Helen Wood (actress)

Helen Wood (June 4, 1917 – February 8, 1988)^[1][2] was an American actress active in film and radio primarily during the 1930s. She is not to be confused with the actress and performer Helen [Ann] Wood (1935–1998), who later appeared in Deep Throat.

Helen Wood
Wood in 1935
Born	(1917-06-04)June 4, 1917 Clarksville, Tennessee, US
Died	February 8, 1988(1988-02-08) (aged 70) Los Angeles, California, US
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1933–1949
Spouses	Alfred Huenergardt ​ ​ (m. 1940, divorced)​ Erle Henriksen ​ (m. 1942)​

Biography

Wood was born in Clarksville, Tennessee, to Edwin Wood (who worked in real estate and insurance) and Hazel Case.^[3] She had a younger sister, Mary Martha.^[4]

After winning a beauty contest at Clarksville's Capitol Theatre in 1933 as a teenager, Wood earned a trip to Hollywood, where she was cast in Roman Scandals (1933). She then returned to Clarksville to finish high school. Upon her return to Hollywood after graduation, she signed a contract with MGM.^[5][6]

She reportedly spent $4,000 on a vocal coach who helped her drop her Southern accent.^[7] She later signed at 20th Century Fox, where she was made to compete for parts against fellow actresses Rita Hayworth (then Margarita Cansino) and Dixie Dunbar.^[3] On-screen, she was frequently paired with actor Thomas Beck.^[8] Supposedly she had to back out of a big role due to an illness early on in her career.^[5]

She also worked in radio in the late 1930s.

Personal life

In December 1940, Wood married Dr. Alfred Huenergardt;^[9] the marriage ended in divorce.^[10] In October 1942, she married Dr. Erle Henriksen.^[11] She died in Los Angeles on February 8, 1988.^[2][12]

Selected filmography

• Roman Scandals (1933)
• Moulin Rouge (1934)
• Kid Millions (1934)
• Gold Diggers of 1935 (1935)
• Mary Jane's Pa (1935)
• In Caliente (1935)
• Anna Karenina (1935)
• She Married Her Boss (1935)
• The Goose and the Gander (1935)
• A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935)
• My Marriage (1936)
• Champagne Charlie (1936)
• High Tension (1936)
• Charlie Chan at the Race Track (1936)
• Sing, Baby, Sing (1936)
• Can This Be Dixie? (1936)
• Crack-Up (1936)
• Almost a Gentleman (1939)
• Sorority House (1939)
• The Pilgrimage Play (1949)