Constance Smith: Difference between revisions
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==Biography== |
==Biography== |
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Smith was born into a poor family as the first of eleven children.<ref name="oakland">''[[The Oakland Tribune]]'' - March 18, 1962, Oakland, California. p.25: ''Do You Remember Constance Smith?''</ref> Her father was a [[Infantry|foot soldier]], working for the [[Irish Army]], and he died when Constance was eleven years old.<ref name="oakland" /> Her mother was not able to support all her children and Constance was sent to a [[convent]].<ref name="oakland" /> When Smith won a Dublin [[beauty contest]] at age 16, her mother sent the photo to a film studio.<ref name="oakland" /> As a result, Smith won a [[screen test]], and although reluctant to seize the opportunity, she was pushed into the film industry by her mother, according to the actress.<ref name="oakland" /> |
Smith was born into a poor family as the first of eleven children.<ref name="oakland">''[[The Oakland Tribune]]'' - March 18, 1962, Oakland, California. p.25: ''Do You Remember Constance Smith?''</ref> Her father was a [[Infantry|foot soldier]], working for the [[Irish Army]], and he died when Constance was eleven years old.<ref name="oakland" /> Her mother was not able to support all her children and Constance was sent to a [[convent]].<ref name="oakland" /> When Smith won a Dublin [[beauty contest]] at age 16, her mother sent the photo to a film studio.<ref name="oakland" /> As a result, Smith won a [[screen test]], and although reluctant to seize the opportunity, she was pushed into the film industry by her mother, according to the actress.<ref name="oakland" /> |
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Connie had won a local contest to find "The girl who looked most like Hedy Lamarr," the prize being a screen test and contract with J Arthur Rank. Yet Connie, through no fault of her own, could neither read nor write, so her days were spent learning to do so, at LAMDA. Her success in Hollywood was brief. After a seedy phase in Rome, she was charged with the attempted murder of her lover, a film producer, with whom she lived after the break up of her marriage to actor-director Bryan Forbes. |
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Smith moved to [[London]], where she shortly attended the [[Rank Organisation]]. Studio executives were unamused with Smith's attitude, and she was eventually fired before she made her breakthrough.<ref name="oakland" /> She moved back to London, studied acting and played bit parts in several British [[B film]]s. In [[1950]], she was first noticed after playing an Irish maid in ''[[The Mudlark]]''. Impressed with her performance, [[20th Century Fox]] offered her a contract.<ref name="oakland" /> Upon her arrival in [[Hollywood]], producer [[Darryl F. Zanuck]] casted her opposite [[Tyrone Power]] in ''[[I'll Never Forget You (film)|I'll Never Forget You]]'' (1951). However, he soon decided she was not experienced enough and replaced her with [[Ann Blyth]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=78984&category=Notes |title=Notes for I'll Never Forget You (1951) |accessdate=2010-02-19|work=[[Turner Classic Movies]]}}</ref> |
Smith moved to [[London]], where she shortly attended the [[Rank Organisation]]. Studio executives were unamused with Smith's attitude, and she was eventually fired before she made her breakthrough.<ref name="oakland" /> She moved back to London, studied acting and played bit parts in several British [[B film]]s. In [[1950]], she was first noticed after playing an Irish maid in ''[[The Mudlark]]''. Impressed with her performance, [[20th Century Fox]] offered her a contract.<ref name="oakland" /> Upon her arrival in [[Hollywood]], producer [[Darryl F. Zanuck]] casted her opposite [[Tyrone Power]] in ''[[I'll Never Forget You (film)|I'll Never Forget You]]'' (1951). However, he soon decided she was not experienced enough and replaced her with [[Ann Blyth]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=78984&category=Notes |title=Notes for I'll Never Forget You (1951) |accessdate=2010-02-19|work=[[Turner Classic Movies]]}}</ref> |
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Revision as of 10:57, 3 November 2010
Constance Smith | |
|---|---|
| File:Constance Smith.jpg | |
| Born | 22 January 1928 |
| Died | 30 June 2003 (aged 75) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1947–1959 |
| Spouse(s) | Bryan Forbes (1951–1955), Araldo Di Crollolanza (1951–1958), Paul Rotha (1974 |
Constance Smith (22 January 1928 – 30 June 2003) was an Irish film actress, known as a contract player of 20th Century Fox in the 1950s.
Biography
Smith was born into a poor family as the first of eleven children.[1] Her father was a foot soldier, working for the Irish Army, and he died when Constance was eleven years old.[1] Her mother was not able to support all her children and Constance was sent to a convent.[1] When Smith won a Dublin beauty contest at age 16, her mother sent the photo to a film studio.[1] As a result, Smith won a screen test, and although reluctant to seize the opportunity, she was pushed into the film industry by her mother, according to the actress.[1]
Smith moved to London, where she shortly attended the Rank Organisation. Studio executives were unamused with Smith's attitude, and she was eventually fired before she made her breakthrough.[1] She moved back to London, studied acting and played bit parts in several British B films. In 1950, she was first noticed after playing an Irish maid in The Mudlark. Impressed with her performance, 20th Century Fox offered her a contract.[1] Upon her arrival in Hollywood, producer Darryl F. Zanuck casted her opposite Tyrone Power in I'll Never Forget You (1951). However, he soon decided she was not experienced enough and replaced her with Ann Blyth.[2]
She was most active in 1950s, appearing in Hollywood features such as Man in the Attic (1953). Smith was also a presenter at the Academy Awards ceremony in 1952.
She made her last film appearance in 1959.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g The Oakland Tribune - March 18, 1962, Oakland, California. p.25: Do You Remember Constance Smith?
- ^ "Notes for I'll Never Forget You (1951)". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 2010-02-19.
External links
- Please use a more specific IMDb template. See the documentation for available templates.
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