FOUND A GRAVE

Born in New York City, Constance Dowling was a model and chorus girl before moving to California in 1943. She was the elder sister of actress Doris Dowling. Prior to her move to Hollywood, Dowling appeared in several Broadway productions, including Panama Hattie (with sister Doris), Hold On To Your Hats, and The Strings, My Lord, Are False. Dowling began her screen career appearing in Up in Arms (1944) for Samuel Goldwyn. She appeared in a few films after that, including the film noir Black Angel (1946) but her film career did not advance. Dowling lived in Italy in 1947 through 1950 and appeared in some unmemorable Italian films. Dowling returned to Hollywood in the 1950s and landed a part in the sci-fi film Gog, her last film. Dowling had been involved in a long affair with married director Elia Kazan in New York. He couldn’t bring himself to leave his wife and the affair ended when Dowling went to Hollywood under contract to Goldwyn. She was later linked with Italian poet/novelist Cesare Pavese who committed suicide in 1950 after being rejected by Dowling. One of his last poems is entitled “Death will come and she’ll have your eyes”. In 1955, Dowling married film producer Ivan Tors, writer and producer of her last film. She then retired from acting, going on to have three sons and a foster child with Tors: Steven, David, Peter and foster son Alfred Ndwego of Kenya. On October 28, 1969, Dowling died at the age of 49 of a heart attack.