Marla English

Marleine Gaile English (January 4, 1935 – December 10, 2012) was an American film actress during the 1950s.

Marla English
Born
Marleine Gaile English

(1935-01-04)January 4, 1935
San Diego, California, U.S.
DiedDecember 10, 2012(2012-12-10) (aged 77)[1]
Tucson, Arizona, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1953–1957
Spouse(s)Allen Paul Sutherland
(m. 1956—2012, her death)
Children5

Early years

She was born Marleine Gaile English in San Diego, California. As a teenager, she worked as a model and performed locally.[2]

Film career

English was originally signed to a contract by Paramount Pictures in 1952[2] after winning a San Diego beauty pageant to be "Fairest of the Fair".[3] She was paid $150 per week to appear in such films as Red Garters (1954) and Rear Window (1954).[4] Even though her scenes were often cut during the final editing of those and other films, English's contract rose to $200 a week.[5][6][7] Her breakthrough role came when producer Aubrey Schenck borrowed her from Paramount to appear in his film noir production Shield for Murder (1954) starring Edmond O'Brien.[8]

The Mountain and later films

English received another major break in 1955, when she was cast opposite Spencer Tracy in The Mountain,[4] a mountain-climbing drama that was to be filmed on location in the French Alps.[9] English was given a smallpox vaccine before departing the United States for France. She soon developed a very high fever and decided to withdraw from the production, a move that prompted Paramount to suspend English and replace her with Barbara Darrow. In a later interview with the actress, Parade Magazine questioned English about that decision. She said it was a very dumb move, and she was unsure why she decided against making The Mountain. One of the actress's close relatives, however, told the publication that English at the time had fallen in love with Paramount actor Larry Pennell, and she became enraged when the studio would not cast Pennell in the film so they could travel together to France.[4]

English made mostly B films throughout her career in Hollywood. In 1955 she performed with John Ireland and Pennell in Hell's Horizon. Some other films in which she was cast in this period include Three Bad Sisters (1956), Runaway Daughters (1956), The She Creature (1956), and Flesh and the Spur (1956).

Personal life and death

After costarring with Tom Conway and Mike Connors in the horror film Voodoo Woman (1957), English married San Diego businessman Allen Paul Sutherland. She then retired from acting at the age of just 21.[2][10]

English died of cancer in Tucson, Arizona in December 2012; her husband Paul died five years later. [11] Their graves are in Marana Cemetery in Marana, Arizona, which is located 24 miles northwest of Tucson.[2][12] They were survived by a daughter and four sons.[11]

Filmography

References
  1. "Marla English, 'Fairest of the Fair', actress, dead at 77". U-T San Diego. 2013-01-10. Retrieved 2013-01-23.
  2. Lentz, Harris M. III (2013). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2012. McFarland. pp. 89–90. ISBN 9781476603858. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  3. "COMMANDANT 34 YEARS IN ARMY RETIRES". Los Angeles Times. Aug 2, 1951. ProQuest 166268013.
  4. "Marla English: She chose love". St. Petersburg Times. September 18, 1955.
  5. Scott, J. L. (May 30, 1954). "GAMBLE PAYS OFF ON MARLA ENGLISH". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 166625678.
  6. "Actress marla english wins contract approval". Los Angeles Times. Nov 9, 1953. ProQuest 166517635.
  7. "Court OKs contracts of two young actresses". Los Angeles Times. Nov 5, 1954. ProQuest 166709764.
  8. "Marla english joins the legion". The Washington Post and Times Herald. Dec 24, 1954. ProQuest 148420684.
  9. "The life story of MARLA ENGLISH". Picture show (65). Dec 24, 1955. p. 12. ProQuest 1879635068.
  10. "Marla english to quit film career to marry". The Washington Post and Times Herald. Jul 22, 1956. ProQuest 148761381.
  11. "Paul Sutherland", obituary and cemetery records, Marana Cemetery, Marana, Arizona. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  12. "Marla English", Find A Grave. Retrieved October 19, 2020.

See also
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