Inez Courtney
Encyclopedia
Inez Courtney was an actress on the Broadway
stage and in films. Born in Amsterdam
, New York
, she came from a large Irish-American family. Her father died when she was fifteen so she decided to go onto the stage. A year later she was doing a specialty dance which earned her the nicknames of St Vitis, Mosquito and Lightning.
Courtney's first role as a singer and dancer came in the musical The Wild Rose in 1926. She became well-known among New York theatrical audiences for her work in Good News
(1927), a musical comedy about college life. Her other credits include Spring Is Here in 1929 and America's Sweetheart in 1931. In the early 1930s, Miss Courtney left Broadway and went to Hollywood.
Courtney acted in 58 films between 1930 and 1940. She secured her first movie work by asking Harry Cohn
of Columbia Pictures
for his assistance. The red-headed comedienne made her screen debut as Cousin Betty in Loose Ankles (1930). The film co-starred Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.
and Loretta Young
. Her many movie credits include The Raven
(1935), Suzy
(1936), The Shop Around the Corner
(1940), and Turnabout
(1940), her last film.
Courtney was married to an Italian nobleman, whereby she acquired the title Marchessa, but did not use it. She died at the Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune, New Jersey
in 1975 of undisclosed causes at the age of 67.
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
stage and in films. Born in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, she came from a large Irish-American family. Her father died when she was fifteen so she decided to go onto the stage. A year later she was doing a specialty dance which earned her the nicknames of St Vitis, Mosquito and Lightning.
Courtney's first role as a singer and dancer came in the musical The Wild Rose in 1926. She became well-known among New York theatrical audiences for her work in Good News
Good News (musical)
Good News is a musical with a book by Laurence Schwab and B.G. DeSylva, lyrics by DeSylva and Lew Brown, and music by Ray Henderson.The show opened on Broadway in 1927, the same year as Show Boat, but its plot was decidedly old-fashioned in comparison to Show Boats somewhat tragic and daring...
(1927), a musical comedy about college life. Her other credits include Spring Is Here in 1929 and America's Sweetheart in 1931. In the early 1930s, Miss Courtney left Broadway and went to Hollywood.
Courtney acted in 58 films between 1930 and 1940. She secured her first movie work by asking Harry Cohn
Harry Cohn
Harry Cohn was the American president and production director of Columbia Pictures.-Career:Cohn was born to a working-class German-Jewish family in New York City. In later years, he appears to have disparaged his heritage...
of Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
for his assistance. The red-headed comedienne made her screen debut as Cousin Betty in Loose Ankles (1930). The film co-starred Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.
Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.
Douglas Elton Fairbanks, Jr. KBE was an American actor and a highly decorated naval officer of World War II.-Early life:...
and Loretta Young
Loretta Young
Loretta Young was an American actress. Starting as a child actress, she had a long and varied career in film from 1917 to 1953...
. Her many movie credits include The Raven
The Raven (1935 film)
The Raven is a horror film starring Boris Karloff and Béla Lugosi, and directed by Lew Landers. It revolves around Edgar Allan Poe's famous poem, featuring Lugosi as a Poe-obsessed mad surgeon with a torture chamber in his basement and Karloff as a fugitive murderer desperately on the run from the...
(1935), Suzy
Suzy (1936 film)
Suzy is a 1936 drama film starring Jean Harlow, Franchot Tone, and Cary Grant. The film was partially written by Dorothy Parker and directed by George Fitzmaurice, based on a novel by Herman Gorman...
(1936), The Shop Around the Corner
The Shop Around the Corner
-External links:* Movie: A Journal of Film Criticism, Issue 1, 2010...
(1940), and Turnabout
Turnabout (film)
Turnabout is a 1940 comedy film directed by Hal Roach and starring Adolphe Menjou, Carole Landis and John Hubbard. Based on the 1931 novel of the same name by Thorne Smith, the screenplay was written by Mickell Novack, Bernie Giler and John McClain with additional dialogue by Rian James.-Plot:Tim...
(1940), her last film.
Courtney was married to an Italian nobleman, whereby she acquired the title Marchessa, but did not use it. She died at the Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune, New Jersey
Neptune Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 27,690 people, 10,907 households, and 6,805 families residing in the township. The population density was 3,366.8 people per square mile . There were 12,217 housing units at an average density of 1,485.4 per square mile...
in 1975 of undisclosed causes at the age of 67.
Partial filmography
- SunnySunny (1930 film)Sunny is a 1930 musical comedy film released by Warner Brothers. The movie was based on the Broadway stage hit, Sunny, produced by Charles Dillingham, which played from September 22, 1925 to December 11, 1926. Marilyn Miller, who had played the leading part in the Broadway production, was hired by...
(1930) - Big City BluesBig City Blues (1932 film)Big City Blues is a 1932 Warner Bros. drama film directed by Mervyn LeRoy. The story is based on the play by Ward Morehouse and the film stars Joan Blondell.-Plot:...
(1932) - Hold Your ManHold Your ManHold Your Man is a 1933 American romantic drama film directed by an uncredited Sam Wood and starring Jean Harlow and Clark Gable, the third of their six films together...
(1933) - The RavenThe Raven (1935 film)The Raven is a horror film starring Boris Karloff and Béla Lugosi, and directed by Lew Landers. It revolves around Edgar Allan Poe's famous poem, featuring Lugosi as a Poe-obsessed mad surgeon with a torture chamber in his basement and Karloff as a fugitive murderer desperately on the run from the...
(1935) - It Couldn't Have Happened – But It DidIt Couldn't Have Happened – But It DidIt Couldn't Have Happened – But It Did is a 1936 American film directed by Phil Rosen. The film is also known as It Couldn't Have Happened .- Cast :*Reginald Denny as Greg Stone*Evelyn Brent as Beverly Blake...
(1936) - Let's Sing AgainLet's Sing AgainLet's Sing Again is a 1936 American film directed by Kurt Neumann.- Cast :*Bobby Breen as Billy Gordon*Henry Armetta as Joe Pasquale*George Houston as Leon Alba*Vivienne Osborne as Rosa Donelli*Grant Withers as Jim 'Diablo' Wilkins...
(1936) - SuzySuzy (1936 film)Suzy is a 1936 drama film starring Jean Harlow, Franchot Tone, and Cary Grant. The film was partially written by Dorothy Parker and directed by George Fitzmaurice, based on a novel by Herman Gorman...
(1936) - Having Wonderful TimeHaving Wonderful TimeHaving Wonderful Time is a 1938 romantic comedy film released by RKO Radio Pictures.-Plot summary :A bored New York office girl , goes to a camp in the Catskill Mountains called Camp Kare Free, for rest and to get away from the noise, busy, city life and finds a handsome waiter , and they fall in...
(1938) - Beauty for the AskingBeauty for the AskingBeauty for the Asking is a 1939 film drama produced by RKO Pictures, and starring Lucille Ball and Patrick Knowles.It tells the story of Jean Russell , who becomes romantically involved with a wealthy married man who later spurns her...
(1939) - The Shop Around the CornerThe Shop Around the Corner-External links:* Movie: A Journal of Film Criticism, Issue 1, 2010...
(1940) - TurnaboutTurnabout (film)Turnabout is a 1940 comedy film directed by Hal Roach and starring Adolphe Menjou, Carole Landis and John Hubbard. Based on the 1931 novel of the same name by Thorne Smith, the screenplay was written by Mickell Novack, Bernie Giler and John McClain with additional dialogue by Rian James.-Plot:Tim...
(1940)