Gloria Dehaven


Actor
Gloria Dehaven

About

Also Known As
Gloria Mildred Dehaven, Gloria De Haven
Birth Place
Los Angeles, California, USA
Born
July 23, 1925

Biography

Gloria DeHaven never made it to the front ranks of film stardom and none of her credits can be considered a major classic, but she was in her own modest way one of the signature perky soubrettes of the 1940s, a hometown sweetheart for many GIs. A good singer and a highly vivacious screen presence, her career had its ups and downs, but TV and stage work and the very occasional film noneth...

Photos & Videos

Family & Companions

John Payne
Husband
Actor, singer. Married in 1944; divorced in 1950.
Martin Kimmel
Husband
Second husband.
Richard Fincher
Husband
Businessman.

Biography

Gloria DeHaven never made it to the front ranks of film stardom and none of her credits can be considered a major classic, but she was in her own modest way one of the signature perky soubrettes of the 1940s, a hometown sweetheart for many GIs. A good singer and a highly vivacious screen presence, her career had its ups and downs, but TV and stage work and the very occasional film nonetheless kept her busy for over six decades until her retirement at the dawn of the 21st century. She died at the age of 91 on July 30, 2016 in Las Vegas, several months after suffering a stroke.

Gloria Mildred DeHaven was born into a prominent entertainment family: her parents were Carter DeHaven and Flora Parker (often known professionally as Mrs. Carter DeHaven), famed vaudevillians and legitimate stage performers who also graced a number of silent films together. DeHaven and her brother Carter DeHaven Jr (who later became a producer) traveled with their parents on tour tours while growing up, and Gloria enjoyed her first screen exposure in a bit part in Charlie Chaplin's "Modern Times" (1936), for which her father served as assistant director. By 1940, DeHaven had been signed by MGM and she gained further experience as a singer with Bob Crosby and Jon Savitt's bands. She tread water for several years in small roles until she played one of the second leads in the brightly colored, high energy film version of the Broadway musical, "Best Foot Forward" (1943), which also got June Allyson off and running.

The biggest year of DeHaven's screen career came in 1944, when she performed in six films released that year and into early 1945. "The Thin Man Goes Home" (1944), the wartime installment of the popular comedy-mystery series, found DeHaven in typical supporting form as a hyperactive, gushy small-town denizen. Much more important, though, was a loan-out to RKO for "Step Lively" (1944), a highly amusing, musicalized revamp of the stage and screen farce "Room Service" in which her attractive alto and atypically relaxed charm teamed well with hot newcomer Frank Sinatra. Another popular entry came with "Two Girls and a Sailor" (1944), with their girl-next-door manner and pouting-lipped good looks, she and Allyson made a fairly credible sister act.

Even though some of her roles were still second leads, DeHaven was building momentum. She was off the screen for several years, though, after marrying fellow screen star John Payne. Her return to films, however, was a major boxoffice flop: the admittedly uneven but charming and underrated "Summer Holiday" (1948), one of many times her career path would cross professionally with Mickey Rooney's. DeHaven stayed at MGM for two more years, alternating between blonde and brunette, standardized lead and cutesy second lead, in a series of unmemorable films ranging from melodrama ("Scene of the Crime" 1949) to comedy ("The Yellow Cab Man" 1950). Her best films in this period were musicals, as she gamely supported Gene Kelly and Judy Garland in "Summer Stock" (1950) and impersonated her own mother in a cameo in the period biopic "Three Little Words" (1950).

DeHaven freelanced in several musicals, but the results (e.g., "Two Tickets to Broadway" 1951; "The Girl Rush" 1955) reeked of hackneyed storylines and forced gaiety. With the decline of the film musical DeHaven turned to stage tours and TV. She hosted the 15-minute ABC variety program, "The Gloria DeHaven Show" (1953-54), was a quiz show panelist on "Make the Connection" (NBC, 1955), teamed again with Rooney for the TV special "Mr. Broadway" (NBC, 1957) and began making regular appearances on Bob Hope's small-screen fests. She guested on "The Lloyd Bridges Show" (CBS, 1962-63) and very briefly hosted the syndicated "Girl Talk" in 1969 before the TV-movie gave her renewed visibility. DeHaven, looking lovely in her middle and senior years, performed in TV-movies including "Call Her Mom" (ABC, 1972), "Evening in Byzantium" (syndicated, 1978) and "Off Sides" (NBC, 1984) and even essayed one of the two leads in the mystery pilot "Ladies on Sweet Street" (ABC, 1990).

DeHaven also ventured into TV series work, playing the precinct secretary on "Nakia" (ABC, 1974), a police drama set among a Navaho tribe. She also performed on the short-lived sitcom, "Delta House" (ABC, 1979) and played a recurring role on the spoof soap, "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" (syndicated, 1976-77) but enjoyed better luck on more serious daytime drama. DeHaven played Sara Fuller on CBS' "As the World Turns" and in the 80s joined the cast of "Ryan's Hope" (ABC) as Bess Shelby, long-suffering mother of the town tramp. Her long-delayed return to features in the poor horror pic "Bog" (1978) was best forgotten, despite her casting in two roles, but DeHaven turned up again with Rooney for "The Legend of O.B. Taggert" (1995). Better still, she received her widest feature exposure in 40 years as one of the objects of Jack Lemmon's and Walter Matthau's schemes in "Out to Sea" (1997). Her final screen appearance came with a cameo role in a 2000 episode of spiritual drama "Touched By An Angel" (CBS 1994-2003). Gloria DeHaven died in hospice care on July 30, 2016 in Las Vegas, several months after suffering a massive stroke. She was 91 years old.

Filmography

 

Cast (Feature Film)

Out to Sea (1997)
The Legend of O. B. Taggert (1995)
That's Entertainment! III (1994)
Going Hollywood: The War Years (1988)
Herself
Off Sides (Pigs vs. Freaks) (1984)
Bog (1978)
Adrianna; Ginny Glen
Sharon: Portrait of a Mistress (1977)
Banjo Hackett: Roamin' Free (1976)
Who Is the Black Dahlia? (1975)
Call Her Mom (1972)
Helen Hardgrove
So This Is Paris (1955)
Colette D'Avril [also known as] Janie Mitchell
The Girl Rush (1955)
Taffy Tremaine
Down Among the Sheltering Palms (1953)
Angela Toland
Two Tickets to Broadway (1951)
Hannah Holbrook
Three Little Words (1950)
Mrs. Carter DeHaven
I'll Get By (1950)
Terry Martin
Summer Stock (1950)
Abigail Falbury
The Yellow Cab Man (1950)
Ellen Goodrich
Yes Sir, That's My Baby (1949)
Sarah Jane Winfield
The Doctor and the Girl (1949)
Fabienne [Corday]
Scene of the Crime (1949)
Lili
Summer Holiday (1948)
Muriel [McComber]
Between Two Women (1945)
Edna
The Thin Man Goes Home (1945)
Laura Ronson
Two Girls and a Sailor (1944)
Jean Deyo
Broadway Rhythm (1944)
Patsy Demming
Thousands Cheer (1944)
Step Lively (1944)
Christine Marlowe
Best Foot Forward (1943)
Ethel
The Penalty (1941)
Anne Logan
Susan and God (1940)
Enid
Keeping Company (1940)
Evelyn Thomas

Misc. Crew (Feature Film)

Going Hollywood: The War Years (1988)
Other

Cast (Special)

Mickey Rooney: Hollywood's Little Giant (1995)
Ninth Annual Genesis Awards (1995)
Presenter
The Thalians (1991)
Ladies on Sweet Street (1990)
The Music Mart (1980)
Gene Kelly... An American in Pasadena (1978)
The Cabot Connection (1977)
Wednesday Night Out (1972)
The Arthur Murray Party For Bob Hope (1960)
Guest
The Many Sides of Mickey Rooney (1960)
Guest

Cast (TV Mini-Series)

Evening in Byzantium (1978)

Life Events

1936

First film appearance (as an extra) in Charlie Chaplin's "Modern Times"; her father worked as an assistant director on the film

1940

Signed by MGM; first film there, "Susan and God"

1940

Appeared in a second Chaplin film, "The Great Dictator"

1943

Played most prominent feature film role to date as one of the second leads in "Best Foot Forward", an adaptation of the Broadway musical

1944

Played first leading roles in two popular breakthrough films: "Two Girls and a Sailor" and "Step Lively"

1945

Last film in release for several years, "Between Two Woman" (shot in 1944)

1948

Returned to features in "Summer Holiday"

1950

Last films at MGM, "Summer Stock" and "Three Little Words"; played the role of her own real-life mother, Mrs. Carter DeHaven, in the latter

1953

Hosted the 15-minute ABC variety program, "The Gloria DeHaven Show"

1955

Last feature film for over two decades, "The Girl Rush"

1955

Served as a panelist on the short-lived NBC game show, "Make the Connection"

1969

Hosted part of a season of the long-running (1963-70) syndicated TV talk show, "Girl Talk", after Virginia Graham left the show and before Betsy Palmer took over hosting duties

1972

First TV-movie, "Call Her Mom"

1974

First fictional TV series role as cast regular: played Deputy Irene James on the ABC crime drama, "Nakia"

1978

Returned to features to act in the horror film, "Bog"

1979

Played recurring role of Marion Wormer on the ABC sitcom, "Delta House"

1990

Played one of the two leading roles in the ABC TV mystery pilot, "Ladies of Sweet Street"

1995

Again returned to features to act a role in "The Legend of O.B. Taggert"

Photo Collections

Two Tickets to Broadway - Lobby Cards
Here are a few Lobby Cards from RKO's Two Tickets to Broadway (1951). Lobby Cards were 11" x 14" posters that came in sets of 8. As the name implies, they were most often displayed in movie theater lobbies, to advertise current or coming attractions.

Videos

Movie Clip

Summer Holiday (1948) -- (Movie Clip) Our Home Town From the top, Walter Huston as dad Nat Miller introduces the gimmick, original tunes by Harry Warren and Ralph Blane serving as exposition in the musical adaptation of Eugene O’Neill’s Ah, Wilderness, bringing in Butch Jenkins, Michael Kirby, Marilyn Maxwell, Selena Royle, Frank Morgan and Agnes Moorehead, in Summer Holiday, 1948, produced by Arthur Freed for MGM.
Summer Holiday (1948) -- (Movie Clip) Afraid To Fall In Love Setting may look a little more Hollywood than the purported Danville, Connecticut, but Mickey Rooney as graduating Richard is lobbying for a smooch from girlfriend Muriel (Gloria De Haven), director Rouben Mamoulian giving them rope with a Harry Warren/Ralph Blane original, in Summer Holiday, 1948, from producer Arthur Freed for MGM.
Summer Holiday (1948) -- (Movie Clip) The Stanley Steamer Graduation from Danville, CT High School, June 1906, Mickey Rooney as ebullient Richard hears first from Gloria De Haven as girlfriend Muriel, then joins Agnes Moorehed (“Cousin Lily”) and his dad (Walter Huston) as they board the genuine car, with another original song by Harry Warren and Ralph Blane, in the musical adaptation of Eugene O’Neill’s Ah, Wilderness!, from MGM’s Arthur Freed unit, Summer Holiday, 1948.
Scene Of The Crime (1949) -- (Movie Clip) If You Never Try To Stop L-A cop Conovan (Van Johnson) chasing a lead, explains to wife Gloria (Arlene Dahl) then, hardly noticing one performer (Jean Carter) and not revealing himself, earns some time with stripper Lili (Gloria DeHaven, in a role evoking the famous Burlesque entertainer Lili St. Cyr), in MGM’s Scene Of The Crime, 1949.
Two Tickets To Broadway (1951) -- (Movie Clip) There's No Tomorrow We meet Eddie Bracken as failed theatrical agent Lew Conway, already defamed in earlier scenes, then his top client, Tony Martin as singer Dan Carter, with a song by Al Hoffman, Leo Corday and Leon Carr, early in RKO’s Two Tickets To Broadway, 1951, also starring Janet Leigh and Gloria DeHaven.
Two Tickets To Broadway (1951) -- (Movie Clip) Manhattan (Rodgers & Hart) Singer Dan (Tony Martin) and aspiring Broadway star Nancy after an elaborate meet-cute, in the theatrical boarding house meet the company, for an extended rendering of the 1925 Rodgers & Hart standard, choreography by the later-career Busby Berkeley, in Two Tickets To Broadway, 1951.
Two Tickets To Broadway (1951) -- (Movie Clip) Baby You'll Never Be Sorry On a Manhattan rooftop, Hannah (Gloria DeHaven) is still sweet on her bumbling agent-boyfriend Lew (Eddie Bracken), occasioning this original by Leo Robin and Jule Styne, in the RKO musical Two Tickets To Broadway, 1951.
Step Lively (1944) -- (Movie Clip) As Long As There's Music Playwright Glenn (Frank Sinatra) and producer Gordon (George Murphy) panic when Christine (Gloria DeHaven) reports Jenkins (Eugene Pallette) doesn't like what he's seen, although Miss Abbott (Anne Jeffreys) comes around, song by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne, in Step Lively, 1944.
Step Lively (1944) -- (Movie Clip) Come Out! Actress and singer Christine (Gloria DeHaven) coaxes a (Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne) song out of neophyte playwright Glenn (Frank Sinatra), seated with her producer Gordon (Frank Murphy), who's promised to stage his show, before a dinner club audience in RKO's Step Lively, 1944.
Step Lively (1944) -- (Movie Clip) I Don't Mean To Make A Speech Out-of-town playwright Glenn (Frank Sinatra) walking home Christine (Gloria DeHaven), whom he's just met, and whom he believes is playing a lead part in his Broadway play, which he doesn't know is in big financial troulbe, in RKO's Step Lively, 1944.
Two Girls And A Sailor (1944) -- (Movie Clip) I'll Pinch You There Too Their first scene as the grown-up Deyo sisters (June Allyson, Gloria DeHaven, vocals by Virginia Rees and Dorothy Jackson) with two tunes, first by Gus Arnheim, Harry Tobias and Neil Moret, second by Ella Fitzgerald and Van Alexander, then a spat, in MGM's Two Girls And A Sailor, 1944.
Two Girls And A Sailor (1944) -- (Movie Clip) A Love Like Ours MGM features Harry James and his Music Makers, then June Allyson and Gloria DeHaven as the feuding Deyo sisters with a tune by Alberta Nichols and Mann Holiner, wondering which guy (Van Johnson!) has been sending the orchids, in Two Girls And A Sailor, 1944.

Trailer

Susan and God - (Original Trailer) A flighty socialite neglects her family to promote a new religious group in Susan and God (1940) starring Joan Crawford, directed by George Cukor.
Doctor and the Girl, The - (Original Trailer) A doctor (Glenn Ford) leaves his wealthy family to work in the slums in The Doctor and the Girl (1949) with Janet Leigh as the girl.
Broadway Rhythm - (Original Trailer) A retired vaudevillian (Charles Winninger) clashes with his producer son (George Murphy) in this MGM Technicolor musical.
Keeping Company - (Original Trailer) The engagement of a young man (John Shelton) is jeopardized by the return of an old girlfriend (Virginia Grey).
Step Lively - (Original Trailer) Fly-by-night producers dodge bill collectors while trying for one big hit in Step Lively (1944) starring Frank Sinatra.
Thin Man Goes Home, The --(Original Trailer) On a trip to visit his parents, detective Nick Charles gets mixed up in a murder investigation in The Thin Man Goes Home (1944).
Between Two Women (1944) - (Original Trailer) Dr. Gillespie's young assistant (Van Johnson) finds himself pursued by two beautiful women in Between Two Women (1944).
Scene of the Crime - (Original Trailer) A detective (Van Johnson) tries to solve a policeman's murder at the Scene of the Crime (1949).
Yellow Cab Man, The - (Original Trailer) Red Skelton is a cab-driving inventor whose unbreakable glass attracts the attention of businessmen and gangsters in The Yellow Cab Man (1950).
Two Girls and a Sailor -- (Original Trailer) Singing sisters create a World War II canteen and become rivals for the same man in Two Girls and a Sailor (1944) starring June Allyson & Gloria DeHaven.
Thousands Cheer - (Original Trailer) An egotistical acrobat (Gene Kelly) joins the Army and falls in love with his commander's daughter in the all-star spectacular Thousands Cheer (1943).
Three Little Words - (Original Trailer) Fred Astaire and Red Skelton star in Three Little Words (1950), a musical biography of songwriters Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby.

Family

Carter DeHaven
Father
Entertainer. Noted vaudevillian; also acted in, produced, directed or assistant directed a number of stage plays and silent and sound films; born in Chicago on October 5, 1886; died in Woodland Hills, California on July 20, 1977.
Flora Parker DeHaven
Mother
Entertainer, actor. Born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey on September 1, 1883; died in Hollywood on September 9, 1950; part of famous vaudeville and legitimate stage team with her husband; they later made a number of films together in the silent period.
Carter DeHaven Jr
Brother
Producer, actor, director. Born in NYC on December 23, 1910; died in Encino, California on March 1, 1979.
David DeHaven
Brother
Clancy Payne
Daughter
Actor. Father, John Payne.
Carter DeHaven III
Nephew
Producer. Began working as a production assistant on TV in the 1950s; became an assistant director and later a producer, with credits including "Ulzana's Raid" (1972), "Carbon Copy" (1981) and "Hoosiers" (1986).

Companions

John Payne
Husband
Actor, singer. Married in 1944; divorced in 1950.
Martin Kimmel
Husband
Second husband.
Richard Fincher
Husband
Businessman.

Bibliography