Deutsch
Español
Français
Italiano
日本語
Polski
Português
Русский
TürkçeEllen Drew (Esther Loretta Ray)
Photos with Ellen Drew
Biography
Kansas City, Missouri, USA
Talented Missouri-born Ellen Drew was born Esther Loretta Ray in 1915, the daughter of an Irish barber. She worked various jobs (accountant, salesgirl) to support her family until her fresh-faced good looks and high-wattage smile earned her a couple of beauty pageant trophies. Encouraged to try her luck in Hollywood, she was discovered in somewhat typical Lana Turner fashion. While working at an ice cream parlor, customer William Demarest took notice of her and was instrumental in having her put under contract at Paramount Studios in 1936. Read more... finally given a role she could sink her teeth into in the Bing Crosby musical Sing, You Sinners (1938). Her hair was changed from brunette to auburn (sometimes blonde) and her moniker changed from Terry Ray to Ellen Drew. Brighter roles came her way with If I Were King (1938), which clinched her celebrity, Women Without Names (1940) and Buck Benny Rides Again (1940). Ellen seemed destined for top-flight stardom, but somehow it didn't happen. She never managed to distinguish herself among the bevy of Hollywood beauties on display and so remained on the outer fringes for most her career. Despite fine roles in fine movies, notably the Preston Sturges classic Christmas in July (1940) and the Dick Powell starrer Johnny O'Clock (1947), Ellen's film career went on a steep decline. In the 1950s she transferred her talents to TV before retiring the following decade. Married four times, including writer/producer Sy Bartlett, she left one son and several grandchildren when she passed away in 2003 at age 88 in Palm Desert, California.
Actor
Character:
Dancer on Train
College Holiday 1936
6
Character:
Telephone Girl
The Big Broadcast of 1937 1936
6
Character:
Usherette
Make Way for Tomorrow 1937
3
Character:
Cashier
You and Me 1938
3
Character:
Martha Randall
Sing, You Sinners 1938
6
Character:
Ann Wilson
The Gracie Allen Murder Case 1939
1
Character:
Joan Cameron
Buck Benny Rides Again 1940
5
Character:
Babe Marvin
Our Wife 1941
1
Character:
Mary Mallory
The Parson of Panamint 1941
5
Character:
Ellen Drew
Star Spangled Rhythm 1942
7
Character:
Yvonne
The Impostor 1944
4
Character:
Betty Moody
That's My Baby! 1944
6
Character:
Nelle Marchettis
Johnny O'Clock 1947
1
Character:
Caroline Emmet
The Man from Colorado 1948
2
Character:
Huguette
If I Were King 1938
0
Character:
Elaine Anderson
The Ford Television Theatre 1952
0
Character:
Kate
The Barbara Stanwyck Show 1960
0