Donna Corcoran
Donna Corcoran (born September 29, 1942)[1] is an American former child actress who appeared in nine Hollywood films from 1951 through 1955. She notably appeared in two aquatic musicals that featured Esther Williams (playing swimmer Annette Kellerman as a child in one of them), and as a vulnerable girl being victimized by an emotionally disturbed babysitter (played by Marilyn Monroe) in Don't Bother to Knock.
Donna Corcoran | |
|---|---|
 Corcoran in Scandal at Scourie (1953) | |
| Born | September 29, 1942 Quincy, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Years active | 1951–1963 |
| Spouse(s) | Luis Felipe Guerrero Newman (1961-?) Jerry Keene (m. 1981; died 2017) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Noreen Corcoran (sister) Kevin Corcoran (brother) Kelly Corcoran (brother) |
After making her last film, she made a token comeback as a young adult in an episode of the long-running sitcom My Three Sons (starring Fred MacMurray) in the early 1960s.
Corcoran was born in Quincy, Massachusetts to William Henry Corcoran, Sr. and Kathleen H. McKenney.[1] Several of her siblings were child stars, including younger sister Noreen Corcoran,[2] Kevin Anthony Corcoran, and Kelly Corcoran.
Personal life
Corcoran married Luis Felipe Guerrero Newman, a rancher, in 1961; they had two daughters and later divorced. She married mining engineer Jerry Keene in 1981, and they remained married until his death in 2017.[1]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | Angels in the Outfield[3] | Bridget White | with Paul Douglas and Janet Leigh |
| 1952 | Love Is Better Than Ever | Janice Lee Yogurt | uncredited |
| 1952 | Young Man with Ideas | Caroline Webster | |
| 1952 | Don't Bother to Knock | Bunny Jones | with Marilyn Monroe |
| 1952 | Million Dollar Mermaid | Annette - 10 years old | with Esther Williams |
| 1953 | Scandal at Scourie[3] | Patsy | with Walter Pidgeon and Greer Garson |
| 1953 | Dangerous When Wet[4] | Junior Higgins | again with Esther Williams |
| 1954 | Gypsy Colt[5] | Meg MacWade | with Ward Bond |
| 1955 | Moonfleet | Grace | with Stewart Granger |
References
- Stebick, Thomas A. (December 2019). "The Corcoran Kids". Classic Images (534): 7–15, 58–67.
- Barnes, Mike (January 16, 2016). "Noreen Corcoran, the Adopted Niece on TV's 'Bachelor Father,' Dies at 72". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 1 June 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
- "All-Star Cast Featured in Center Theater Film". Kingsport Times-News. Tennessee, Kingsport. July 19, 1953. p. 15. Retrieved 1 June 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Williams, Lamas Are Musical Stars". The Paris News. Texas, Paris. July 26, 1953. p. 6. Retrieved 1 June 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- "'Gypsy Colt' Appeals To Children, Adults". Casper Star-Tribune. Wyoming, Casper. April 18, 1954. p. 18. Retrieved 1 June 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
Bibliography
- Best, Marc. Those Endearing Young Charms: Child Performers of the Screen (South Brunswick and New York: Barnes & Co., 1971), pp. 45–49.
