{{Short description|American actress}} {{Use American English|date=July 2020}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2020}} {{Infobox person | name = Colleen Townsend | image = Colleen Townsend 1949.jpg | caption = Townsend (1949) | other_names = Colleen Townsend Evans<br>Colleen Evans | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1928|12|21}} | birth_place = Glendale, California, U.S. | occupation = Actress, writer and humanitarian | spouse = {{marriage|Louis H. Evans, Jr.|1950|2008}} (his death) }}
'''Colleen Townsend Evans''' (born December 21, 1928<ref>O'Leary, Dorothy (July 1948). [https://archive.org/details/movielandtvtimev06unse/page/n575/mode/2up?q=%22colleen+townsend%22+%22december+21+1928%22 "Colleen (Townsend) With a Plan"]. ''Movieland''. p. 42. Retrieved January 27, 2024.</ref>) is an American actress, author and humanitarian.
==Early years== Townsend was born in Glendale, California.<ref name="l">{{cite magazine|title=The Big Build-Up|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1UEEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Colleen+Townsend%22&pg=PA77|access-date=January 7, 2018|magazine=Life|date=August 30, 1948|pages=77–81|language=en}}</ref> Her parents separated "when she was a tot," after which she lived with her mother.<ref name=ms>{{cite magazine |last=Pollock |first=Louis |date=March 1949 |pages=42–43, 111–112 |title=Soldier of God |url=https://archive.org/details/modernscreen3839unse/page/n383/mode/1up?view=theater |magazine=Modern Screen |access-date=January 27, 2024}}</ref> She attended Brigham Young University, leaving during her sophomore year to pursue a film career.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=Kansas City Star|date=March 9, 1948|page=3|title=Something For The Pupils|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79604018/colleen-townsend/}}</ref>
==Life and career== When Townsend was 15 years old, she began performing on television as a member of the dramatic company at station W6XAO in Los Angeles. A talent scout saw her work there, which led to her signing a contract with Warner Bros.<ref name="ms" />
Townsend began a film career in 1944, appearing in minor roles in several films. By 1946, she was appearing on the cover of magazines, and in 1947, she was signed to a contract by 20th Century Fox. She was the subject of a cover story for ''Life'' in 1948, which discussed the way in which major studios groomed and manufactured their stars, using Townsend's story as an example.<ref name="l" /> The studio created a photographic calendar for her to "put [her] face in every home, office and barracks in America all year around".<ref name="Life">{{cite book |title= Life Goes to the Movies |year= 1977 |publisher= Simon and Schuster|isbn= 0-671-79000-5 |pages= 98–99}}</ref> Hedda Hopper was quoted as saying that Townsend was "going places."<ref name="Life" />
She played a featured role in the film ''The Walls of Jericho'' (1948), and she was billed third behind Dan Dailey and Celeste Holm in ''Chicken Every Sunday'' (1949). Her biggest success was in the 1950 film ''When Willie Comes Marching Home'', in which she was paired with Dan Dailey. ''Again Pioneers'' (1950), which she wrote, provided her with her first lead role.{{Citation needed |date=January 2024}}
She grew up attending the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,{{Citation needed |date=January 2024}} and in 1948, she became active in First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood. In 1950, Townsend left her acting career and married long-time friend Louis H. Evans Jr., who was a seminary student at the time at San Francisco Theological Seminary. Evans was the founding pastor of Bel Air Presbyterian Church,<ref name=LATimes>{{cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/la-me-evans2-2008nov02-story.html|title=The Rev. Louis H. Evans, organizing pastor of Bel Air Presbyterian Church, dies at 82|date=November 2, 2008|newspaper=LA Times}}</ref> which began in the Evans home. Bel Air Presbyterian Church exists today as the largest Presbyterian congregation in the Los Angeles area.<ref name=BelAirPres>{{cite web|url=http://www.belairpres.org|title=Home - Bel Air Church|website=belairpres.org|accessdate=September 27, 2022}}</ref>
Later, the couple met and became friends with Billy and Ruth Graham. Townsend, now billed as Colleen Evans, returned to films briefly, starring in two films produced by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association: ''Oiltown, U.S.A.'' (1950) and ''Souls in Conflict'' (1955).<ref name=BillyGrahamCenter>{{cite web|url=http://www2.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/bulletin/bu0406.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102154125/http://www2.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/bulletin/bu0406.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 2, 2013|title= A Renaissance Woman for Christ|publisher=Wheaton College|year= 2005| access-date=January 31, 2018}}</ref>
==Post-acting== Colleen and Louis Evans moved to Washington, D.C. where he served at National Presbyterian Church. Thereafter she dedicated herself to humanitarian work, specifically in relation to racial or religious discrimination, human rights, and the role of women in society. She partnered with her husband in ministry and served on the board of World Vision. She served as the first female chair of the Billy Graham Crusade in 1986.<ref name=BillyGrahamCenter/>
==Filmography== {|class="wikitable" |- !style="background:#B0C4DE;"|Year !style="background:#B0C4DE;"|Title !style="background:#B0C4DE;"|Role |- |rowspan=3|1944 |''Janie'' |Hortense Bennett |- |''The Very Thought of You'' |Young bride |- |''Hollywood Canteen'' |Junior hostess |- |rowspan=2|1945 |''Pillow to Post'' |WAC's daughter |- |''Sing Your Way Home'' |Girl |- |rowspan=2|1948 |''Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay!'' |Girl leaving church service |- |''The Walls of Jericho'' |Marjorie Ransome |- |rowspan=1|1949 |''Chicken Every Sunday'' |Rosemary Hefferan |- |rowspan=2|1950 |''When Willie Comes Marching Home'' |Marjorie Fettles |- |''Again Pioneers'' |Sallie Keeler |- |rowspan=1|1952 |''The Great Discovery'' |Connie |- |rowspan=1|1953 |''Oiltown, U.S.A.'' |Christine Manning |}
==See also== * Pin-ups of Yank, the Army Weekly
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name}} * {{Tcmdb name}} *[http://www.google.com/search?q=life+magazine+cover+august+30+1948 Colleen Townsend on the cover of ''Life'' magazine, August 30 1948]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Townsend, Colleen}} Category:Living people Category:1928 births Category:American film actresses Category:Actresses from Glendale, California Category:American Christians Category:20th Century Studios contract players Category:American Christian writers Category:Former Latter Day Saints Category:San Francisco Theological Seminary alumni Category:American women writers Category:Writers from Glendale, California Category:Activists from California Category:American Presbyterians Category:Christians from California Category:Converts to Presbyterianism Category:20th-century American actresses