The less famous, but still undeniably talented, of the "Marilyn" sex symbols of the 1940s and 1950s was born Marvel Marilyn Maxwell in Clarinda, Iowa on August 3, 1921 (she later began using her middle name professionally at the suggestion of Louis B. Mayer). As a teenager, she worked as an usher at the Rialto Theater in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and later as a radio singer. In 1942, Maxwell signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 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). Maxwell went on to star in numerous popular movies of the 1940s and '50s, among them Thousands Cheer (1943), Lost in a Harem (1944), Champion (1949), Key to the City (1950), The Lemon Drop Kid (1951) (in which she introduced the carol "Silver Bells"), and Rock-a-Bye Baby (1958). Throughout the Second World War and later the Korean War, Maxwell also accompanied three-time co-star - and long-time lover - 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), Marilyn Maxwell, Marilyn Maxwell, The Red Skelton Hour (1951), The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show (1956), and Playhouse 90 (1956). This continued into the '60s, as Maxwell appeared on Wagon Train (1957), The Danny Thomas Show (1953), Burke's Law (1963), The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) and The Bob Hope Show (1950), and even game shows such as I've Got a Secret (1952) and Stump the Stars (1947). Her most prominent 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 50 at the time of her death.
1971O'Hara, U.S. Treasury (TV Series)
Paradise Ryan
- Operation: Offset (1971) ... Paradise Ryan
1971Men at Law (TV Series)
Reyna Michaels
- The View from the Top (1971) ... Reyna Michaels
1970Wild Women (TV Movie)
Maude Webber
1970Here's Lucy (TV Series)
Gloria Pendleton
- Lucy, the Co-Ed (1970) ... Gloria Pendleton
1970The Phynx
Marilyn Maxwell
1969From Nashville with Music
Mabel
1968The Outsider (TV Series)
Winnie Blake
- Tell It Like It Is... and You're Dead (1968) ... Winnie Blake
1968Arizona Bushwhackers
Molly
1965Branded (TV Series)
Lucy Benson
- Price of a Name (1965) ... Lucy Benson
1963-1965Burke's Law (TV Series)
Maria Groovy / Eudora Carey
- Who Killed the Grand Piano? (1965) ... Maria Groovy
- Who Killed Cynthia Royal? (1963) ... Eudora Carey
1964Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (TV Series)
Charity
- Have Girls, Will Travel (1964) ... Charity
1964The Lively Set
Marge Owens
1964Stage to Thunder Rock
Leah Parker
1964The Danny Thomas Show (TV Series)
Beverly
- Beautiful Lady (1964) ... Beverly
1964Wagon Train (TV Series)
Molly Sadler
- The Pearlie Garnet Story (1964) ... Molly Sadler
1956-1963The Red Skelton Hour (TV Series)
Clara Appleby / Ester the Telephone Operator / Movie Star
- After the Bald Is Over (1963) ... Clara Appleby
- Appleby's Office Party (1961) ... Clara Appleby
- Appleby's Castle (1961) ... Clara Appleby
- The Many Skeltons (1960) ... Ester the Telephone Operator
- Appleby's Boat (1960) ... Clara Appleby
Show all 10 episodes
1963Critic's Choice
Ivy London
1961-1962Bus Stop (TV Series)
Grace Sherwood
- Cry to Heaven (1962) ... Grace Sherwood
- Jaws of Darkness (1961) ... Grace Sherwood
- The Runaways (1961) ... Grace Sherwood
- ...And the Pursuit of Evil (1961) ... Grace Sherwood
- Call Back Yesterday (1961) ... Grace Sherwood
Show all 15 episodes
1960-196177 Sunset Strip (TV Series)
Pauline Grant / Crystal Dart
- Bullets for Santa (1961) ... Pauline Grant
- Legend of Crystal Dart (1960) ... Crystal Dart
1960-1961Adventures in Paradise (TV Series)
Virgie Shackleford / Lili Montegro
- The Serpent in the Garden (1961) ... Virgie Shackleford
- Beached (1960) ... Lili Montegro
1960Gunsmoke (TV Series)
Dolly
- Old Flame (1960) ... Dolly
1958Rock-a-Bye Baby
Carla Naples
1957Playhouse 90 (TV Series)
Dolly
- Snowshoes: A Comedy of People and Horses (1957) ... Dolly
1956Forever, Darling
Marilyn Maxwell (uncredited)
1955The Ford Television Theatre (TV Series)
Sally Carter
- Sunday Mourn (1955) ... Sally Carter
1955Shower of Stars (TV Series)
- Burlesque (1955)
1955New York Confidential
Iris Palmer
1954Max Liebman Spectaculars (TV Series)
Gale Joy
- Best Foot Forward (1954) ... Gale Joy
1953Paris Model
Marion Parmalee
1953East of Sumatra
Lory Hale
1953General Electric Theater (TV Series)
- Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star (1953)
1952Off Limits
Connie Curtis
1951New Mexico
Cherry
1951The Lemon Drop Kid
'Brainey' Baxter
1950Outside the Wall
Charlotte Maynard
1950Key to the City
Sheila the 'Atom' Dancer
1949Champion
Grace
1948Race Street
Robbie Lawrence
1948Summer Holiday
Belle
1947High Barbaree
Diana Case
1946The Show-Off
Amy Fisher Piper
1945Between Two Women
Ruth Edley
1944Lost in a Harem
Hazel Moon
19443 Men in White
Ruth Edley
1943Swing Fever
Ginger Gray
1943Thousands Cheer
Drug Store Clerk in Red Skelton Skit
1943Salute to the Marines
Helen Bailey
1943Pilot #5
Party Girl (uncredited)
1943Du Barry Was a Lady
Miss February (uncredited)
1943Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case
Ruth Edly
1943Presenting Lily Mars
Prissy - Showgirl (uncredited)
1942Stand by for Action
Audrey Carr
1942Tune Time (Short)
Marvel Maxwell (as Marvel Maxwell)