Jeanne Crain

Lovely Jeanne Crain as she appeared in the 1945 musical STATE FAIR. She was born in Barstow, California, on May 25, 1925. After her high school career, she enrolled at UCLA to study drama and, at the age of 18, she won a bit part in Fox Studio's film "The Gang's All Here" (1943). Her next film "Home in Indiana" (1944) saw Jeanne elevated to a more substantial part. On the strength of that box-office success, she was given a raise and star billing, as Maggie Preston in "In the Meantime, Darling" (1944). The following year she appeared in "State Fair" (1945) as Margie Frake who travels to the fair and falls in love with a reporter played by Dana Andrews. The film was a huge hit, as was "Leave Her to Heaven" (1945), where she was the "good" sister of "bad" Gene Tierney. Another big success followed with “Margie” (1946), about a high school girl in the 1920s who develops a crush on her French teacher. In 1949, she appeared in three notable films, "A Letter to Three Wives" (1949), "The Fan" (1949), and "Pinky" (1949). Jeanne also showed her dancing skills in 1955's "Gentlemen Marry Brunettes" co-starring Jane Russell. Film roles became fewer in the 1960s as she went into semi-retirement and raising her family. Her last films were "Skyjacked" (1972) and "The Night God Screamed" (1975). Jeanne Crain passed away of a heart attack in Santa Barbara, California, on December 14, 2003, aged 78.

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