FOUND A GRAVE

Movie and TV actress of the 1940s and 50s. After winning a local beauty contest, she won a trip to Hollywood where she met Cecil Coen, a publicist for UA whom would later be her first husband. Her second husband was William Reed. After some bit parts and a cover of Yank magazine in 1945, she won some parts in “A” list films, including “The Inspector General,” costarring Danny Kaye, with whom she reportedly had a brief affair. Her most memorable role was the shortest in 1950. In “All About Eve,” she played the scheming Phoebe, a wannabe actress and self proclaimed protege of Eve Harrington, played by Anne Baxter. In Eve’s bedroom, she dons her bejeweled gown, picks up a stage acting award Eve had just won, and in the very last scene of the movie, bows into a three way mirror. The image is breathtaking and critics and audiences were intrigued by the young actress. Sadly, she suffered from depression and insecurity, and as a result lost some valuable later roles. By 1958, she was out of show biz and moved back to Denver. After her husband Coen died in 1967, she became suicidal. She was found dead in her garage in 1969 from carbon monoxide poisoning.