Virginia Verrill

Verrill was born Catherine Virginia Verrill in Santa Monica, California. Her mother, Aimee McLean Verrill, was active in vaudeville.[2] At 5 months of age, Verrill appeared with her mother in her act.[3]

Verrill's family was friends with orchestra leader Paul Whiteman, who had Virginia sing on his bandstand when she was 3 years old. She attended Hollywood's John Marshall High School.[2] (Another source says that she graduated from Hollywood High School.)[4]

By the time she was 13, Verrill was singing on local stations,[2] with her debut coming on KMPC in 1932.[4] In 1934, she sang with David Brockman and the KHJ orchestra[5] on California Melodies, which originated at KHJ and was carried on the CBS network.[2] Early in 1935, columnist Walter Winchell reported that Verrill had begun working for CBS.[6] In June 1935, she was singing on the Socony Sketchbook with Johnny Green's orchestra[7] and had "a starring contract" on another show that was planned.[8] That program debuted July 2, 1935, with Verrill as star and Mark Warnow conducting the accompanying orchestra.[9] She had another program, Vocals by Verrill, in 1937.[10]

Verrill performed regularly on the variety shows College Humor Program,[11] Uncle Walter's Dog House,[12] Home Town, Unincorporated,[13] The Jack Haley Show,[13]^: 170 and Maxwell House Show Boat.[13]^: 303

She was also heard on broadcasts with Orville Knapp's Orchestra.[14]

In 1934, Verrill sang with Marvin George and his Hermosa Hut Orchestra.[15] She also "was featured at the Colony Club and other famous Hollywood rendezvous."[2]

When she was 13,[16] Verrill won an audition over 300 others to sing the title song in Barbara Stanwyck's Ten Cents a Dance," (1931).[3] By the time she was 18 years old, she had "frequently played voice double for Hollywood picture stars."[2] Her dubbing included singing for Jean Harlow in both Reckless (1935)[6] and Suzy (1936).[17]

On-screen, she was seen in Hide-Out (1934)[18] and Walter Wanger's Vogues of 1938.[1]

By 1942, Verrill had left show business. A newspaper column printed September 25 of that year reported, "Virginia, at the age of 25, has retired from the stage and screen and is now a happy housewife and mother and is reported to be the best pie crust baker on the block."[19]

At the time of her death, Verrill was married to Dr. Louis C. Duddleston.[1] The two had wed on June 17, 1961, in Crystal Lake, Illinois; he was a dentist then living in nearby Woodstock who had previously taught at Northwestern University.[20] Her first husband was a Music Corporation of America's chief band-booking executive in Chicago.[21]

Verrill died January 18, 1999, at age 82, in the Mayview Nursing Home in Raleigh, North Carolina. Survivors included her husband, a son, a daughter, and seven grandchildren.[1]

• Virginia Verrill sings It's Easy to Remember (And So Hard to Forget) with the Isham Jones Orchestra