Helen Wood (actress)
Helen Wood | |
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 Wood in 1935 | |
| Born | June 4, 1917[citation needed] Clarksville, Tennessee, US |
| Died | February 8, 1988 (aged 70)[citation needed] Burbank, California, US |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1933–1949 |
| Spouse | Earl Henriksen |
Helen Wood (1917–1988) was an American actress active in film and radio primarily during the 1930s. She is not to be confused with the actress and performer Helen [Ann] Wood (1935–1998), who later appeared in Deep Throat and other adult films as "Dolly Sharp".
Biography[edit]
Wood was born in Clarksville, Tennessee, to Edwin Wood (who worked in real estate and insurance) and Hazel Case.[1] She had a younger sister, Mary Martha.[2]
After winning a beauty contest at Clarksville's Capitol Theatre in 1933 as a teenager, Wood earned a trip to Hollywood, where she was cast in Roman Scandals (1933). She then returned to Clarksville to finish high school; upon her return to Hollywood after graduation, she signed a contract with MGM.[3]
She reportedly spent $4,000 on a vocal coach who helped her drop her Southern accent.[4] She later signed at 20th Century Fox, where she was made to compete for parts against fellow actresses Rita Hayworth (then Margarita Cansino) and Dixie Dunbar.[1] On-screen, she was frequently paired with actor Thomas Beck.[5] Supposedly she had to back out of a big role due to an illness early on in her career.[3]
She worked in radio after her on-screen roles dried up in the late 1930s. In 1942, she married Earl Henriksen.
Selected filmography[edit]
- Roman Scandals (1933)
- Moulin Rouge (1934)
- Kid Millions (1934)
- Gold Diggers of 1935 (1935)
- Mary Jane's Pa (1935)
- In Caliente (1935)
- Anna Karenina (1935)
- She Married Her Boss (1935)
- The Goose and the Gander (1935)
- A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935)
- My Marriage (1936)
- Champagne Charlie (1936)
- High Tension (1936)
- Charlie Chan at the Race Track (1936)
- Sing, Baby, Sing (1936)
- Can This Be Dixie? (1936)
- Crack-Up (1936)
- Almost a Gentleman (1939)
- Sorority House (1939)
- The Pilgrimage Play (1949)
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Helen Wood in the Race for 3 at Stardom". The Leaf-Chronicle. November 30, 1935. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
- ^ "Staton Buys Wood Agency; Wood to Leave". The Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle. September 1, 1943. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
- ^ a b Crow, Charlie (November 23, 1936). "Helen Wood, First Queen of Turkey Day Game Here, Wishes Luck to All of C.H.S." The Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
- ^ "Briefs About Film Stars Here This Week". The Indianapolis Star. December 17, 1936. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
- ^ Percy, Eileen (August 6, 1936). "Helen Wood and Tom Beck Teamed Up for Third Time". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
External links[edit]
- Entry for Helen Wood (1) (1917-1988) at the Internet Movie Database: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0789032/
- "Club & Social Affairs: Helen Wood to Wed". Kentucky New Era (news.google.com/newspapers). December 5, 1940. p. 3. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
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