Evelyn Brent

Evelyn Brent (born Mary Elizabeth Riggs; October 20, 1895 – June 4, 1975 ) was an American film and stage actress known as Lady Crook and for playing the "bad girl" in early Hollywood thrillers.

Early life Brent was born Mary Elizabeth Riggs, to Eleanor Warner Riggs and Arthur Riggs.

After a year-long contract that resulted mostly in minor westerns and melodramas, Evelyn signed with Film Booking Office (FBO), which immediately launched her as the "Queen of the Underworld" with a series of crook dramas including Silk Stocking Sal (directed by the master of macabre, Tod Browning), Midnight Molly, Alias Mary Flynn, Smooth as Satin, Lady Robinhood, and Queen o'Diamonds. The minor stardom that Evelyn received from these popular films brought her to the attention of Paramount Pictures, which signed her to a long-term contract.

Around this time she was quoted in the Los Angeles Times in relation to her preference for playing in thrillers:

Personal life and death Evelyn Brent was married three times: to movie executive Bernard P. Fineman, to producer Harry D. Edwards, and to the vaudeville actor Harry Fox. Fox and she were married until he died in 1959. Brent was bisexual and also lived with romantic female partners throughout her life, including Hollywood gossip columnist and writer of scandalous potboilers Dorothy Ducas Herzog. at age 79 in her Los Angeles home. She is interred in the San Fernando Mission Cemetery in Mission Hills, California.

Legacy In 1960, Brent was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame with a motion pictures star for her contributions to the film industry. Her star is located at 6548 Hollywood Boulevard.

Filmography

Silent features

Sound features Year Title Role Notes 1928Interference Deborah Kane 1929 Broadway Pearl Released as both silent and talking versions; Talking version is incomplete Fast Company Evelyn Corey An incomplete copy is held at the UCLA Film and Television Archive Woman Trap Kitty Evans Why Bring That Up? Betty Darkened Rooms Ellen 1930 Slightly Scarlet Lucy Stavrin Framed Rose Manning Paramount on Parade Episode 'Origin of the Apache' The Silver Horde Cherry Malotte Madonna of the Streets May 1931 Traveling Husbands Ruby Smith The Pagan Lady Dorothy 'Dot' Hunter The Mad Parade Monica Dale 1932 High Pressure Francine Dale Attorney for the Defense Val Lorraine The Crusader Tess Brandon 1933 The World Gone Mad Carlotta Lamont 1935 Symphony of Living Paula Greig Rupert Home on the Range Georgia Without Children Shirley Ross Cole The Nitwits Mrs. Alice Lake Speed Limited Natalie 1936 Song of the Trail Myra It Couldn't Have Happened - But It Did Beverly Drake The President's Mystery Ilka Blake Hopalong Cassidy Returns Lilli Marsh 1937 Jungle Jim Shanghai Lil, one of four main characters Serial King of Gamblers Cora The Last Train from Madrid Soldier uncredited Night Club Scandal Julia Reed Sudden Bill Dorn Diana Viargas Daughter of Shanghai Olga Derey 1938 Tip-Off Girls Rena Terry Mr. Wong, Detective Olga aka Countess Dubois The Law West of Tombstone Clara 'Clary' Martinez 1939 Panama Lady Lenore Daughter of the Tong The Illustrious One The Mad Empress Empress Eugenie 1941 Emergency Landing Maude Lambert Forced Landing Doctor Vidalek's Housekeeper Wide Open Town Belle Langtry Dangerous Lady Hester Engle Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring Nurse holding microscope uncredited Holt of the Secret Service Kay Drew 1942 Westward Ho Mrs. Healey Wrecking Crew Martha Poska The Payoff Alma Dorn Silent Witness Mrs. Roos / Anna Barnes 1943 Spy Train Frieda Molte The Seventh Victim Natalie Cortez 1944 Bowery Champs Gypsy Carmen 1947 Raiders of the South Belle Chambers Robin Hood of Monterey Maria Belmonte Sanchez 1948 Stage Struck Miss Lloyd The Golden Eye Sister Teresa 1949 Life of St. Paul Series Jailer's Wife 1950 Again Pioneers Alice Keeler