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American actress (1915–1985) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mary Jane Frehse (July 18, 1915[citation needed] – September 6, 1985),[1] was an American actress, singer, and dancer.[1]
Jane Frazee | |
|---|---|
Frazee in Under California Stars (1948) | |
| Born | Mary Jane Frehse July 18, 1915 Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Died | September 6, 1985 (aged 70) |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1921–1956 |
| Spouses |
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| Children | 1 |
Jane, age six, and her 12-year-old sister Ruth formed a singing vaudeville act known as The Frazee Sisters.[2] The act broke up in 1940, when Jane landed a leading role in the B film Melody and Moonlight (1940)[1] for Republic Pictures. Shortly after the film's release she was signed by Universal Pictures and was featured in Buck Privates, the high-grossing 1941 comedy/World War II film starring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. The strong impression she made in that film elevated her to leading-lady roles in Universal's popular "B" musicals, usually appearing opposite Robert Paige. She left Universal in late 1942, when she married actor-director Glenn Tryon, who was 16 years her senior. The actress was still very much in demand and returned to Republic for more musicals. She also appeared frequently in budget features for Columbia Pictures.
After World War II, most of the larger Hollywood studios curtailed their lower-budget productions and produced fewer features. This affected scores of actors, who sought refuge at the smaller studios that had been making low-budget features all along. Thus, Jane Frazee found steady if unprestigious work at Monogram Pictures and Lippert Pictures, in addition to her Republic duties. This led to the even lower-budgeted and faster-paced field of westerns, and television (including the early adventure series Adventures of Superman).
The actress ended her screen career co-starring in short subjects produced by Warner Brothers. These were the popular Joe McDoakes comedies starring George O'Hanlon. The 10-minute shorts were domestic sketches noted for their wild comic exaggeration, and Frazee (who appeared without billing) earned her laughs with excellent comedy timing. The series lapsed in 1956.
On May 28, 1942, Frazee married associate producer Glenn Tryon in Yuma, Arizona.[3] They were divorced on April 16, 1947, in Las Vegas, Nevada,[4] and had one son, Timothy.[citation needed] On April 24, 1948, Frazee married Whitey Christensen, a screen double for Roy Rogers, in Las Vegas, Nevada.[5]
Frazee died of pneumonia at the Flagship Health Center in Newport Beach, California in 1985, aged 70.[1]
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Jane Frazee co-starred as Joe's wife Alice, without screen credit:
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