Helen Westcott (born Myrthas Helen Hickman,[2] January 1, 1928 – March 17, 1998) was an American stage and screen actress. A former child actress,[3][4] she is best known for her work in The Gunfighter (1950).[5]
Helen Westcott | |
|---|---|
 Westcott in 1950 | |
| Born | Myrthas Helen Hickman January 1, 1928 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Died | March 17, 1998 (aged 70) Edmonds, Washington, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1934–1977 |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 1[1] |
| Parent |
|
Early years edit
Westcott was born on New Year's Day, 1928. She was the daughter of singer Hazel McArthur[5] and Warner Bros. studio actor Gordon Westcott.[6] Her father died from a polo accident when she was seven years old.[5]
When she was two years old, Westcott appeared in vaudeville with her mother. At age seven, she began a nine-year run playing the daughter on stage in a production of The Drunkard in Los Angeles.[7]
Westcott attended Los Angeles City College.[5]
Film edit
When Westcott was 4 years old, she appeared in a series of short films. At 5, she appeared in the full-length Thunder Over Texas.[7] She appeared opposite Gregory Peck in the western classic The Gunfighter released in 1950. She was also known in part for her role in Charles Lamont's 1953 comedy horror film Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Television edit
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Westcott moved from the big screen to television roles in the late 1950s. In 1958 she appeared on Perry Mason as murderer Marcia Greeley in "The Case of the Haunted Husband." She also made guest appearances on Bonanza, The Twilight Zone and Wanted Dead Or Alive.[4][8]
Later years edit
Westcott also appeared on the stage later in her career, as well as in films including Anthony Mann's God's Little Acre in 1958.[4]
Personal life edit
Westcott wed actor Don Gordon on February 18, 1948. In 1950, they had a daughter, Jennifer. They were divorced in 1953.[5]
Westcott was a registered Republican and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[9]
Death edit
Westcott died of cancer in Edmonds, Washington on March 17, 1998. Her body was cremated.[6]
Filmography edit
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1934 | Thunder Over Texas | Betty 'Tiny' Norton | |
| 1935 | The Affair of Susan | Engaged Girl on Stoop | Uncredited |
| A Midsummer Night's Dream | Cobweb | ||
| 1936 | Without Orders | Little Girl | Uncredited |
| 1937 | Maid of Salem | Little Girl | Uncredited |
| 1941 | Henry Aldrich for President | Student | Uncredited |
| 1948 | 13 Lead Soldiers | Cynthia Stedman | |
| Smart Girls Don't Talk | Toni Peters | ||
| Adventures of Don Juan | Lady Diana | ||
| 1949 | Alaska Patrol | Mary Lynn | |
| Flaxy Martin | Peggy Farrar | ||
| Homicide | Jo Ann Rice | ||
| Mr. Belvedere Goes to College | Tri Gam Coed | Uncredited | |
| One Last Fling | Annie Mae Hunter | ||
| The Girl from Jones Beach | Miss Brooks | ||
| Whirlpool | Simms' Secretary | Uncredited | |
| Dancing in the Dark | June | Uncredited | |
| 1950 | Backfire | Miss Haller – Receptionist at Mortuary | Uncredited |
| Three Came Home | Woman Prisoner | Uncredited | |
| The Gunfighter | Peggy Walsh | ||
| 1951 | Take Care of My Little Girl | Merry Coombs | |
| The Secret of Convict Lake | Susan Haggerty | ||
| 1952 | Phone Call from a Stranger | Jane Trask | |
| Return of the Texan | Averill Murray | ||
| With a Song in My Heart | Jennifer March | ||
| Loan Shark | Martha Haines | ||
| Battles of Chief Pontiac | Winifred Lancaster | ||
| 1953 | Cow Country | Linda Garnet | |
| The Charge at Feather River | Anne McKeever | ||
| Gun Belt | Arlene Reach | ||
| Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde | Vicky Edwards | ||
| 1956 | Hot Blood | Velma | |
| I Killed Wild Bill Hickok | Belle Longtree | ||
| 1958 | God's Little Acre | Rosamund | |
| The Last Hurrah | Mrs. McCluskey | Uncredited | |
| Invisible Avenger | Tara O'Neill | ||
| Monster on the Campus | Nurse Molly Riordan | ||
| 1959 | Day of the Outlaw | Vivian | |
| 1960 | Studs Lonigan | Miss Julia Miller | |
| Cimarron | Miss Kuye – Schoolteacher | Uncredited | |
| 1963 | The Alfred Hitchcock Hour | Mrs. Helen Fletcher | Season 1 Episode 22: "Diagnosis Danger" (credited as Hellena Westcott) |
| 1970 | Pieces of Dreams | Mrs. Straub | |
| I Love My Wife | Mrs. Burrows | ||
Source: The Encyclopedia of Fantastic Film: Ali Baba to Zombies[10]
References edit
- ^ "Helen Westcott – The Private Life and Times of Helen Westcott. Helen Westcott Pictures".
- ^ Room, Adrian (2010). Dictionary of Pseudonyms: 13,000 Assumed Names and Their Origins, 5th ed. McFarland. p. 507. ISBN 9780786457632. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
- ^ Willis, John (2000), Screen World Volume 50: 1999, ISBN 1-55783-410-5
- ^ a b c Oliver, Myrna (March 26, 1998), "Helen Westcott; Stage, Screen Actress Began Career at 4", The Los Angeles Times, retrieved September 25, 2009
- ^ a b c d e Wagner, Laura (Fall 2016). "Helen Westcott: "A Very Gifted Actress"". Films of the Golden Age (86): 74–76.
- ^ a b Wilson, Scott (2016). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed. (2 volume set). McFarland. p. 800. ISBN 9781476625997. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
- ^ a b "Victoria: Helen Westcott Plays Top Female Role in Western Attraction Unreeling Here". Shamokin News-Dispatch. Pennsylvania, Shamokin. June 30, 1950. p. 10. Retrieved November 14, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Miller, Jeffrey S. (2004), Horror Spoofs of Abbott and Costello: A Critical Assessment of the Comedy Team's Monster Films, McFarland, ISBN 978-0-7864-1922-7
- ^ An Interview with Helen Westcott, Skip E. Lowe, 1990
- ^ Young, R. G. (2000). The Encyclopedia of Fantastic Film: Ali Baba to Zombies. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 970. ISBN 9781557832696. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
