Patricia Ellis

Little remembered Patricia Ellis in a 1936 portrait study by Hungarian photographer Haár Ferenc. Born in Birmingham, Michigan on May 20, 1918, Ellis was the oldest of four children. In 1932, she had two small parts, both uncredited, in the films "Three on a Match" and "Central Park". Her first credited role was in the 1933 film "The King's Vacation", starring George Arliss. After that film, her career took off, with her starring mostly in lower-budget B-movies but still working steadily. She had roles in eight films in 1933, co-starring that year with James Cagney in "Picture Snatcher", and in another seven in 1934. She started 1935 off with "A Night at the Ritz", in which she had the lead female role. She starred in seven films that year and another seven in 1936. Starring alongside some of Hollywood's biggest names, including James Cagney, Ricardo Cortez, and Bela Lugosi, Ellis's career was at its peak by 1937. Most of her roles were in comedy films, along with some mysteries and crime dramas, and by 1936 she was playing the female lead in almost all her films. After her work in film, Ellis ventured into music saying, "I was just getting into a rut in Hollywood. ... I want to start a new career -- singing." In 1941, she and Blue Barron and his Orchestra were headliners, along with Henny Youngman, at Hamid's Pier in Atlantic City, New Jersey and appeared in the top-grossing Broadway hit, "Louisiana Purchase", a musical comedy. Ellis retired in 1939 leaving Hollywood behind and on July 12, 1941 married George T. O'Maley, a successful businessman. She settled into private life, raising her family in Kansas City. Ellis remained married to O'Maley for the remainder of her life, passing away of cancer at age 51 on March 26, 1970.

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