# Virginia Grey

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American actress (1917–2004)

Virginia Grey Grey in 1941 Born (1917-03-22)March 22, 1917 Edendale, California, U.S. Died July 31, 2004(2004-07-31) (aged 87) Woodland Hills, California, U.S. Occupations Actress, singer Known for All That Heaven Allows The Women

**Virginia Grey** (March 22, 1917 – July 31, 2004)[1] was an American actress who appeared in over 100 films and several radio and television shows from the 1930s to the early 1980s.[2] She was romantically involved with [Clark Gable](/source/Clark_Gable) for several years, after his wife, [Carole Lombard](/source/Carole_Lombard)'s, untimely death.

## Biography

Grey was born on March 22, 1917,[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] in [Edendale](/source/Edendale%2C_Los_Angeles), [California](/source/California),[2] the youngest of three daughters of Florence Anna Grey ([née](/source/Birth_name#Maiden_and_married_names) Pauly; 1890—1930) and [director](/source/Film_director) [Ray Grey](/source/Ray_Grey). One of her early [babysitters](/source/Babysitter) was film star [Gloria Swanson](/source/Gloria_Swanson). Grey debuted at 10 in the [silent film](/source/Silent_film) *[Uncle Tom's Cabin](/source/Uncle_Tom's_Cabin_(1927_film))* (1927) as [Little Eva](/source/Little_Eva_(character)). She continued acting for a few more years but left acting for three years to finish her education.[1]

Grey abandoned her training as a nurse and returned to films in the 1930s, with bit parts and work as an [extra](/source/Extra_(actor)). She eventually signed a contract with [Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer](/source/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) (MGM) and appeared in several films, including *[The Hardys Ride High](/source/The_Hardys_Ride_High)* (1939) with [Mickey Rooney](/source/Mickey_Rooney), *[Another Thin Man](/source/Another_Thin_Man)* (1939) with [William Powell](/source/William_Powell), *[Hullabaloo](/source/Hullabaloo_(film))* (1940), and *[The Big Store](/source/The_Big_Store)* (1941) with the [Marx Brothers](/source/Marx_Brothers).[1]

She left MGM in 1942 and worked steadily for several film studios over subsequent years. During the 1950s and 1960s, producer [Ross Hunter](/source/Ross_Hunter) frequently included Grey in his popular soap melodramas such as *[All That Heaven Allows](/source/All_That_Heaven_Allows)*, *[Back Street](/source/Back_Street_(1961_film)),* and *[Madame X](/source/Madame_X_(1966_film))*.[1]

Grey in 1938 [Dramatic School](/source/Dramatic_School_(film))

Grey had an intermittent love affair with [Clark Gable](/source/Clark_Gable) in the 1940s. After Gable's wife [Carole Lombard](/source/Carole_Lombard) died and he returned from military service, Gable and Grey were often seen together at restaurants and nightclubs. Many, including Grey herself, expected Gable to marry her, and tabloids often speculated on a wedding announcement. It was a great surprise when Gable hastily married Lady [Sylvia Ashley](/source/Sylvia_Ashley) in 1949, leaving Grey heartbroken. Gable divorced Ashley in 1952, never rekindling his romance with Grey, who never married.[3]

In 1951, Grey portrayed Blanche Bickerson on the syndicated comedy TV series *The Bickersons*.[4] She was a regular on television in the 1950s and 1960s, appearing in episodes of *[Playhouse 90](/source/Playhouse_90)*, *[U.S. Marshal](/source/U.S._Marshal_(TV_series))*, *[The Jane Wyman Show](/source/Fireside_Theatre)*, *[General Electric Theater](/source/General_Electric_Theater)*, *[The DuPont Show with June Allyson](/source/The_DuPont_Show_with_June_Allyson)*, *[Your Show of Shows](/source/Your_Show_of_Shows)*, *[Red Skelton](/source/Red_Skelton)*, *[Wagon Train](/source/Wagon_Train)* (“The Honorable Don Charlie Story,” "The Kate Parker Story," "The Major Adams Story"), *[Bonanza](/source/Bonanza)*, *[Marcus Welby, M.D.](/source/Marcus_Welby%2C_M.D.)*, *[Love, American Style](/source/Love%2C_American_Style)*, *[Burke's Law](/source/Burke's_Law_(1963_TV_series))*, *[The Virginian](/source/The_Virginian_(TV_series))*, *[Peter Gunn](/source/Peter_Gunn)*, *[Ironside](/source/Ironside_(1967_TV_series))*, among many other series.[1]

## Death

Grey died on July 31, 2004, at age 87, in [Woodland Hills, California](/source/Woodland_Hills%2C_California), while a resident at the [Motion Picture Home](/source/Motion_Picture_Home).[5] She was [cremated](/source/Cremated), and her ashes were scattered at sea on August 6, 2004, off the Los Angeles coast.[5]

[Anna Torv](/source/Anna_Torv) portrayed her in the [HBO](/source/HBO) miniseries *[The Pacific](/source/The_Pacific_(miniseries))*, which recounts her friendship with [John Basilone](/source/John_Basilone) on the latter's [war bond](/source/War_bond) tour.[1]

## Filmography

Year Film Role Director Notes 1927 Uncle Tom's Cabin Eva Harry A. Pollard 1928 The Michigan Kid a child Irvin Willat 1928 Heart to Heart Hazel Boyd William Beaudine 1928 Jazz Mad F. Harmon Weight uncredited 1931 Misbehaving Ladies Hazel Boyd William Beaudine 1931 Palmy Days Goldwyn Girl A. Edward Sutherland uncredited 1933 Secrets a Child Frank Borzage uncredited 1934 Dames Chorus Girl Busby Berkeley uncredited 1934 The St. Louis Kid Second Girl Ray Enright scenes deleted 1934 The Firebird Autograph Seeker William Dieterle uncredited 1935 Gold Diggers of 1935 Chorus Girl Busby Berkeley uncredited 1935 Don't Bet on Blondes Girl with Henry Robert Florey uncredited 1935 She Gets Her Man Club Woman William Nigh uncredited 1936 The Great Ziegfeld Ziegfeld Girl Robert Z. Leonard uncredited 1936 Old Hutch Pirate's Club Customer J. Walter Ruben uncredited 1936 Our Relations Ethel, Girl with Dave in Drugstore Harry Lachman 1937 Secret Valley Joan Carlo Howard Bretherton 1937 Bad Guy Kitty Edward L. Cahn 1937 Rosalie Mary Callahan W. S. Van Dyke 1938 The Canary Comes Across Ann Clayton Short film 1938 Test Pilot Sarah Victor Fleming 1938 Billy Rose's Casa Mañana Revue Virginia Mason Short film 1938 Snow Gets in Your Eyes June Short film 1938 Ladies in Distress Sally Gus Meins 1938 The Shopworn Angel Chorus Girl #1 H.C. Potter uncredited 1938 Rich Man, Poor Girl Miss Selma Willis Reinhold Schünzel 1938 Youth Takes a Fling Madge Archie Mayo 1938 Dramatic School Simone Robert B. Sinclair 1939 Idiot's Delight Shirley Laughlin Clarence Brown 1939 Broadway Serenade Pearl Robert Z. Leonard 1939 The Hardys Ride High Consuela MacNish George B. Seitz 1939 The Women Pat George Cukor 1939 Thunder Afloat Susan Thorson George B. Seitz 1939 Another Thin Man Lois MacFay W. S. Van Dyke 1940 Three Cheers for the Irish Patricia Casey Lloyd Bacon 1940 The Captain Is a Lady Mary Peabody Robert B. Sinclair 1940 The Golden Fleecing Lila Hanley Leslie Fenton 1940 Hullabaloo Laura Merriweather Edwin L. Marin 1940 Keeping Company Anastasia Atherton S. Sylvan Simon 1941 Blonde Inspiration Margie Blake Busby Berkeley 1941 Washington Melodrama Teddy Carlyle S. Sylvan Simon 1941 The Big Store Joan Sutton Charles Reisner 1941 Whistling in the Dark 'Fran' Post S. Sylvan Simon 1942 Mr. and Mrs. North Jane Wilson Robert B. Sinclair 1942 Tarzan's New York Adventure Connie Beach Richard Thorpe 1942 Grand Central Murder Sue Custer S. Sylvan Simon 1942 Bells of Capistrano Jennifer Benton William Morgan 1942 Tish Katherine 'Kit' Bowser Sands S. Sylvan Simon 1942 Secrets of the Underground Terry Parker William Morgan 1943 Idaho Terry Grey Joseph Kane 1943 Stage Door Canteen Virginia Grey Frank Borzage 1943 Sweet Rosie O'Grady Edna Van Dyke Irving Cummings 1944 Strangers in the Night Dr. Leslie Ross Anthony Mann 1945 Grissly's Millions Katherine Palmor Bentley John English 1945 Blonde Ransom Vicki Morrison William Beaudine 1945 Flame of Barbary Coast Rita Dane Joseph Kane 1945 Men in Her Diary Diana Lee Charles Barton 1946 Smooth as Silk Paula Marlowe Charles Barton 1946 House of Horrors Joan Medford Jean Yarbrough 1946 Swamp Fire Janet Hilton William H. Pine 1947 Wyoming Lila Regan Joseph Kane 1947 Unconquered Diana Cecil B. DeMille 1948 Glamour Girl Lorraine Royle Arthur Dreifuss 1948 Who Killed Doc Robbin Ann Loring Bernard Carr 1948 So This Is New York Ella Goff Finch Richard Fleischer 1948 Miraculous Journey Patricia Sam Newfield (as Peter Stewart) 1948 Unknown Island Carole Lane Jack Bernhard 1948 Leather Gloves Jane Gilbert William Asher 1948 Mexican Hayride Montana Charles Barton 1948 Jungle Jim Dr. Hilary Parker William Berke 1949 The Threat Carol Felix E. Feist 1950 Highway 301 Mary Simms Andrew L. Stone 1950 Hurricane at Pilgrim Hill Janet Smedley Adams Richard L. Bare 1951 Three Desperate Men Laura Brock Sam Newfield 1951 Bullfighter and the Lady Lisbeth Flood Budd Boetticher 1951 Slaughter Trail Lorabelle Larkin Irving Allen 1952 Desert Pursuit Mary Smith George Blair 1953 A Perilous Journey Abby R. G. Springsteen 1953 The Fighting Lawman Raquel Jackson Thomas Carr 1953 Captain Scarface Elsa Paul Guilfoyle 1954 The Forty-Niners Stella Walker Thomas Carr 1954 Target Earth Vicki Harris Sherman A. Rose 1955 The Eternal Sea Dorothy Buracker John H. Auer 1955 The Last Command Mrs. Dickinson Frank Lloyd 1955 All That Heaven Allows Alida Anderson Douglas Sirk 1955 The Rose Tattoo Estelle Hohengarten Daniel Mann 1956 Accused of Murder Sandra Lamoreaux Joseph Kane 1957 Crime of Passion Sara Alidos Gerd Oswald 1957 Jeanne Eagels Elsie Desmond George Sidney 1958 The Restless Years Miss Robeson Helmut Käutner 1959 No Name on the Bullet Roseanne Fraden Jack Arnold 1960 Portrait in Black Miss Lee Michael Gordon 1961 Tammy Tell Me True Miss Jenks Harry Keller 1961 Back Street Janey née Smith David Miller 1961 Bachelor in Paradise Camille Quinlaw Jack Arnold 1961 Flower Drum Song Rosalind Henry Koster uncredited 1963 Black Zoo Jenny Brooks Robert Gordon 1964 The Naked Kiss Candy Samuel Fuller 1965 Love Has Many Faces Irene Talbot Alexander Singer 1966 Madame X Mimsy David Lowell Rich 1967 Rosie! Mrs. Peters David Lowell Rich 1970 Airport Mrs. Schultz George Seaton 1975 The Lives of Jenny Dolan Landlady Jerry Jameson 1976 Arthur Hailey's the Moneychangers Miss Callahan Boris Sagal

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-nytimes_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-nytimes_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-nytimes_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-nytimes_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-nytimes_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-nytimes_1-5) Gussow, Mel (August 6, 2004). ["Virginia Grey, a Veteran Of 100 Films, Dies at 87"](https://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/06/arts/virginia-grey-a-veteran-of-100-films-dies-at-87.html). *The New York Times*. Retrieved September 4, 2012.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-was_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-was_2-1) Bernstein, Adam (August 5, 2004). ["Hardworking Actress Virginia Grey Dies at 87"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A41197-2004Aug4.html). *The Washington Post*. Retrieved February 11, 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Virginia Grey - Obituary"](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1468829/Virginia-Grey.html). *[The Daily Telegraph](/source/The_Daily_Telegraph)*. August 7, 2004. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20150925093651/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1468829/Virginia-Grey.html) from the original on September 25, 2015. Retrieved February 11, 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-etvs_4-0)** Terrace, Vincent (2011). *Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010* (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 98. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-7864-6477-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7864-6477-7).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-books.google.com_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-books.google.com_5-1) Wilson, Scott (2016). [*Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons*](https://books.google.com/books?id=FOHgDAAAQBAJ&q=Virginia+Grey+cremated&pg=PA299) (3rd ed.). Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 299. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-7864-5098-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7864-5098-5).

## Further reading

- Alistair, Rupert (2018). "Virginia Grey". *The Name Below the Title : 65 Classic Movie Character Actors from Hollywood's Golden Age* (softcover) (First ed.). Great Britain: Independently published. pp. 111–114. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-7200-3837-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-7200-3837-5).

## External links

- [Biography portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Biography)
- [California portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:California)
- [Film portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Film)
- [Television portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Television)

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Virginia Grey](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Virginia_Grey).

Wikiquote has quotations related to ***[Virginia Grey](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Special:Search/Virginia_Grey)***.

- [Virginia Grey](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0340706/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

- [Virginia Grey](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/113894) at the [Internet Broadway Database](/source/Internet_Broadway_Database)

- [Virginia Grey](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/virginia_grey) at [Rotten Tomatoes](/source/Rotten_Tomatoes)

- [Virginia Grey](https://web.archive.org/web/1/https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/76641%7C151775/wp) at the [TCM Movie Database](/source/Turner_Classic_Movies#TCMdb) (archived)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Virginia Grey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Grey) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Grey?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.