The Triumph and Tragedy of Suzanne Alexander by Samuel R. Clemens - HTML preview

Acknowledgements

I would like extend my gratitude

towards everyone who contributed

to this publication. Suzanne

Alexander died decades ago, which

made it difficult to speak with

people who knew her.

Organizations like Ancestry,

Internet Archive, Glamour Girls of

the Silver Screen, Historic Images,

N. Rubin & Co., the Library of

Congress, the University of

Southern California, the Los

Angeles Public Library,

Government of Canada -they

provided census’-, and the San

Francisco Public Library were

instrumental in helping with

research.

I appreciate the models of

Queen for a Day who were

willing to tell me stories

about Suzanne Alexander, as

a lot of them starred

alongside her on the series.

Maxine R. Fitzpatrick (née

Reeves), Carol Kapan (née

Silversparre), Doris J. Wolfe

(née Gildart), Millicent

Reynolds (née Deming),

Mildred Plate (also known as

Jann Darlyn), Jolene M.

Schlatter (née Brand), Lisa

Davis, Betty Breneman,

Dorene Bree (née Georgeson)

and Gloria A. Blackman (née

Moore) are among those

models. They live in

Southern California. Doris

passed away shortly before

this book’s publication at the

age of 90.

Elaine Devry from Grants Pass, Oregon was kind in speaking to me, as well as Diana Darrin of The Affairs of Dobie Gillis (1953), Debra Paget of Princess of the Nile (1954), Mary Morlas and Joy Lee of Son of Sinbad (1955), Kathy Marlowe and Marilyn Hanold of The Garment Jungle (1957), Mimi Gibson of Racket Squad, and Gloria H. Tracy (née Tennes) of Richard Diamond, Private Detective. Barbara Vann (née Wilson) and Grace Brown (née Marshall) were contestants for Miss Rheingold of 1955, and they had a lot of stories about Suzanne Alexander.

Others who contributed were James M. Plate, Catherine Brown (née Bell), Joan M. Perry (née Nesgis), Sylvia Lewis, Marianne Johnson (née Guice), Charlotte Eastin (née Guice), Marilyn Leo (née Armor), Mona Nardone, Rose A. Walsh (née Schallberger), Elsie M. Elfering (née Schallberger), Phyllis V.

Madonna (née Boyd), Connie Madonna, Claudette S. Kapan, James E. Kranyak, Paul Robins, Christopher J. Harlan, Wynn W. Wolfe, Wyatt C. Wolfe, Merry Moore, Melinda Garber (née Moore), Nat Rubin, Robert E. Styles, Josie Walters-Johnston, Richard Koper, and Robert C. Rotter.

References

Ames, Walter, “Soapbox Jack.” Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 1952, p. 20.

Suzanne Alexander stars with Jack Rourke in Ladies Matinee.

“Announce Winner at Beach Today,” Santa Cruz Sentinel, 12

Jun, 1949, p. 1.

The contestants in Miss California of 1949 are listed.

Bacon, James, “TV Gal Seen-Not Heard.” Fort Lauderdale News, 3 Jul. 1959.

Suzanne Alexander stars on Queen for a Day.

Belser, Emily, “Wolf Wears Tux But Has No Shoes,” Calgary Herald, 10 Jul. 1956.

Suzanne Alexander talks about her experience touring for Guys and Dolls (1955).

Carroll, Harrison, “Behind the Scenes in Hollywood.” The Gaffney Ledger, 31 Oct. 1950, p. 8.

Suzanne Alexander was Dinah Shore’s secretary, and she later became engaged to Jerry Lester.

“Coming Events,” The Brantford Daily Expositor, 5 Feb, 1908, p. 2.

Will J. White is performing at Victoria Hall.

“Charming.” Los Angeles Evening Citizen News, 5 May. 1949, p. 3.

Suzanne Alexander was crowned Miss Studio City of 1949.

She is an alumnus of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Dawson, Sam, “And One Will Be Queen.” Evening Vanguard, 7

Aug. 1952, p. 5.

Suzanne Alexander is a finalist at Queen of the Home Show.

De Carvalho, George, “A Great American Entertainment: The Beauty Contest on the Beach.” San Francisco Chronicle, 19

Jun. 1949, p. 14.

This article gave information on the contestants in Miss California of 1949.

Dinehart, Mozelle, “Show Business.” Valley Times (North Hollywood, California), 11 Jul. 1951, p. 12.

Suzanne Alexander starred in Detective Story at the Ivar Theater.

“Forgery Victim.” Daily News (Los Angeles, California), 19

Mar. 1954, p. 1.

Suzanne Alexander was robbed of her paycheck.

“Hotel Plunge Kills Hollywood Model.” San Francisco Examiner, 22 Sep. 1975, p. 31.

Suzanne Alexander’s death is confirmed.

Inge, Gene, “Beauty Queen Gets Change to Go Dramatic.”

Daily News-Post, 9 Apr. 1955, p. 10.

Suzanne Alexander is a co-host on Juke Box Jury. She has a role in Daddy Long Legs (1955) as well. She was a figure skater before becoming an actress. She moved to California in 1948.

Johnson, Erskine, “In Hollywood.” Visalia Times-Delta, 31 Aug.

1953, p. 2.

Suzanne Alexander has walk-on roles in The French Line (1954) and Son of Sinbad (1955), and she was chose for screen tests with Mike Todd’s post-production company Todd-AO.

Koper, Richard, (2019). “When a Girl's Beautiful: The Life and Career of Joi Lansing.” BearManor Media.

Suzanne Alexander’s role in Daddy Long Legs (1955) is confirmed.

“Merritton Life from Day to Day,” St. Catherines Standard, 19

Sep, 1913, p. 8.

Will J. White is performing at the Rebekah Concert.

“Miss Gwendolyn Haynes.” The Calgary Albertan, 7 Nov. 1917, p. 9.

Suzanne’s mother, Gwendolyn Haynes, played Miss Canada in Victory’s Call to Canada (1917).

“Models to Show New Swimsuits.” Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 14

Mar. 1959, p. 36.

Suzanne’s employment with Rose Marie Reid Swimming Suit Company is confirmed.

Newton, Dwight, “Day and Night with Radio and Television.”

San Francisco Examiner, 13 Nov. 1953, p. 22.

Suzanne Alexander is a co-host on Juke Box Jury.

“Off to New York.” Valley Times (North Hollywood, California), 25 May. 1954, p. 13.

Suzanne Alexander competes in Miss Rheingold.

“Princess.” The Sault Star, 28 Feb. 1917, p. 4.

Will J. White Sr performs at the Princess.

“Real Fun.” Los Angeles Times, 27 Apr. 1953, p. 30.

Suzanne Alexander appears on Photography is Fun.

“San Fernando 8-Day Fiesta in Full Swing.” Los Angeles Evening Citizen News, 16 May. 1949, p. 7.

Suzanne Alexander was crowned Miss San Fernando Valley of 1949. She is overseeing the Queen’s Ball for Queen of the Fiesta.

Shearer, Lloyd, “They’re Nothing But Nothing Girls.” The Kingston Whig-Standard, 9 Mar. 1957, p. 9-10.

The models on Queen for a Day earn $250 a week.

“TV-Radio Briefs.” Los Angeles Evening Citizen News, 28 Apr.

1950, p. 22.

Suzanne Alexander’s appearance on Club Time is confirmed.

“TV-Radio Highlights.” The Times Dispatch (Richmond, Virginia), 7 Sep. 1956, p. 20.

Suzanne Alexander’s appearance at Celeste in Crossroads is confirmed.

“Valley Beauty Title Seekers Have Preview,” Los Angeles Times, 6 May, 1949, p. 32.

The contestants in Miss San Fernando Valley of 1949 are listed.

Index

Bailey, Jack, 22-23

Moore, Gloria, 22, 47

Brand, Jolene, 27, 38, 47

Potter, Peter, 24

Colbert, Rexford, 37

Powell, Dick, 31

Daddy Long Legs, 25

Princess of the Nile, 19, 24

Darlyn, Jann, 27-28, 32, 47

Public Defender, 26

Detective Story, 9, 11

Queen for a Day, 5, 22, 24,

Devry, Elaine, 39, 43, 47

28, 30, 32, 36, 46

Down Three Dark Streets,

Reeves, Maxine, 22

20

Schaumberg, Lois, 36

Gildart, Doris, 36, 47

Schlitz Playhouse, 11

Guys and Dolls, 27

Sheehan, Pat, 22, 27

Haynes, Gwendolyn, 7, 10

Silversparre, Carol, 22, 28,

Hollywood Plaza Hotel, 24

33, 47

I Married a Woman, 32

Son of Sinbad, 15, 47

Juke Box Jury, 5, 24, 30

Victory’s Call to Canada, 10

Latin Lovers, 14

White, Thomas, 10

Mod Squad, 38

White, William, 7-8, 39-40

Author

Samuel Clemens is from the San Francisco Bay Area. He is an author for Sequoia Press, and he’s interviewed numerous talents in Hollywood including Eva Marie Saint, Ray Anthony, Tina Louise, Vikki Dougan, Jack Hill, Ruta Lee, Beverly Adams, and Angie Dickinson. His abilities as a researcher extend beyond this book, as he has found the whereabouts and outcomes of numerous stars including Carol Ohmart, Dolores Reed, Jean Moorhead, Kipp Hamilton, and Shirley Kilpatrick.

He earned a Bachelor of Arts in 2018, and a Master of Arts in 2019. In addition to writing, his interests include movies, traveling, research, and sports. He is bilingual in English and Japanese, and he aspires to teach English in Tokyo, Japan someday. He is currently pursuing a Master of Education while volunteering at his church, and he has various other projects in the works. Other periodicals that he writes for include The Galileo Observer, Classic Images, Western

Clippings, Glamour Girls of the Silver Screen, and Films of the Golden Age.

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