Mary Dees
Encyclopedia
Mary Ella Dees was an American stage and screen actress who once served as a primary stand-in double for late-1930s actress Jean Harlow
. Dees had parts in The Last Gangster
(1937), The Women
(1939), as well as a number of Three Stooges
shorts, which included Hoi Polloi
(1935), and numerous Marx Brothers
comedies.
on June 3, 1911, the daughter of a successful lawyer, she was for a time raised in Tuscaloosa, Alabama
.
In 1937, upon the sudden death of starlet actress Jean Harlow, Dees was cast by MGM bosses Louis B. Mayer
and Irving Thalberg
as a four-minute stand-in for Harlow, who was acting on the film Saratoga
with Clark Gable
, which was still in production at the time.
film A Night in Casablanca
. She continued on act on stage in repretoiry theatre until 1985.
Jean Harlow
Jean Harlow was an American film actress and sex symbol of the 1930s. Known as the "Blonde Bombshell" and the "Platinum Blonde" , Harlow was ranked as one of the greatest movie stars of all time by the American Film Institute...
. Dees had parts in The Last Gangster
The Last Gangster
The Last Gangster is a 1937 crime drama film, directed by Edward Ludwig and starring Edward G. Robinson, James Stewart and Rose Stradner.-Plot:...
(1937), The Women
The Women
The Women is a comedy of manners by Clare Boothe Luce.The play is an acidic commentary on the pampered lives and power struggles of various wealthy Manhattan socialites and up-and-comers and the gossip that propels and damages their relationships...
(1939), as well as a number of Three Stooges
Three Stooges
The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy act of the early to mid–20th century best known for their numerous short subject films. Their hallmark was physical farce and extreme slapstick. In films, the Stooges were commonly known by their first names: "Moe, Larry, and Curly" and "Moe,...
shorts, which included Hoi Polloi
Hoi polloi
Hoi polloi , an expression meaning "the many", or in the strictest sense, "the majority" in Greek, is used in English to denote "the masses" or "the people", usually in a derogatory sense. Synonyms for "hoi polloi" include ".....
(1935), and numerous Marx Brothers
Marx Brothers
The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act, originally from New York City, that enjoyed success in Vaudeville, Broadway, and motion pictures from the early 1900s to around 1950...
comedies.
Biography and career
Born in Syracuse, New YorkSyracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
on June 3, 1911, the daughter of a successful lawyer, she was for a time raised in Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama . Located on the Black Warrior River, it is the fifth-largest city in Alabama, with a population of 90,468 in 2010...
.
In 1937, upon the sudden death of starlet actress Jean Harlow, Dees was cast by MGM bosses Louis B. Mayer
Louis B. Mayer
Louis Burt Mayer born Lazar Meir was an American film producer. He is generally cited as the creator of the "star system" within Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in its golden years. Known always as Louis B...
and Irving Thalberg
Irving Thalberg
Irving Grant Thalberg was an American film producer during the early years of motion pictures. He was called "The Boy Wonder" for his youth and his extraordinary ability to select the right scripts, choose the right actors, gather the best production staff and make very profitable films.-Life and...
as a four-minute stand-in for Harlow, who was acting on the film Saratoga
Saratoga (film)
Saratoga is a 1937 film written by Anita Loos and directed by Jack Conway. The movie stars Clark Gable and Jean Harlow in their sixth and final film collaboration....
with Clark Gable
Clark Gable
William Clark Gable , known as Clark Gable, was an American film actor most famous for his role as Rhett Butler in the 1939 Civil War epic film Gone with the Wind, in which he starred with Vivien Leigh...
, which was still in production at the time.
Later career
Dees appeared in her last film role in 1946, in the Marx BrothersMarx Brothers
The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act, originally from New York City, that enjoyed success in Vaudeville, Broadway, and motion pictures from the early 1900s to around 1950...
film A Night in Casablanca
A Night in Casablanca
A Night in Casablanca was the twelfth Marx Brothers movie, starring Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, and Harpo Marx. The picture was directed by Archie Mayo and written by Joseph Fields and Roland Kibbee, and is generally considered one of the better of the Marx Brothers' later films.-Plot:Set in...
. She continued on act on stage in repretoiry theatre until 1985.