Gwendolyn Mae Parks (1924-2005) could be described as a low-budget version of Gloria Pall. She was provocative, but didn't achieve a lot of stardom. After graduating from Greenville High School in Mississippi, she flew to Hollywood for a career onscreen. She appeared in several films, but they were typically decorative roles with no dialogue. She did have larger roles on television series like The Mickey Rooney Show and State Trooper.
Million Dollar Lega (1956) was a notorious soft-core pornographic film that Gwen starred in. She hoped that it would help her career, but it didn't. In fact, it damaged her career and she disappeared from Hollywood shortly thereafter. Her life went into a downward spiral after a contentious divorce. Her son lost his life in the Vietnam War as well. She lived in Sacramento, California on a pension and public assistance.
According to her niece, Gwen suffered from alcoholism and dementia for years. She missed her days in Hollywood and yearned to return to that era of her life.
LaVerne
