Elena Verdugo

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Elena Verdugo
Elena Verdugo 1955.JPG
Verdugo in 1955
Born
Elena Angela Verdugo

(1925-04-20)April 20, 1925
Paso Robles, California, U.S.
DiedMay 30, 2017(2017-05-30) (aged 92)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1931–1985
Spouse(s)
Charles R. Marion
​
​
(m. 1946; div. 1955)​

Charles R. Rosewall
​
​
(m. 1972; died 2012)​
Children1

Elena Angela Verdugo (April 20, 1925[1] – May 30, 2017) was an American actress who began in films at the age of five in Cavalier of the West (1931). Her career in radio, television and film spanned six decades.

Early life[]

The daughter of Mrs. Beatrice K. Verdugo, she studied dance, drama, and music as a youngster.[2]

Career[]

Film[]

When Verdugo was 15, a judge appointed her mother as her legal guardian so that she could sign a film contract.[2] One of her early appearances was in Down Argentine Way (1940).[3] She made numerous film appearances through the 1940s, including two Universal horror films. While filming the Abbott and Costello comedy Little Giant (1946), she met and married screenwriter Charles R. Marion, who also wrote for the comedy team's radio show.

Verdugo starred with Gene Autry and Stephen Dunne in The Big Sombrero (1949). She had a small part as the orange girl smitten by Cyrano's gallantry in the opening theater scene of the 1950 José Ferrer version of Cyrano de Bergerac.

She co-starred in Thief of Damascus (1952) with Paul Henreid and John Sutton.

Verdugo had a starring role as a singer in 1957's Panama Sal, a musical comedy film.

Radio and television[]

Verdugo in 1953

Verdugo had a flair for comedy, and she garnered much laughter and applause in the title role of the hit situation comedy Meet Millie on both radio[4] and television (1952–1956).[5]:677–678​ She guest starred on The Bob Cummings Show in a 1958 episode titled "Bob and the Ravishing Realtor", playing the part of the realtor. In 1959, she played Maria Carroyo in "Incident at Spanish Rock", an episode of Rawhide. In 1963, she played Gerry in the short-lived NBC half-hour Western dramatic series Redigo,[5]:882​ actually the second season of Egan's earlier hour-long Empire, in which she also played Gerry.[5] Verdugo appeared as herself in 1963 on the NBC game show Your First Impression.

From February to June 1964, Verdugo played Audrey, the widowed sister of Phil Silvers' character Harry Grafton, in Silvers' CBS sitcom The New Phil Silvers Show.[6]

In the full 1964–1965 season, Verdugo played Lynn Hall, an employee of a complaint department at a Los Angeles department store in CBS's Many Happy Returns.[5]:654​ In 1965–1966, she played Alice in Mona McCluskey.[5]:710​

Verdugo is perhaps best known today for her role as office assistant/nurse Consuelo Lopez in the ABC series Marcus Welby, M.D., starring with Robert Young in the title role and James Brolin as the medical associate. The series aired from 1969 to 1976.[5]:655​

Recognition[]

In 1971 and 1972, Verdugo was nominated for Emmy Awards in the Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in Drama category. Both nominations were for her performances on Marcus Welby, M.D.[7]

She has a star at 1709 Vine Street in the Television section of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It was dedicated on February 8, 1960.[8]

Personal life[]

Verdugo in 1996

Verdugo is a descendant of the Verdugo family that was one of the founders of Los Angeles.[9]

Verdugo and Marion had one son, Richard Marion (1949–1999), who became an actor/director. Her second husband was Charles "Rosy" Rosewall, M.D., a psychiatrist, who died in 2012.[9][10]

Verdugo died on May 30, 2017 in Los Angeles at the age of 92.[9]

Filmography[]

Year Title Role Notes
1931 Cavalier of the West Little Girl Uncredited
1940 Down Argentine Way Argentine Dancer Uncredited
1941 Blood and Sand Specialty Dancer Uncredited
The Hard-Boiled Canary Girl Uncredited
Belle Starr Young Girl Uncredited
1942 To the Shores of Tripoli Spanish Dancer Uncredited
The Moon and Sixpence Ata
1944 Rainbow Island Moana
House of Frankenstein Ilonka
1945 The Frozen Ghost Nina Coudreau
1946 Little Giant Martha Hill
Strange Voyage Carmelita Lopez
1947 Song of Scheherazade Fioretta
1948 Shed No Tears Marilyn
El Dorado Pass Dolores
1949 The Big Sombrero Estrellita Estrada
Tuna Clipper Bianca Pereira
The Lost Tribe Li Wanna
Sky Dragon Connie Jackson, alias Marie Burke
1950 The Lost Volcano Nona
Snow Dog Andrée Blanchard
Cyrano de Bergerac Orange Girl
1951 Gene Autry and the Mounties Marie Duval
1952 Thief of Damascus Neela
Jet Job Marge Stevens
The Pathfinder Lokawa
1953 The Marksman Jane Warren
1957 Panama Sal Sal Regan
1965 Day of the Nightmare Miss Devi
1968 How Sweet It Is! Vera Wax
1969 Angel in my Pocket Lila Sinclair
1978 The Boss' Son Betty

References[]

  1. ^ Hal Erickson (2014). "Elena Verdugo profile". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 2, 2014. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b "Girl Moves Toward Film Career Goal". The Los Angeles Times. California, Los Angeles. August 30, 1940. p. 17. Retrieved March 28, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "(untitled brief)". The Brooklyn Citizen. New York, Brooklyn. September 19, 1940. p. 12. Retrieved March 28, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Terrace, Vincent (1999). Radio Programs, 1924–1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-4513-4. P. 223.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7. P. 307.
  6. ^ Alex McNeil, Total Television, New York: Penguin Books, 1996, 4th ed., p. 598
  7. ^ "Elena Verdugo | Television Academy". Television Academy. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
  8. ^ "Elena Verdugo". Hollywood Walk of Fame. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b c Elena Verdugo, Emmy-Nominated Actress on 'Marcus Welby, M.D.,' Dies at 92
  10. ^ "Dr. Charles (Rosy) ROSEWALL - obituary". legacy.com/obituaries/latimes/obituary. Legacy.com. Retrieved August 19, 2018.

External links[]

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