Mary Jackson (1910 - 2005)

Stage, Film and TV Actress. She played ‘Miss Emily Baldwin’ on “The Waltons.” Through the 1940s and 50s, she worked in summer stock and on Broadway as well as stage productions in Chicago and Los Angeles. On Broadway, Jackson appeared in shows including “Kiss & Tell,” “Eastward in Eden,” “The Flowering Cherry” and “The Trial […]

Mary Jane Croft (1916 - 1999)

Actress. She began her career in radio, appearing on such programs as “The Adventures of Sam Spade”, “The Bill Goodwin Show”, “Four-Star Playhouse”, “Blonde” and “The Mel Blanc Show”. For television she was best known for her roles as Betty Ramsey on “I Love Lucy”, Mary Jane Lewis on “The Lucy Show” and as Clara […]

Mary Jane Croft (1916 - 1999)

Actress. She began her career in radio, appearing on such programs as “The Adventures of Sam Spade”, “The Bill Goodwin Show”, “Four-Star Playhouse”, “Blonde” and “The Mel Blanc Show”. For television she was best known for her roles as Betty Ramsey on “I Love Lucy”, Mary Jane Lewis on “The Lucy Show” and as Clara […]

Mary Jane French (1920 - 2009)

Actress. A gorgeous redheaded model of the 1940s, she went on to appear in a number of Hollywood features. Raised mostly in Scranton, Pennsylvania, she moved to New York in 1939 seeking a career in modelling and achieved success with the upscale William Thornton Agency. A sought-after dress model, she posed for many of the […]

Mary Jones (1915 - 1990)

Welsh Actress. She was born in Rhayader, Radnorshire, Wales. Film and television credits include “General Hospital,” “Under Milk Wood,””The Saint,” “Z Cars,” “Crossroads,” “Carry On, Constable,” “The Vise,” “The Battle of the River Plate,” and “Trottie True.” (bio by: Genet)

Mary Kay Ash (1918 - 2001)

Businesswoman. As a child took care of her father who had tuberculosis while her mother worked in a restaurant. In 1939 she started selling Stanley Home Products, working for them until 1952. On Sept 13, 1963 she launched Mary Kay Cosmetics on $5000.00. In 1968 Mary Kay, Inc. went public, and in 1969 she awarded […]

Mary Kay Bergman (1961 - 1999)

Actress, Voice Artist. Supplied the voices to many characters in motion-pictures, television, and video games. Among her most popular work was the voices she gave to many characters on the animated TV series “South Park.” (bio by: A.J. Marik) Cause of death: Suicide

Mary Kornman (1915 - 1973)

Mary Kornman was the daughter of Hal Roach′s still-photo cameraman Eugene Kornman, and his wife, Verna, who appeared in several films. After Peggy Cartwright, who appeared in only four or five Our Gang episodes, Mary became the leading lady of the series, appearing in more than 40 episodes. Kornman was one of the series′ biggest […]

Mary Lansing (1911 - 1988)

Actress. She appeared on numerous television shows, in particular The Andy Griffith Show, Mayberry R.F.D., and Gomer Pyle. She met actor Frank Nelson who was performing on radio and the two married on January 7, 1933. They had two children but were later divorced. She appeared frequently with Frank on the Jack Benny Show during […]

Mary Lily Kenan Bingham (1867 - 1917)

Socialite. Born Mary Lily Kenan, she met Henry Morrison Flagler, a founding partner of Standard Oil in 1891, at the home of mutual friends in Newport, Rhode Island when he was 61and she 23. Married, he set about obtaining a divorce from his wife who eventually had to be confined to an asylum. Although it […]

Mary Louise “Texas” Guinan (1884 - 1933)

Actress, Social Figure. She was a former silent screen actress and singer who became a popular hostess in New York City speakeasy’s during prohibition. She greeted every customer by saying “Hello, sucker.”  Family links:  Spouse:  Julian Johnson (1880 – 1965)* *Calculated relationshipCause of death: Natural causes

Mary Lydia Bolles Branch (1840 - 1922)

Author. Writer of stories for children. Some of her books are “The Kantor Girls,” “The Old Hempstead House,” “Home of Eighth Generations,” and “The Manner of Life of Nancy Hempstead.” (bio by: Laurie)  Family links:  Parents:  John Rogers Bolles (1810 – 1895)  Mary Hempstead Bolles (1811 – 1859)  Spouse:  John Locke Branch (1837 – 1908) […]

Mary Lyon (1797 - 1849)

The daughter of a farming family in Buckland, Massachusetts, Mary Lyon had a hardscrabble childhood. Her father died when she was five, and the entire family pitched in to help run the farm. Lyon was thirteen when her mother remarried and moved away; she stayed behind in Buckland in order to keep the house for […]

Mary MacLaren (1900 - 1985)

American motion picture actress of the 1910s through the 1940. Appeared with Barbara Stanwyck and Joel McCrea in the 1939 classic western “Union Pacific.” Sister of actress Katherine MacDonald. (bio by: A.J. Marik)  Family links:  Parents:  Lillian Agnew MacDonald (1866 – 1936)  Sibling:  Katherine MacDonald (1891 – 1956)*  Mary MacLaren (1900 – 1985) *Calculated relationship

Mary Marquet (1895 - 1979)

Actress. Born Micheline Marie Marguerite Delphine Marquet in St Petersburg, Russia. She played in films such as: “Sister Angele’s Secret,” “Royal Affairs in Versailles,” “A Matter of Resistance” and “Arsene Lupin vs. Arsene Lupin.” (bio by: MC)

Mary Martin (1913 - 1990)

Martin was born in Weatherford, Texas. Her life as a child, as she describes it in her autobiography My Heart Belongs, was secure and happy. She had close relationships with both her mother and father, as well as her siblings. Her autobiography details how the young actress had an instinctive ear for recreating musical sounds. […]

Mary McAdoo (1912 - 2003)

Actress. Born in Bolivar, Missouri, she was working as a wardrobe girl for Paramount Studios when she met and married Robert Hussey, a press agent who handled all the Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour “Road” pictures. She is best remembered for her own 1950s television series “Mary McAdoo at Home”, which she received […]

Mary McAllister (1909 - 1991)

Actress. She began her career as a child of six and became known as “the First Baby Star of the Films” appearing in “Despair” (1915). Her other credits included “The Little Shoes” (1917), “On Trial” (1917), “Ace of Spades” (1925), “Loves of an Actress” (1928) and “On the Level” (1930). After fifteen years in the […]

Mary McCarty (1923 - 1980)

Actress. Best remembered for her roles as ‘Nurse Clara ‘Starch’ Willoughby’ on “Trapper John, M.D.” from 1979 until her death in 1980, and ‘Bertha’ on “All My Children” from 1977 to 1978. McCarty’s films include, “All That Jazz” (1979), “Somebody Killed Her Children” (1978), “My Six Loves” (1963), “Babes In Toyland” (1961), “Pillow Talk” (1959), […]

Mary Millington (1945 - 1979)

Mary Ruth Quilter  was born out of wedlock, and grew up without her father, John William G. Klein (1899-1973). She was bullied at school due to being born illegitimately, and suffered from low self-esteem throughout her childhood and teenage years. After marrying at a young age she took the surname Maxted, and lived in Dorking. […]

Mary Minter (1902 - 1984)

Mary Minter At the age of five, Mary Minter accompanied her sister, Margaret, on an audition because no babysitter was available. She was noticed by the director and given her first part. She began her stage career and was frequently employed afterward, widely noted for both her talent and visual appeal. To avoid child labor […]

Mary Murphy (1931 - 2011)

Actress. Raised in Cleveland and later Los Angeles by her widowed mother, she attended University High School and caught the attention of a Hollywood talent which led to her being put under contract by Paramount Pictures. A string of several uncredited roles in the pictures “The Lemon Drop Kid” (1951), “My Favorite Spy” (1951) and […]

Mary Nash (1884 - 1976)

Mary and her younger sister, writer/actress Florence, were born to James H. Ryan, a lawyer, and his wife, Ellen Frances (née McNamara). The sisters adopted the surname of their stepfather, Philip F. Nash, a vaudeville booking executive, who married their mother after the death of their father. Fortuitously the name change would avoid conflict with […]

Mary Nolan (1902 - 1948)

While working as a model, Mary Nolan was discovered by Florenz Ziegfeld who hired her as a dancer in his Ziegfeld Follies. As a showgirl in New York, she performed under the name “Imogene “Bubbles” Wilson” (the first of four stage names she used during her career). She soon became one of the most popular […]

Mary of Burgundy (1457 - 1482)

Mary of Burgundy was born in Brussels, at the ducal castle of Coudenberg, to Charles the Bold, Count of Charolais, and his wife, Isabella of Bourbon. Her birth, according to the court chronicler, Georges Chastellain, was attended by a clap of thunder ringing from the otherwise clear twilight sky. Her godfather was Louis, Dauphin of […]

Mary Philbin (1902 - 1993)

Born in Chicago, Illinois into a middle-class Irish American Catholic family, she began her acting career after winning a beauty contest sponsored by Universal Pictures. Her father John Philbin was born in Ballinrobe, County Mayo, Ireland.  Mary Philbin made her screen debut in 1921 and during the 1920s she became a highly successful film actress […]

Mary Philbin (1903 - 1993)

Actress.  A demure,  delicate-looking star of 1920s films, she is best remembered as the heroine ‘Christine Daae’ in the  Lon Chaney classic,  “The Phantom of the Opera” (1925).  She appeared in over 30 films,  including “Merry-Go-Round” (1923),  “Stella Maris” (1925),  “The Man Who Laughs” (1927),  “Drums of Love” (1928),  and “Love Me and the World […]

Mary Philips (1901 - 1975)

American stage and screen actress. Married first to actor Humphrey Bogart, then to actor Kenneth MacKenna.  Family links:  Parents:  Anna M. Hurley Philips (1882 – 1963)  Spouses:  Humphrey Bogart (1899 – 1957)  Kenneth MacKenna (1899 – 1962)Cause of death: cancer

Mary Pickford (1892 - 1979)

Legendary Actress. Born Gladys Louise Smith on April 8, 1892 in Toronto Canada. The eldest of three children, Mary was devoted to her mother, Charlotte, who was left alone to raise the children when Mary’s father died in a work related accident. Mary was four years old. When the family moved to America, Mary helped […]

Mary Raymond Shipman Andrews (1860 - 1936)

Novelist. She wrote “A Kidnaped Colony,” “Bob and the Guides,” “His Soul Goes Marching,” and “Lost Commander.” (bio by: Laurie)  Family links:  Spouse:  William Shankland Andrews (1858 – 1936)*  Children:  Paul Shipman Andrews (1887 – 1967)* *Calculated relationship