Ty Worked With... Actresses - Second Leads, Page 2

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This set of pages is dedicated to the second leading ladies in Ty's films. Typically, the "second lead" in Ty's movies, with a few exceptions, was the romantic interest who didn't win his heart. The "second leads" in Ty's movies were generally very pretty, extremely talented actresses, but they more often played supporting roles, rather than the starring roles of the leading ladies. There were, of course, exceptions. Some of the "second leads" played both starring and supporting roles.

pictured left - Ty and Frances Farmer, his second leading lady in Son of Fury.

Joan Blondell

born August 30, 1906 New York, New York
died December 25, 1979 Santa Monica, California (leukemia)

Filmography

movie with Ty: Nightmare Alley
character in Nightmare Alley: Zeena Krumbein

other films include
The Blue Veil, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Topper Returns

Joan Blondell was star of stage and screen. After appearing on Broadway in Penny Arcade, with James Cagney, both were signed by Warner Brothers. They starred in six movies together in the early 1930's: Blonde Crazy, The Crowd Roars, Footlight Parade, He Was Her Man, Other Men's Women, The Public Enemy, and Sinners' Holiday. She went on to appear in numerous films, with top actors such as Clifton Webb, Dick Powell, Humphrey Bogart, and Melvyn Douglas, among others. In April 1945, while servicing in the Pacific, Ty wrote to his friend, Leon Shamroy, cinematographer for A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. In the letter, he thanked him, on behalf of himself and "499 others" (Marines) for his contribution to the film. Often Ty made special requests for actresses, and it is possible that, based on seeing this movie, he requested that Joan Blondell co-star with him. (just a theory)

Julie Adams

October 17, 1926, Waterloo, Iowa

Filmography

movie with Ty: The Mississippi Gambler
character in The Mississippi Gambler : Ann Conant

other films include
Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Private War of Major Benson , Slaughter on Tenth Avenue

For more information about Julia Adams, click here.

Marina Berti

September 29, 1924, London, England
29 October 2002 Rome, Italy

Filmography

movie with Ty: Prince of Foxes
character in Prince of Foxes : Angela Borgia

other films include
Quo Vadis, La Regina di Saba (Queen of Sheba), Damon and Pythias

Marina Berti was the star of many Italian films. She appeared in several American films, usually in smaller roles.

Patricia Neal

born January 20, 1926, Packard, Kentucky

Filmography

movie with Ty: Diplomatic Courier
character in Diplomatic Courier: Joan Ross

other films include
The Fountainhead, Hud, A Face in the Crowd

Patricia Neal was a not only a wonderful screen star, but also a superb stage star. She appeared in four Broadway shows: The Miracle Worker, A Roomful of Roses, The Children's Hour, and Another Part of the Forest, for which she won a Tony. In 1964, when she won the Oscar for Best Actress in a Lead Role, Tyrone Power's first wife, Annabella, accepted for her.

Phyllis Brooks

born July 18, 1915, Boise, Idaho
died August 1, 1995, Cape Neddick, Maine

Filmography

movie with Ty: In Old Chicago
character in In Old Chicago: Ann Colby

other films include
The Shanghai Gesture, Lady in the Dark, You Can't Have Everything

In 1945, Phyllis Brooks married Congressman, Torbert H. Macdonald, and retired from movies. She then moved in the political circles. Early in her film career, she dated Tyrone Power, just briefly, and, for a longer period, Cary Grant.

Virginia Field

born November 4, 1917, London, England
January 2, 1992, Palm Desert, California (cancer)

Filmography

movies with Ty:Ladies in Love and Lloyds of London
character in Ladies in Love: Countess Helena Grabitz
character in Lloyds of London: Polly

other films include
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, Waterloo Bridge , Eternally Yours

Both Virginia Field and Ty had small roles in Ladies in Love, which was the movie before stardom broke for Ty. She played a larger role in Lloyds of London, as his second leading lady. Virginia Field was in forty-five movies, usually in small roles. She appeared in movies with such stars as Bing Crosby, Ray Milland, George Raft, David Niven, Peter Lorre, Cornel Wilde, Robert Taylor, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., among others.

Wendy Barrie

born April 18, 1912, Hong Kong
died February 2, 1978, Englewood, New Jersey

Filmography

movie with Ty: Day-Time Wife
character in Day-Time Wife: Kitty

other films include
The Private Life of Henry VIII, The Hound of the Baskervilles, Five Came Back

Wendy Barrie appeared in several notable films, sometimes in starring roles and sometimes in character roles. She appeared with such stars as Walter Pidgeon, Edward G. Robinson, Joel McCrea, Humphrey Bogart, Charles Laughton, Robert Donat, Ray Milland, and George Sanders, among others. Marguerite Wendy Jenkins was Wendy's birth name. She took her stage name from her godfather, J.M. Barrie, the Scottish novelist and playwright. In his Peter Pan, as most of you know, there was a character called Wendy.