Marilyn Maxwell

Radiant beauty Marilyn Maxwell in a 1943 glamour sitting by photographer Clarence Sinclair Bull. She was born “Marvel Marilyn Maxwell” in Clarinda, Iowa on August 3, 1920. She started her professional entertaining career as a radio singer and a singer on stage with Ted Weems' big band while still a teenager. In 1942, Maxwell signed a contract with MGM, appearing on such radio shows as "The Abbott and Costello Show", "Beat the Band", and "Stars Over Hollywood". That same year, she made her movie debut in the star-studded World War II propaganda film “Stand by for Action” (1942). Louis B. Mayer, the head of MGM, insisted she change the Marvel part of her real name, so she dropped her first name and kept the middle one. She went on to star in such popular movies as “Thousands Cheer” (1943), “Lost in a Harem” (1944), “Champion” (1949), “Key to the City” (1950), “The Lemon Drop Kid” (1951) and “Rock-a-Bye Baby” (1958). Throughout World War II, and later the Korean War, she accompanied three-time co-star Bob Hope on USO tours to entertain troops. Throughout the 1950s, Maxwell directed her focus to television, with guest appearances on such series as “The Colgate Comedy Hour” (1950), “General Electric Theater” (1953), “The Red Skelton Hour” (1951) and “Playhouse 90” (1956). This continued into the '60s, and she even appeared on game shows such as “I've Got a Secret “(1952-1967) and “Stump the Stars” (1947). Her most prominent TV part in this period was that of diner owner Grace Sherwood on “Bus Stop” (1961), a series she left after one season after becoming bored of "doing nothing but pour a second cup of coffee and point the way to the men's room." Maxwell was married three times - to actor John Conte, restaurateur Anders Nylund McIntyre, and producer Jerry Davis - each marriage ending in divorce. She had one son with Davis, Matthew (b. 1956). On March 20, 1972, 15 year-old Matthew returned home from school, only to find his mother dead from an apparent heart attack. Maxwell was 51 at the time of her death.

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