Nan Grey


Nan Grey was an American film actress.

Early years

Grey was born in Houston, Texas. In 1934, she went to Hollywood with her mother for a holiday. She was persuaded by a friend to take a screen test and ended up in pictures.
Grey attended the school that Universal Studios operated for children who had film contracts.

Career

Film

Grey's screen debut was in 1934 in Warner Brothers' Firebird. She starred opposite John Wayne in the 1936 film Sea Spoilers. Grey appeared in the Universal Monsters films Dracula's Daughter and The Invisible Man Returns. She also appeared in the popular 1936 musical comedy Three Smart Girls as well as the 1939 sequel Three Smart Girls Grow Up.

Radio

Grey played Kathy Marshall in the NBC radio soap opera Those We Love 1938-1945. Grey played in The Lux Radio Theatre, November 8, 1937 episode, She Loves Me Not with Bing Crosby, Joan Blondell, and Sterling Holloway

Invention

In the 1960s, Grey invented and marketed a cosmetic mirror especially suited to nearsighted women. An obituary noted, "Among its users was Princess Grace of Monaco."

Personal life

On May 4, 1939, Grey married U. S. Racing Hall of Fame jockey Jack Westrope in Phoenix, Arizona.
She married singer Frankie Laine in June 1950, and Laine adopted Grey's daughters from her marriage to Westrope.

Death

The Laines' forty-three year union lasted until her death from heart failure on July 25, 1993, her 75th birthday.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1934The St. Louis KidFirst Girl
1934The FirebirdAlice von Attem
1934BabbittEunice Littlefield
1935The Woman in RedMinor RoleUncredited
1935Mary Jane's PaLucille Preston
1935The Affair of SusanMiss Skelly
1935His Night OutMinor RoleUncredited
1935The Great ImpersonationMiddleton's DaughterUncredited
1936Next Time We LoveIngenueUncredited
1936Sutter's GoldAnn Eliza Sutter
1936Love Before BreakfastTelephone GirlUncredited
1936Dracula's DaughterLili
1936Nobody's FoolYoung GirlUncredited
1936Crash DonovanDoris Tennyson
1936Sea SpoilersConnie Dawson
1936Three Smart GirlsJoan
1937Let Them LiveJudith Marshall
1937The Man in BlueJune Hanson
1937Love in a BungalowMary Callahan
1937Some Blondes Are DangerousJudy Williams
1938The Jury's SecretMary Norris
1938The Black DollMarian Rood
1938Reckless LivingLaurie Andrews
1938Danger on the AirChristina 'Steenie' MacCorkle
1938Girls' SchoolLinda Simpson
1938The StormPeggy Phillips
1939Three Smart Girls Grow UpJoan Craig
1939Ex-ChampJoan Grey
1939The Under-PupPriscilla Adams
1939Tower of LondonLady Alice Barton
1940The Invisible Man ReturnsHelen Manson
1940The House of the Seven GablesPhoebe Pyncheon
1940Sandy Is a LadyMary Phillips
1940You're Not So ToughMillie
1940MargieMargie
1940A Little Bit of HeavenJanet Loring
1941Under AgeJane Baird