Mary Dawne Arden (July 30, 1933 – December 13, 2014) was an American actress who worked in both Hollywood and Italy.

Mary Arden
Arden in Kriminal (1966)
BornJuly 30, 1933
DiedDecember 13, 2014(2014-12-13) (aged 81)
OccupationActress
SpouseA.A. Hansi (1965–??)

Early years

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Arden was born in St. Louis, Missouri, but moved to New York City at the age of 12 to attend an art school.

Career

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Arden had a successful modeling career in Europe and appeared in numerous Italian movies during the 1960s. This actress is not to be confused with Mary Arden, who worked in Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s, but worked professionally as Mary Arden.

Mary Arden's best known role is that of model Peggy Peyton in Mario Bava's Blood and Black Lace. Aside from acting in the film, Arden was also responsible for writing its English dialogue, as she seemed the original translated screenplay to be too stilted.[1] She also made an uncredited cameo appearance in Juliet of the Spirits as an on-screen TV personality. In the 1960s, she also worked in the United States as a member of the June Taylor Dancers, on the televised Jackie Gleason show.

While in Italy, she also appeared in photo novels including a well-known series of the period, entitled Kriminal. After living and working in Italy for eight years, she returned to the United States in 1979, and performed in only a couple of more roles, before retiring completely from the cinema.

She spent nine years in Latin America where she held marketing and managing positions for Helena Rubinstein Cosmetics. When she returned to NYC, she began her own marketing and body language consulting practice, Arden Associates.[2]

Arden was also on the faculty of New York University, in the Department of Culture and Communication, where she taught business communication.[2]

Personal life

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Arden married A.A. Hansi in Rome in 1965.[3]

Death

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Arden died in Calvary Hospital in Brooklyn, New York, on December 13, 2014, at the age of 81.[2][4]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1963 The Attic Gunilla
1964 I maniaci Party Guest (segment "L'hobby"), Uncredited
1964 Blood and Black Lace Peggy Peyton
1964 I due evasi di Sing Sing Tall woman
1964 The Revenge of Spartacus Nobildonna romana
1964 Oh! Those Most Secret Agents [it] Nadja
1965 Juliet of the Spirits TV Actress Uncredited
1966 A... come assassino Angela Prescott
1966 Kriminal Gloria Farr
1966 I due sanculotti
1967 Master Stroke Dorothy
1971 Doctors' Wives One of Lorrie's Relatives Uncredited
1971 They Call Him Marcado
2012 Bloody Christmas Sister Rose (final film role)

References

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  1. ^ Lucas, Tim (2007). Mario Bava: All the Colors of the Dark. Video Watchdog. pp. 541–68. ISBN 978-0-9633756-1-2.
  2. ^ a b c "Mary Dawne Arden: Obituary". Legacy.com. New York Times. Archived from the original on 19 May 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  3. ^ Winchell, Walter (July 8, 1965). "Walter Winchell of Broadway". Lebanon Daily News. Pennsylvania, Lebanon. p. 21.
  4. ^ Lentz, Harris M. III (2015). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2014. McFarland. p. 11. ISBN 9780786476664. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
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