Ellen Drew

Ellen Drew (born Esther Loretta Ray; November 23, 1914 – December 3, 2003) was an American film actress.

Early life Drew, born in Kansas City, Missouri in 1914, was the daughter of an Irish-born barber. She had a younger brother, Arden. Her parents separated in 1931. Moving to Hollywood in an attempt to become a star, she was discovered while working at an ice cream parlor where one of the customers, actor William Demarest, took notice of her and eventually helped her get into films.

Career Ray's venture into the movies brought about a conflict in names when she tried starting her career with the name Terry Ray, which happened to be the name of another, male, actor. A 1937 newspaper photo showed the resolution of the conflict as "They conferred, drew lots from the hat, and masculine Terry Ray became Terry Rains, while feminine Terry Ray remained as before." She later tried the name of Erin Drew. she became a fixture at Paramount Pictures officially as Ellen Drew and on July 25, 1943, she co-starred with Preston Foster in "China Bridge", a presentation of Silver Theater on CBS radio. She also appeared twice on the Kate Smith Hour.

Death Drew died on December 3, 2003, in Palm Desert, California, of a liver ailment, aged 89. She was cremated and her ashes scattered at sea.

In popular culture

A highly fictionalized version of her appears in James Ellroy's novels Perfidia (2014) and This Storm (2019).

Partial filmography

The Return of Sophie Lang (1936) as Secretary (uncredited) Rhythm on the Range (1936) as Party Guest (uncredited) Yours for the Asking (1936) (uncredited) My American Wife (1936) as Party Guest (uncredited) Hollywood Boulevard (1936) as Terry Ray - Casting Office Secretary (uncredited) Lady Be Careful (1936) as Girl in Sailboat Wives Never Know (1936) (uncredited) Murder with Pictures (1936) as Minor Role (uncredited) The Big Broadcast of 1937 (1936) as Telephone Girl Rose Bowl (1936) as Mary Arnold (uncredited) The Accusing Finger (1936) as Wife College Holiday (1936) as Dancer on Train (uncredited) Murder Goes to College (1937) as Lil The Crime Nobody Saw (1937) as Secretary (uncredited) Internes Can't Take Money (1937) as Nurse (uncredited) Make Way for Tomorrow (1937) as Usherette (uncredited) Turn Off the Moon (1937) as Minor Role (uncredited) Night of Mystery (1937) as Secretary Hotel Haywire (1937) as Switchboard Operator (uncredited) Mountain Music (1937) as Helen (uncredited) This Way Please (1937) as Chorus Girl (uncredited) The Buccaneer (1938) (uncredited) Scandal Street (1938) (uncredited) Dangerous to Know (1938) as Secretary Cocoanut Grove (1938) as Radio Station Receptionist (uncredited) You and Me (1938) as Cashier Sing, You Sinners (1938) as Martha Randall If I Were King (1938) as Huguette The Lady's from Kentucky (1939) as Penelope 'Penny' Hollis The Gracie Allen Murder Case (1939) as Ann Wilson The Escape (1939) as Reporter (uncredited) Geronimo (1939) as Alice Hamilton French Without Tears (1940) as Diana Lake Women Without Names (1940) as Joyce King Buck Benny Rides Again (1940) as Joan Cameron Christmas in July (1940) as Betty Casey Texas Rangers Ride Again (1940) as Ellen 'Slats' Dangerfield The Mad Doctor (1941) as Linda Boothe The Monster and the Girl (1941) as Susan Webster Reaching for the Sun (1941) as Rita The Parson of Panamint (1941) as Mary Malloy Our Wife (1941) as Babe Marvin The Night of January 16th (1941) as Kit Lane The Remarkable Andrew (1942) as Peggy Tobin My Favorite Spy (1942) as Teresa 'Terry' Kyser Star Spangled Rhythm (1942) as herself (uncredited) Ice-Capades Revue (1942) as Ann Porter Night Plane from Chungking (1943) as Ann Richards The Impostor (1944) as Yvonne And the Angels Sing (1944) (uncredited) That's My Baby! (1944) as Betty Moody Dark Mountain (1944) as Kay Downey China Sky (1945) as Louise Thompson Isle of the Dead (1945) as Thea Man Alive (1945) as Connie McBride Sing While You Dance (1946) as Susan Kent Crime Doctor's Manhunt (1946) as Irene Cotter Johnny O'Clock (1947) as Nelle Marchettis The Swordsman (1948) as Barbara Glowan The Man from Colorado (1948) as Caroline Emmet The Crooked Way (1949) as Nina Martin Davy Crockett, Indian Scout (1950) as Frances Oatman The Baron of Arizona (1950) as Sofia de Peralta – Reavis 'The Baroness' Stars in My Crown (1950) as Harriet Gray Cargo to Capetown (1950) as Kitty Mellar The Great Missouri Raid (1951) as Bee Moore Man in the Saddle (1951) as Nan Melotte Outlaw's Son (1957) as Ruth Sewall The Millionaire (TV series) episode "The Julia Conrad Story" (1959) as Julia Conrad, with co-star Robert Alda