Diana Lewis | |
|---|---|
 Trailer for
Cry 'Havoc' (1943) | |
| Born | September 18, 1919
Asbury Park, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | January 18, 1997 (aged 77) |
| Resting place | Desert Memorial Park, Cathedral City, California |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1934–1943 |
| Spouses | |
Diana Lewis (September 18, 1919 – January 18, 1997) [1] was an American film actress and a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract player.
Early years
The daughter of vaudeville performers, [2] Lewis was born in Asbury Park, New Jersey. She attended Fairfax High School in Los Angeles. [2] [3]
Career
Lewis was a singer with the orchestra led by Larry Leeds. [4]
She began her film career in It's a Gift (1934) and worked steadily over the next few years, usually in minor roles. Her more notable films include It's a Gift, Gold Diggers in Paris (1938), Go West (1940), and Johnny Eager (1941). She was the love interest of Andy Hardy as Daphne Fowler in Andy Hardy Meets Debutante (1940). [5]
Marriage
Lewis met actor William Powell, who was 27 years her senior, at MGM in 1939. [6] They married at a dude ranch in Nevada on January 5, 1940, [7] after a courtship of less than a month. [6] She retired from acting in 1943. Lewis became known as Mousie Powell after her marriage. [8] }
Death
Lewis died from pancreatic cancer in Rancho Mirage, California, aged 77. She was interred at Cathedral City's Desert Memorial Park in Riverside County, California, alongside Powell, and her stepson, William David Powell. [9]
Affiliations and honors
Lewis was an active supporter of women's golf and the LPGA. The LPGA's William and Mousie Powell Award is named in honor of the Powells.[ citation needed]
In 2000, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California, Walk of Stars was dedicated to her. [10]
Complete filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1934 | It's a Gift | Betty Dunk | Norman Z. McLeod | |
| 1935 | One Hour Late | Sick Woman's Daughter | Ralph Murphy | Uncredited |
| Enter Madame | Operator | Elliott Nugent | ||
| All the King's Horses | Aggressive Chorine on Train | Frank Tuttle | Uncredited | |
| Choose Your Partners | Short | |||
| 1936 | Grand Slam Opera | The Girl Downstairs | Charles Lamont | Short |
| 1937 | Love Nest on Wheels | The Bride | Charles Lamont | Short |
| 1938 | He Couldn't Say No | Iris Mabby | Lewis Seiler | |
| Gold Diggers in Paris | Golddigger | Busby Berkeley | ||
| 1939 | First Offenders | Ann Blakeley | ||
| 1940 | Forty Little Mothers | Marcia | Busby Berkeley | |
| Andy Hardy Meets Debutante | Daphne Fowler | George B. Seitz | ||
| Bitter Sweet | Jane | |||
| Go West | Eve Wilson | Edward Buzzell | ||
| 1941 | The People vs. Dr. Kildare | Fay Lennox | Harold S. Bucquet | |
| Johnny Eager | Judy Sanford | Mervyn LeRoy | ||
| 1942 | Whistling in Dixie | Ellamae Downs | S. Sylvan Simon | |
| Seven Sweethearts | Mrs. Nugent | Frank Borzage | ||
| 1943 | Cry 'Havoc' | Nydia | Richard Thorpe |
References
- ^ Palm Springs Cemetery District "Interments of Interest"
- ^ a b Vosburgh, Dick (January 31, 1997). "Obituary: Diana Lewis". The Independent. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
- ^ "Fairfax Senior High School". schooldirectory.lausd.net. Los Angeles Unified School District.
- ^ "William Powell, 47, Film Star, Weds Diana Lewis, Rising Young Actress". The Dispatch. Illinois, Moline. Associated Press. January 6, 1940. p. 11. Retrieved September 11, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Andy Hardy films website". Archived from the original on August 1, 2017. Retrieved December 26, 2008.
- ^ a b "The 3rd Mrs Powell". Photoplay. Retrieved November 27, 2019.
- ^ "William Powell Marries Girl 21 Years Old". The Courier-Journal. Kentucky, Louisville. Associated Press. January 6, 1940. p. 10. Retrieved September 11, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "How Diana Lewis became Mousie Powell".
- ^ Brooks, Patricia; Brooks, Jonathan (2006). "Chapter 8: East L.A. and the Desert". Laid to Rest in California: a guide to the cemeteries and grave sites of the rich and famous. Guilford, CT: Globe Pequot Press. p. 243. ISBN 978-0762741014. OCLC 70284362.
- ^ Palm Springs Walk of Stars by date dedicated
External links
- Diana Lewis at IMDb
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