who in America (Vol. 2).
- ^ McLellan, Dennis (April 2, 2007). "Lynn Merrick, 85; B-western actress appeared in over 40 movies in the 1940s". LA Times.
- ^ Wilson, Scott (September 16, 2016). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed. McFarland. ISBN 9781476625997 – via Google Books.
External links edit
- Lynn Merrick at IMDb
- The Private Life and Times of Lynn Merrick
- Vallance, Tom (April 3, 2007). "Lynn Merrick – 'B'-movie femme fatale". The Independent. Archived from the original on October 27, 2010.