Dorothy Malone

This article is about the actress. For the cookbook writer, see Dorothy Malone (writer).
Dorothy Malone

Studio publicity photo, 1956
Born Dorothy Eloise Maloney
(1925-01-30) January 30, 1925
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Occupation Actress
Years active 1943–1992
Religion Roman Catholic
Spouse(s) Jacques Bergerac
(m.1959–1964; divorced) (2 children)
Robert Tomarkin
(m.1969-1969; annulled)
Charles Huston Bell
(m.1971–1974; divorced)
Children Mimi Esther Therese Bergerac (b. 1960)
Diane Alice Bergerac (b. 1962)[1]

Dorothy Malone (born January 30, 1925) is an American actress. Her film career began in 1943, and in her early years she played small roles, mainly in B-movies. After a decade in films, she began to acquire a more glamorous image, particularly after her performance in Written on the Wind (1956), for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Her film career reached its peak by the beginning of the 1960s, and she achieved later success with her television role as Constance MacKenzie on Peyton Place from 1964 to 1968. Less active in her later years, Malone returned to films in 1992 as the friend of Sharon Stone's character in Basic Instinct.[2]

She is one of the last surviving stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood.

Early life and career

Malone was born Dorothy Eloise Maloney in Chicago. Her family moved to Dallas, Texas, where she worked as a child model and began acting in school plays at Ursuline Convent and Highland Park High School. While performing at Southern Methodist University, she was spotted by an RKO talent agent and was signed to a studio contract, making her film debut in 1943 in The Falcon and the Co-Eds.[2]

Much of Malone's early career was spent in supporting roles in B-movies, many of them Westerns, although on occasion she played small but memorable roles, such as the brainy, lusty, bespectacled bookstore clerk in The Big Sleep (1946) with Humphrey Bogart, and the love interest of Dean Martin in the musical-comedy Artists and Models (1955).[2]

Transformation

Dorothy Malone in Written on the Wind, 1956

By 1956, Malone transformed herself into a platinum blonde and shed her "good girl" image when she co-starred with Rock Hudson, Lauren Bacall, and Robert Stack in director Douglas Sirk's drama Written on the Wind. Her portrayal of the dipso-nymphomaniac daughter of a Texas oil baron won her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. As a result, she was offered more substantial roles in such films as Too Much, Too Soon, where she portrayed Diana Barrymore, Man of a Thousand Faces (with James Cagney), and Warlock (with Henry Fonda and Richard Widmark). Additional screen credits include The Tarnished Angels (in which she reunited with former co-stars Hudson and Stack and director Sirk), The Last Voyage (with Stack) and The Last Sunset (with Hudson).[2]

Later career

On New Years Day 1956, she appeared with John Ericson in the episode "Mutiny" of CBS's Appointment with Adventure. She guest-starred on NBC's 1958-1959 western series, Cimarron City.

Dorothy Malone in Peyton Place

During the 1963-1964 season, Malone guest starred on ABC's circus drama The Greatest Show on Earth, starring Jack Palance. From 1964-1968, she played the lead role of Constance MacKenzie on the ABC prime time serial Peyton Place except for a brief stretch where she was absent due to surgery. Lola Albright filled in until her return. In 1968, she was written out of the show after complaining that she was given little to do. Malone sued 20th Century-Fox for $1.6 million for breach of contract; it was settled out of court. She would later return to the role in the TV movies Murder in Peyton Place (1977) and Peyton Place: The Next Generation (1985).[3] Malone had a featured role in the miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man (1976). In her last screen appearance, she played a mother convicted of murdering her family in Basic Instinct (1992) with Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone.[2][4]

Dallas producers approached Malone to step into the role of Miss Ellie Ewing when Barbara Bel Geddes vacated the role in 1984. She declined.[2]

Personal life

Malone has been married and divorced twice and her marriage to New York businessman Robert Tomarkin was annulled. She has two daughters, Mimi and Diane, from her first marriage to actor Jacques Bergerac. Her star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame is located at 1718 Vine. As of 2011, Malone is retired and living in Dallas, Texas.[2] Malone was raised Roman Catholic.

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1943 Gildersleeve on Broadway Model (uncredited)
The Falcons and the Co-eds Dorothy - Co-ed
Higher and Higher Bridesmaid
1944 Seven Days Ashore Betty - Pianist (uncredited)
Show Business Chorine
Step Lively Telephone operator
Youth Runs Wild Girl in Booth
One Mysterious Night Eileen Daley
Hollywood Canteen Junior Hostess
1945 Too Young to Know Mary
1946 Janie Gets Married Sgt. Spud Lee
Night and Day Nancy
The Big Sleep Acme Book Shop Proprietress
1948 To the Victor Miriam
Two Guys from Texas Joan Winston
One Sunday Afternoon Amy Lind
1949 Flaxy Martin Nora Carson
South of St. Louis Deborah Miller
Colorado Territory Julie Ann Winslow
1950 The Nevadan Karen Galt
Convicted Kay Knowland
The Killer That Stalked New York Alice Lorie
Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone Lola Gillway
1951 Saddle Legion Dr. Ann F. Rollins
The Bushwackers Cathy Sharpe
1952 Torpedo Alley Lt. Susan Peabody
1953 Scared Stiff Rosie
Law & Order Jeannie
Jack Slade Virginia Maria Dale
Omnibus Elizabeth Episode: "The Horn Blows at Midnight"
Four Star Playhouse Marie Roberts Episode: "Moorings"
1954 Young at Heart Fran Tuttle
Loophole Ruthie Donovan
The Lone Gun Charlotte Downing
Pushover Ann Stewart
Private Hell 36 Francey Farnham
Security Risk Donna Weeks
Four Star Playhouse Ella Episode: "A Study in Panic"
1955 Battle Cry Mrs. Elaine Yurborough (USO Manager in San Diego)
The Fast and the Furious Connie Adair
Five Guns West Shalee
Tall Man Riding Corinna Ordway
Sincerely Yours Linda Curtis
Artists and Models Abigail 'Abby' Parker
At Gunpoint Martha Wright
Fireside Theater Marion Carney Episode: Mr. Onion
Lux Video Theatre Intermission Guest Episode: "The Hunted"
G.E. True Theater Eva Balto Kelly Episode: "The Clown"
1956 Tension at Table Rock Lorna Miller
Pillars of the Sky Calla Gaxton
Written on the Wind Marylee Hadley Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture
The Loretta Young Show May Hadley Episode: "A Ticket for May"
1957 Quantez Chaney
Man of a Thousand Faces Cleva Creighton Chaney
Tip on a Dead Jockey Phyllis Tredman
The Tarnished Angels LaVerne Shumann
1958 Too Much, Too Soon Diana Barrymore
Cimarron City Nora Arkins Episode: "A Respectable Girl"
1959 Warlock Lily Dollar
1960 The Last Voyage Laurie Henderson
Alcoa Theatre Ann St. Martin Episode: "The Last Flight Out"
1961 The Last Sunset Belle Breckenridge
Route 66 Christina Summers Episode: "Fly Away Home"
Checkmate Lorna Shay Episode: "The Heat of Passion"
The Dick Powell Show Elena Shay Episode: "Open Season"
G.E. True Theater Ellen Rogers Episode: "A Little White Lye"
1962 Dr. Kildare Rena Ladovan Episode: "The Administrator"
The Untouchables Kitty Edmonds Episode: "The Floyd Gibbons Story"
G.E. True Theater Ruth Hammond Episode: "Somebody Please Help Me!"
1963 Beach Party Marianne
1964 The Greatest Show on Earth Jeannie Gilbert Episode: "Where the Wire Ends"
Fate Is the Hunter Lisa Bond (uncredited)
Arrest and Trial Lois Janeway Episode: "Modus Operandi"
1964-1968 Peyton Place Constance Mackenzie
Constance Mackenzie Carson		 342 episodes
Golden Apple Award for Most Cooperative Actress (1965)
Photoplay Award for Most Popular Female Star (1965)
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best TV Star - Female (1965-1966)
1967 Insight Edith Stein Episode: "The Edith Stein Story"
1969 Carnal Circuit Vanessa Brighton
The Pigeon Elaine Hagen (TV movie)
1972 The Bold Ones: The New Doctors Ruth McLayne Episode: "Is This Operation Necessary?"
1973 Ironside Agatha Mott Episode: "Confessions: From a Lady of the Night"
1975 The Man Who Would Not Die Paula Stafford
Abduction Mrs. Prescott
1976 Ellery Queen Carol Franklin Episode: "The Adventure of the Electric Engineer"
Rich Man, Poor Man Irene Goodwin Episode: "Part VII: Chapters 10"
Episode: "Part VIII: Chapters 11 and 12"
The Streets of San Francisco Julia Desmond Episode: "Child of Anger"
1977 Golden Rendezvous Mrs. Skinner
Little Ladies of the Night Maggie (TV movie)
The November Plan Dawn Archer (TV movie)
Murder in Peyton Place Constance MacKenzie (TV movie)
1978 The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries Mrs. Blain Episode: "The House on Possessed Hill"
High Hopes Mrs. Herzog
Vega$ Mrs. Gardner Episode: "Love, Laugh, and Die"
Flying High Jane Episode: "A Hairy Yak Plays Musical Chairs Eagerly"
Katie: Portrait of a Centrefold Myrte Cutler (TV movie)
1979 The Day Time Ended Ana Williams
Good Luck, Miss Wyckoff Mildred
Winter Kills Emma Kegan
The Greatest Heroes of the Bible Nagar Episode: "Sodom and Gomorrah"
1980 The Littlest Hobo Elena Episode: "Guardian Angle"
Condominium Molly Denniver (TV miniseries)
1982 Off Your Rocker Shelley Delaine
1983 The Being Marge Smith
1984 He's Not Your Son Dr. Sullivan (TV movie)
1985 Peyton Place: The Next Generation Constance Carson
1987 Rest in Pieces Catherine Boyle
1992 Basic Instinct Hazel Dobkins

References

  1. ↑ http://www.glamourgirlsofthesilverscreen.com/show/174/Dorothy+Malone/index.html
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Dorothy Malone". Retrieved August 5, 2012.
  3. ↑ "Dorothy Malone glad to be back in Peyton Place role". Midland Reporter Telegram. September 25, 1977. Retrieved May 17, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Dorothy Malone is settled, happy". The Evening Independent. May 29, 1981. Retrieved May 17, 2014.

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