Helen Vinson
Helen Vinson (born September 17, 1907 in Beaumont , Texas , as Helen Rulfs , † October 7, 1999 in Chapel Hill , North Carolina ) was an American actress .
Life
After studying at the University of Texas at Austin, Helen Vinson quickly made a career in theater and made the leap to Broadway , where she appeared in the play Los Angeles , among others . In 1932 she signed a contract with the Warner Brothers film company and made her debut at the side of Kay Francis and William Powell in A Thief With Class . Other roles followed, including in I'm an escaped chain convict alongside Paul Muni and as a friend of Loretta Young in Grand Slam and They Call It Sin .
Helen Vinson quickly specialized in the role of the other woman , often taking on the role of the cynical adulteress or the malicious wife who does her best to prevent her husband from being happy with another woman. A good example of this was her appearance alongside Ann Harding in The Life of Vergie Winters from 1934, in which Vinson uses a lie to ensure that Harding is innocently imprisoned for 20 years. On The Wedding Night , Vinson was the selfish wife of Gary Cooper , who intrigued to prevent his happiness with Anna Sten . She had one of her best roles towards the end of the decade in Just Name, the mean, vengeful friend of Kay Francis .
The film historian James Quirk gave her the not entirely serious title The Bitch You Love to Hate due to her ability to credibly portray unsympathetic characters . In 1945 Vinson retired into private life after more than 40 films. A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was dedicated to her film work .
Helen Vinson was married to professional tennis player Fred Perry from 1935 to 1940 . Her third marriage was in 1946 with Donald Hardenbrook, with whom she remained married until his death in 1976. She died in 1999 at the age of 92.
Filmography (selection)
- 1932: A thief with class (Jewel Robbery)
- 1932: Hunt for James A. (I'm a Fugitive from a Chain Gang)
- 1932: They Call It Sin
- 1933: The little Giant
- 1933: The Power and the Glory
- 1934: Broadway Bill
- 1934: The Life of Vergie Winters
- 1935: Senior physician Dr. Monet (Private Worlds)
- 1935: The Tunnel
- 1935: King of the Damned
- 1935: The Wedding Night
- 1937: For you, Madame ... (Vogues of 1938)
- 1939: In Name Only (In Name Only)
- 1940: Tropical Zone (Tropic Zone)
- 1940: A Wonderful Christmas (Beyond Tomorrow)
- 1944: The Lady and the Monster
- 1945: The Thin Man Goes Home (The Thin Man Goes Home)
Web links
- Helen Vinson in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Helen Vinson in the Internet Broadway Database (English)
- short biography in the New York Times
- Helen Vinson in the German dubbing file
personal data | |
---|---|
SURNAME | Vinson, Helen |
ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Rulfs, Helen (maiden name) |
BRIEF DESCRIPTION | US-american actress |
DATE OF BIRTH | 17th September 1907 |
PLACE OF BIRTH | Beaumont , Texas , United States |
DATE OF DEATH | October 7, 1999 |
Place of death | Chapel Hill , North Carolina , United States |