Jane Greer, Jack Warner, Ruth Roman

Who was born on this date:

Actress Jane Greer was born on September 9, 1924 in Washington, D.C. She is best known for her role as femme fatale, Kathie Moffat in the 1947 film noir, Out of the Past. A beauty-contest winner and professional model from her teens, Greer began her show business career as a big band singer. Howard Hughes spotted Greer modeling on the cover of Life Magazine of June 8, 1942 and sent her to Hollywood to become an actress. She married Rudy Vallee, her senior by 22 years, in 1943. Hughes lent out the actress to RKO to star in many films, including Dick Tracy (1945), They Wont Belive Me (1947), The Big Steal (1949), You’re in the Navy Now (1951), The Prisoner of Zenda (1952), Run for the Sun (1956), and The Man of a Thousand Faces (1957). In 1984, she was cast in Against All Odds, a remake of Out of the Past, as the mother of the character she had played in 1947. She also made numerous television show appearances through the early 1990s. Greer died of cancer on August 24, 2001 and was interred at Westwood Village Memorial Park in Los Angeles.

Who died on this date: 

On September 9, 1978, studio executive Jack Warner died. He was born on August 2, 1892 in London, Ontario, Canada. He was the president and driving force behind Warner Bros. Studios. His 45-year career was longer than that of any other traditional Hollywood studio tycoon. As co-head of production at Warner Bros. Studios, he worked with his brother, Sam, to procure the technology for the film industry's first talking picture. After Sam's death, Jack clashed with his surviving older brothers, Harry and Albert. He assumed exclusive control of the film production company in the 1950s, when he secretly purchased his brothers' shares in the business after convincing them to participate in a joint sale of stocks. Although Warner was feared by many of his employees and inspired ridicule with his uneven attempts at humor, he earned respect for his shrewd instincts and tough-mindedness. He recruited many of Warner Bros.'s top stars and promoted the hard-edged social dramas for which the studio became known. Given to decisiveness, Warner once commented, "If I'm right fifty-one percent of the time, I'm ahead of the game." On September 9, 1978, Warner died of a heart inflammation (edema) and he was buried at the Home of Peace Cemetery in East Los Angeles.

On September 9, 1999, actress Ruth Roman died. She was born on December 23, 1922 in Lynn, Massachusetts. She is best known for appearing in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1951 thriller, Strangers on a Train. In the 1950 film Three Secrets, she played a distraught mother waiting to learn whether or not her child survived an airplane crash. Although she never achieved the level of success as a leading lady that many predicted, Roman nevertheless worked regularly in film well into the 1960s after which she began making appearances on television shows. Greer died on September 9, 1999 in Laguna Beach, California, her remains were cremated and scattered at sea.

Tom London, Jane Greer, Pat Patersen

Who was born on this date:

Character actor Tom London was born on August 24, 1889 in Louisville, Kentucky. According to "The Guinness Book of Movie Records," is credited with appearing in the most movies in the history of Hollywood (over 600). His debut was in 1915 in the Western, Lone Larry, he was a trick rider and roper, and used his trick skills in scores of Westerns. He appeared as the sidekick to Western star Sunset Carson in several films. He appeared in High Noon (1952) with Gary Cooper. London made many guest appearances in television shows through the 1950s. His last movie was Underworld USA in 1961. He died on December 5, 1963 in North Hollywood and was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale.

Who died on this date:

On August 24, 2011, actress Jane Greer died. She was born on September 9, 1924 in Washington, D.C. She is best known for her role as femme fatale Kathie Moffat in the 1947 film Out of the Past. She was a beauty-contest winner and professional model during her teens and began her began her show business career as a big band singer. Howard Hughes spotted Greer modeling on the cover of Life Magazine in June of 1942 and sent her to Hollywood to become an actress. She married Rudy Valle, her senior by 22 years, in 1943. Hughes lent out the actress to RKO to star in many films, including Dick Tracy (1945), Out of the Past (1947), They Wont Believe Me (1947), and the comedy/suspense film The Big Steal (1949). Other notable screen appearances included You’re in the Navy Now (1951), The Prisoner of Zenda (1952), Run for the Sun (1956), and The Man of a Thousand Faces (1957). She made numerous television appearances including Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Bonanza, Columbo and Murder, She Wrote. She even got to make fun of Out of the Past in a parody with Robert Mitchum on TV's Saturday Night Live in 1987. Greer joined the casts of Falcon Crest in 1984, and Twin Peaks in 1990, in recurring roles. Greer died from cancer on August 24, 2001 and buried at Westwood Village Memorial Pak in Los Angeles.

On August 24, 1978, actress Pat Paterson died. She was born on April 7, 1910 in Bradford, England. Though she made over 20 films, she is most famous for being the wife of French-born actor Charles Boyer and for the tragic death of their only child, Michael, at his own 21st birthday party. In 1928, although aged only 18 (the legal age of adulthood in the UK at the time was 21) she persuaded her parents to allow her to leave for Hollywood. She arrived in 1929 and was fortunate enough to be signed by Fox Studios as one of their many "starlets", a bit-part journeywoman actress. She was helped by her expressive beauty and by dying her natural auburn-brunette hair golden-blonde instead. Her film credits include The Other Woman (1931), Bitter Sweet (1933), Bottoms Up (1934), Charlie Chan in Egypt (1935), and Idiot’s Delight (1939). Patersen died on August 24, 1978 from a brain tumor, her husband Charles Boyer committed suicide two days later. They are buried together alongside their son at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.

www.michaelthomasbarry.com, author of Fade to Black Graveside Memories of Hollywood Greats, 1927-1950