 |
|
|
Lugar y fecha de nacimiento. Alexis Smith (1921 - 1993) Biography from Baseline Occupation: Actress Born As: Gladys Smith Born: June 8, 1921, Penticton, British Columbia, Canada Died: June 9, 1993, Los Angeles, CA Education: Los Angeles City College Tall, glamorous lead and second lead of the 1940s and 50s who later enjoyed success on Broadway and in occasional character roles in film. Discovered while in college, Smith was signed in 1940 by Warner Bros. where she would stay for the next and busiest decade of her career. Although featured in a number of major films opposite star actors including Errol Flynn (GENTLEMAN JIM, 1942, SAN ANTONIO, 1945), Fredric March (THE ADVENTURES OF MARK TWAIN, 1944), Jack Benny (THE HORN BLOWS AT MIDNIGHT, 1945), Cary Grant (NIGHT AND DAY, 1946), Clark Gable (ANY NUMBER CAN PLAY, 1949) and Joel McCrea (SOUTH OF ST. LOUIS, 1949), Smith too often was wasted in standard leading lady roles. At her best, though, she did manage to make a good impression; her quiet performance as the object of the murderous Humphrey Bogart's affections in CONFLICT (1945) almost steals the film from the flashier Bogie and Sydney Greenstreet. After parting company with Warner Bros. in 1950, Smith began freelancing, but was reduced to supporting roles late in the decade. She did, however, enjoy several meaty parts in which her intelligence and talent for portraying disarming schemers and beguiling opportunists came to the fore. She made a vivid impression in Dick Powell's hair-trigger directorial debut, SPLIT SECOND (1953), and gave one of her finest performances in Joseph Losey's British-produced THE SLEEPING TIGER (1954). Happily married to actor Craig Stevens from 1944, Smith all but retired by 1960, but in 1971 she re-emerged on the Broadway stage, winning a Tony and a New York Drama Critics award for her vibrant performance in the Stephen Sondheim musical Follies. Further stage work included Summer Brave (1975), Sunset (1977), and a Tony-nominated turn in the short-lived Broadway musical Platinum (1978). The discussion about Smith in Rita Mae Brown's autobiographical Rubyfruit Jungle, meanwhile, helped ensure her minor cult status. Smith also worked regularly on TV and returned to the big screen occasionally, as in her last performance in a small but dignified role as a society matron in LA EDAD DE LA INOCENCIA (1993). 1940 LADY WITH RED HAIR performer 1941 DIVE BOMBER performer 1941 THE SMILING GHOST performer 1941 STEEL AGAINST THE SKY performer 1942 GENTLEMAN JIM performer 1943 THE CONSTANT NYMPH performer 1943 THANK YOUR LUCKY STARS performer 1944 THE ADVENTURES OF MARK TWAIN performer 1944 THE DOUGHGIRLS performer 1944 HOLLYWOOD CANTEEN performer 1945 CONFLICT performer 1945 THE HORN BLOWS AT MIDNIGHT performer 1945 SAN ANTONIO performer 1946 NIGHT AND DAY performer 1946 OF HUMAN BONDAGE performer 1946 ONE MORE TOMORROW performer 1947 STALLION ROAD performer 1947 THE TWO MRS. CARROLLS performer 1948 ALWAYS TOGETHER performer 1948 THE DECISION OF CHRISTOPHER BLAKE performer 1948 WHIPLASH performer 1948 THE WOMAN IN WHITE performer 1949 ANY NUMBER CAN PLAY performer 1949 ONE LAST FLING performer 1949 SOUTH OF ST. LOUIS performer 1950 MONTANA performer 1950 UNDERCOVER GIRL performer 1950 WYOMING MAIL performer 1951 CAVE OF OUTLAWS performer 1951 HERE COMES THE GROOM performer 1952 THE TURNING POINT performer 1953 SPLIT SECOND performer 1954 THE SLEEPING TIGER performer 1955 THE ETERNAL SEA performer 1957 BEAU JAMES performer 1958 THIS HAPPY FEELING performer 1959 THE YOUNG PHILADELPHIANS performer 1975 JACQUELINE SUSANN'S ONCE IS NOT ENOUGH/ONCE IS NOT ENOUGH performer 1978 CASEY'S SHADOW performer 1982 THE TROUT/LA TRUITE performer 1985 A DEATH IN CALIFORNIA performer 1988 MARCUS WELBY, M.D.: A HOLIDAY AFFAIR performer
|
|
|
