Dorothy Malone

Who is Dorothy Malone?

Dorothy Malone was an American actress best known for her role in the film ‘Written on the Wind.’ She began her career in 1943 and initially played modest roles, primarily in B-movies.

She was initially signed by RKO and appeared in the films ‘Higher and Higher’, ‘Seven Days Ashore’, ‘Show Business’, ‘Step Lively’, and ‘Youth Runs Wild’.

She changed her surname from Maloney to Malone after signing with Warner Bros.

Dorothy Malone: Bio, Age, Parents, Siblings, Ethnicity, Education

Dorothy Malone was born as Dorothy Eloise Maloney on January 30, 1924, in Chicago, Illinois, USA, as the fifth child of Esther Emma “Eloise” Smith and her father, Robert Ignatius Maloney Sr., an auditor for AT&T Corporation.

Her siblings included Patsy Jane, Joan Esther, Robert Bruce, and George William Maloney. Both of her sisters died from polio complications, and one of her brothers was murdered by lightning while on the golf course.

In July 1925, she and her family relocated to Dallas, Texas, where she attended Hockaday School for Girls, Ursuline Convent, and Highland Park High School. Later, she enrolled at Southern Methodist University to become a nurse.

Dorothy Malone: Professional life, Career

At the age of 18, Dorothy Malone was signed by RKO using her real name, Dorothy Maloney. In 1943, she made her film debut as a model in ‘Gildersleeve on Broadway’.

She later appeared in the films ‘The Falcon and the Co-eds’, ‘Higher and Higher’, ‘Step Lively’, ‘Show Business’, ‘Youth Runs Wild’, and ‘One Mysterious Night’.

In 1944, she got a contract with Warner Bros and went on to star in the films ‘Hollywood Canteen’, ‘Too Young to Know’, and ‘Frontier Days’. The actress initially gained recognition when she was cast in the 1946 picture ‘The Big Sleep’.

She went on to play larger roles in the films ‘Janie Gets Married’, ‘Night and Day’, and ‘To the Victor’.
She had her first starring part in the 1948 film ‘Two Guys from Texas’. Following that, she acted in the films ‘One Sunday Afternoon’, ‘Flaxy Martin’, ‘South of St. Louis’, and ‘Colorado Territory’ before departing the studio in 1949.
Malone played Karen Galt in the 1950 film ‘The Nevadan’.

She then appeared in ‘Convicted’ and ‘The Killer That Stalked New York’. She then played Lola Gillway and Dr. Ann F. Rollins in the films ‘Mrs. O’Malley and Mr. Malone’ and ‘Saddle Legion’.

The American beauty then began acting on television, appearing in shows such as ‘Omnibus’, ‘Four Star Playhouse’, ‘The Doctor’, ‘The Revlon Mirror Theatre’, ‘Fireside Theatre’, ‘Lux Video Theatre’, ‘The Christophers’, ‘General Electric Theatre’, and ‘Appointment with Adventure’.

Malone appeared in the 1955 films The Fast and the Furious, Tall Man Riding, Sincerely Yours, Artists and Models, and Westerns: At Gunpoint.

In 1956, she played Marylee Hadley in the drama film ‘Written on the Wind’. Following its success, she landed larger roles in films such as ‘Man of a Thousand Faces’, ‘Tip on a Dead Jockey’, ‘Too Much, Too Soon’, ‘The Last Voyage’, and ‘The Last Sunset’.

During this time, she also appeared on television in the shows ‘Route 66’, ‘Checkmate’, ‘Death Valley Days’, ‘The Dick Powell Theatre’, ‘The Untouchables’, ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’, and ‘Arrest and Trial’. In 1967, she appeared on an episode of ‘Insight’. Two years later, she appeared in the television film ‘The Pigeon’.

Malone appeared in a variety of TV dramas from 1972 to 1976, including ‘The Bold Ones: The New Doctors’, ‘Ironside’, ‘Ellery Queen’, ‘Rich Man, Poor Man’, and ‘The Streets of San Francisco’.

In 1977, she played Mrs. Skinner in the action thriller film ‘Golden Rendezvous’. She also appeared in the television films ‘Little Ladies of the Night’, ‘The November Plan’, and ‘Murder in Peyton Place’ that year.

During 1978 and 1979, the American beauty appeared in the TV shows ‘The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries’, ‘Vega$’, and ‘The Greatest Heroes of the Bible’, as well as the films ‘The Day Time Ended’, ‘Good Luck, Miss Wyckoff’, and ‘Winter Kills’.

In 1980, she played Molly Denniver in the TV miniseries ‘Condominium’. That same year, Malone appeared in an episode of ‘The Littlest Hobo’.

Despite her advanced age, she remained active on both the small and large screens, appearing in a variety of projects like ‘Peyton Place: The Next Generation’, ‘The Being’, and ‘Basic Instinct’ in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Major Works

Dorothy Malone plays a big role in the 1955 film ‘Battle Cry’ as a married lady who has a love affair with a young soldier during WWII. The film was a huge hit.

She played Constance MacKenzie Carson in the drama series ‘Peyton Place’ from 1964 to 1968. With this role, she also established herself as a successful television actor. This performance earned her several honors and plaudits.

What is the relationship of Dorothy Malone?

Dorothy Malone married actor Jacques Bergerac in 1959. Before their separation in 1964, the couple had two children, Mimi and Diane. Dorothy eventually won primary custody of the children after a lengthy legal custody fight with the other parent.

The actress married stockbroker Robert Tomarkin in 1969. Unfortunately, her marriage to Tomarkin only lasted a few months. Her third marriage, to businessman Charles Huston Bell, terminated in 1971 after two years.

Dorothy Malone: Net worth, Salary

Before her death, her net worth is assumed to be around $ 5 million.