Josephine Dunn

Mary Josephine Dunn[1] (May 1, 1906 – February 3, 1983) was an American stage and film actress of the 1920s and 1930s.[2]

Josephine Dunn
Dunn in 1930
Born
Mary Josephine Dunn

(1906-05-01)May 1, 1906
New York City, U.S.
DiedFebruary 3, 1983(1983-02-03) (aged 76)
Thousand Oaks, California, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1920–1938
Spouses
William P. Cameron
​
​
(m. 1925; div. 1928)​
    Clyde Greathouse
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1931; div. 1931)​
      Eugene J. Lewis
      ​
      ​
      (m. 1933; div. 1935)​
        Carroll Case
        ​
        ​
        (m. 1935; died 1978)​

        Early years

        Dunn was born in New York City[3] and educated at Holy Cross convent school.[4]

        Career

        At age 14 and a 5'5" tall blonde, Dunn started out as a member of the chorus at the Winter Garden Theatre. Her first appearance was in the chorus of "Good Morning Dearie."[5] Rather than return to school she continued in her Broadway career, appearing in almost 20 productions including the Ziegfeld Follies,[4] Between Two Worlds (1934), Take a Chance (1932), Pickwick (1927), Dear Sir (1924),[6] and ending her Broadway run with "Kid Boots."[5]

        Photoplay, 1930

        Dunn visited the Paramount studio with a friend, and attended the Paramount Pictures School In 1926 after being discovered there. Her first film role was in Fascinating Youth (1926) which was cast with the school's graduating class. She went on to have the lead roles in Love's Greatest Mistake (1927) and Fireman, Save My Child (1927).[4]

        After nine months of inactivity in film, Dunn signed a long-term contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.[4]

        She starred in 23 silent films, and in 1929 she was one of 13 girls named as "WAMPAS Baby Stars", which that year included actress Jean Arthur. In 1930 she made a successful transition, unlike many silent stars, to sound films. In 1930 she starred in Safety in Numbers (1930) alongside Carole Lombard and Kathryn Crawford. She starred in sixteen films through 1932.

        Personal life

        Dunn married four times. In 1925, she married William P. Cameron in Elkton, Maryland. He was a contracting engineer.[7] They were divorced in 1928.[8] She married Clyde Greathouse, an official of an oil company, in Los Angeles on January 10, 1931,[9] and they were divorced on October 26, 1931.[10] On January 6, 1933, in Great Neck, New York,[11] she married Eugene J. Lewis,[12] whom she divorced in 1935 to marry Carroll Case, whose father Frank Case owned the Algonquin Hotel in New York City, which housed the now famous Algonquin Round Table.

        She retired from acting in 1938 and remained with Case until his death in 1978.

        Death

        Dunn died of cancer on February 3, 1983, in Thousand Oaks, California, aged 76.[3]

        Partial filmography

        References
        1. Wilson, Scott (2016). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed. McFarland. p. 213. ISBN 9781476625997. Retrieved October 8, 2017.
        2. allmovie bio
        3. Ellenberger, Allan R. (2001). Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries: A Directory. McFarland. p. 210. ISBN 9780786450190. Retrieved October 8, 2017.
        4. "Comeback Star in Lyric Film". The Daily Plainsman. South Dakota, Huron. September 21, 1929. p. 5. Retrieved July 19, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. open access
        5. "Graduating Exercises of the Paramount Pictures School Class of 1926". Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on April 10, 2022. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
        6. "Josephine Dunn". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on July 20, 2018. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
        7. "Josephine Dunn Will Marry Again". Warren Times Mirror. Pennsylvania, Warren. Associated Press. January 7, 1931. p. 13. Retrieved July 20, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. open access
        8. "Josephine Dunn, Movie Actress, Soon to Marry". Reading Times. Pennsylvania, Reading. Associated Press. January 15, 1931. p. 9. Retrieved October 7, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. open access
        9. "Josephine Dunn Weds". The Tennessean. Tennessee, Nashville. Associated Press. January 12, 1931. p. 9. Retrieved July 20, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. open access
        10. "Josephine Dunn, Film Actress, Given Divorce". The Los Angeles Times. California, Los Angeles. October 27, 1931. p. 25. Retrieved July 20, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. open access
        11. "Josephine Dunn Speaking: I'm Married Again". Daily News. New York, New York City. February 7, 1933. p. 180. Retrieved July 20, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. open access
        12. "Josephine Dunn Reveals Wedding". The Press Democrat. California, Santa Rosa. United Press. February 7, 1933. p. 1. Retrieved October 7, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. open access
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