Jeanne Crain was born in Barstow, California on May 25, 1925. The daughter of a high school English teacher and his wife, Jeanne was moved to Los Angeles not long after her birth after her father got another teaching position in that city.
While in junior high school, Jeanne played the lead in a school production which set her on the path to acting. When she was in high school, Jeanne was asked to take a screen test to appear in a film by Orson Welles. Unfortunately, she didn't get the part, but it did set her sights on being a movie actress. The beautiful teenager then embarked to achieve her dream.
Jeanne won several beauty contests with a win in the Miss California contest which sent her to the Miss America Pageant. Although she didn't win the main prize, she did place in the final five.
After her high school career, Jeanne enrolled at UCLA to study drama. At the age of 18, Jeanne won a bit part in Fox Studio's film entitled THE GANG'S ALL HERE (1943) and a small contract. Her next film saw Jeanne elevated to a more substantial part in HOME IN INDIANA the following year, which was filmed in neighboring Kentucky. The movie was an unquestionable hit.
On the strength of that box-office success, Jeanne was given a raise and star billing, as Maggie Preston, in the next film of 1944, IN THE MEANTIME, DARLING. Unfortunately, the critics not only roasted the film, but singled out Jeanne's performance in particular. She rebounded nicely in her last film of the year, WINGED VICTORY. The audiences loved it and the film was profitable.
In 1945, Jeanne was cast in STATE FAIR as Margie Frake who travels to the fair and falls in love with a reporter played by Dana Andrews. Now, Jeanne got a bigger contract and more recognition.
Later that year, Jeanne married Paul Brinkman on New Year's Eve. Although her mother wasn't supportive of the marriage, the union has lasted to this day and produced seven children. 1947 was an off year for Jeanne as she took time off to bear the Brinkman's first child.
In 1949, Jeanne appeared in three films, A LETTER TO THREE WIVES, THE FAN, and PINKY. It was this latter film which garnered her an Oscar nomination as Best Actress for her role as Pinky Johnson, a nurse who sets up a clinic in the Deep South. She lost to Olivia de Havilland for THE HEIRESS.
Jeanne left Fox after filming VICKI in 1953, with Jean Peters. She had made 23 films for the studio that started her career, but she needed a well-deserved change. As with any good artist, Jeanne wanted to expand her range instead of playing the girl-next-door types.
She went briefly to Warner Brothers for the filming of DUEL IN THE JUNGLE in 1954. The film was lukewarm at best. Jeanne, then, signed a contract, that same year, with Universal Studios with promises of better, high profile roles. She went into production in the film MAN WITHOUT A STAR which was a hit with audiences and critics.
After THE JOKER IS WILD in 1957, Jeanne took time off for her family and to appear in a few television programs. She returned, briefly, to film GUNS OF THE TIMBERLAND in 1960. The films were sporadic after that.
In 1967, she appeared in a low budget suspense yarn called HOT RODS TO HELL. Her
final film to date was as Clara Shaw in 1972's SKYJACKED. Jeanne died of a heart attack in Santa Barbara, Californis on December 14, 2003. Her husband Paul had died two months earlier. Jeanne was 78.
Check below for some Jeanne Crain pics!
Jeanne Pic 1
Jeanne Pic 2
Jeanne Pic 3
Jeanne Pic 4
Jeanne Pic 5
Jeanne Pic 6
Click here to go to Cleo Moore
Thanks to Benny Sharp for pic no. 1 and Francine Cole for the rest.
© 1999 (Amended in 2003)Denny C. Jackson dejackso@iglou.com
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