Jean Parker

From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia Jean Parker born Lois Mae Green August 11 1915 November 30 2005 was an American film and stage actress She landed her first screen test while still in high school She acted opposite such wellknown actors as Katharine Hepburn Robert Donat Edward G Robinson Randolph Scott and Laurel and Hardy She was married four times and had one son Robert Lowery Hanks Parker appeared in 70 movies from 1932 through 1966 In 1932 she posed as a flower girl and living poster in a float in the Tournament of Roses Parade where she was seen by Ida Koverman secretary to MGM mogul Louis B Mayer The following day the studio called her on the phone and invited her for a screen test Parkers film debut came in Divorce in the Family 1932 She had a successful career at MGM RKO and Columbia including roles in such films as Little Women Lady for a Day Gabriel Over the White House Limehouse Blues The Ghost Goes West and Rasputin and the Empress In 1939 she starred opposite Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy in RKOs The Flying Deuces Parker remained active in film throughout the 1940s playing opposite Lon Chaney in Dead Mans Eyes and a variety of other films During World War II she toured many of the veteran hospitals throughout the US and performed on radio In the 1950s Parker costarred opposite Edward G Robinson in Black Tuesday had a small but effective role in The Gunfighter and appeared in A Lawless Street 1955 Her last film appearance was Apache Uprising 1966 Parker also appeared on Broadway In 1949 she replaced Judy Holliday in Born Yesterday on Broadway and enjoyed a successful run in this classic She appeared on Broadway opposite Bert Lahr in the play Burlesque She did summer stock in Bucks County Pennsylvania toured in the play Candlelight and Loco and performed on stage in other professional productions In 1954 Parker played the role of Cattle Kate Watson of Wyoming in an episode of the syndicated television series Stories of the Century the first western program to win an Emmy Award The series starred and was narrated by Jim Davis Later in her career and life Parker continued a successful stint on the West Coast theatre circuit and worked as an acting coach At age 83 Parker moved into the Motion Picture and Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills California where she died of a stroke on November 30 2005 at the age of 90 She was survived by her son Robert and granddaughters Katie and Nora Hanks She was buried at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills