Evelyn Venable and Julie London

I will be signing copies of my books this Saturday, October 22, 2011 at the annual Santa Ana Historical Preservation cemetery tour at Fairhaven Memorial Park in Santa Ana, California from 10-3...click link for more info http://www.santaanahistory.com/index.html

Who was born on this date:

Actress Evelyn Venable was born on October 18, 1913in Cincinnati, Ohio. Actress of the 1930s and 1940s, she was signed to a contract by Paramount Studios in 1932. Film credits include Death Takes a Holiday (1934), The Little Colonel (1935) and Streamline Express (1935). She was also the voice of the Blue Fairy in Disney’s Pinocchio (1940). In 1943 Venable retired from acting so that she could spend time with her family. She resumed her studies at UCLA and became a faculty member there, teaching ancient Greek and Latin and organizing the production of Greek plays within the Classics department. She died of cancer on November 15, 1993 and her remains were cremated and scattered.

Who died on this date: 

On October 18, 2000, actress Julie London died. She was born on September 26, 1926 in Santa Rosa, California. She was best known for her smoky, sensual voice. London was at her singing career's peak in the 1950s. Her acting career lasted more than 35 years. It concluded with the female lead role of nurse Dixie McCall on the TV series, Emergency (1972–1979), co-starring her real-life husband Bobby Troup, and produced by her ex-husband Jack Webb. Her widely regarded beauty and poise (she was a pinup girl during World War II) contrasted strongly with his pedestrian appearance and streetwise acting technique (much parodied by impersonators). Primarily remembered as a singer, London also made more than 20 films. One of her strongest performances came in Man of the West (1958), starring Gary Cooper. She performed on many television shows including Rawhide and the Big Valley. Her early film career did not include any singing roles. She recorded 32 albums in a career that began in 1955 and Billboard named her the most popular female vocalist for 1955, 1956, and 1957. London's most famous single, "Cry Me a River", became a million-seller after its release in December 1955.  London performed the song in the film The Girl Can’t Help It (1956). London suffered a stroke in 1995 and was in poor health until her death on October 18, 2000 in Encino, California. She is interred next to Troup at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills.