Pawsome Pet Pictures: Ella Raines giving her friend a bath

Here are some pics of actress Ella Raines giving her friend a bath, in which she also has to join in on the fun. I can relate.

Well at least they are both clean and fresh now...

Pawsome Pet Pictures: Ella Raines.

Fun Fact: Broke into films in 1943 as the first contract star of a new production company, B-H Productions,established by actor Charles Boyer and director Howard Hawks. She later signed with Universal Pictures.

Phantom Lady (1944).

Phantom Lady (1944). Directed by Robert Siomak, his first Hollywood noir. It was also a first for producer Joan Harrison, Universal Pictures' first female executive and Hitchcock's former screenwriter. Cast: Ella Raines, Alan Curtis, Franchot Tone and Thomas Gomez.

The story begins when, Scott Henderson sits next to a woman wearing a very unusual hat at a bar. Scott finds himself asking if she would like to join him for the show that he already has tickets for.. She agrees, on the condition that they do not exchange names.

At the show, Scott and the woman sit near the front, where the woman attracts the eye of the drummer(who gives me the the creeps)and singer Estela Monteiro(Carmen Miranda's sister in real life), who is furious that the woman has the same hat.

After the show, Scott escorts the woman back to the bar and they go their own way. When Scott returns home, he is met by police Inspector Burgess, who informs him that Scott's wife has been strangled to death with one of his expensive ties. Shocked, Scott says that he argued with his wife because she refused to go out with him to celebrate their anniversary. Scott, is then taken to the police station for questioning.

The next day Scott' secretary, Carol Richman, is worried sick when she reads about Marcela's murder in the newspaper. It does not take long, before Scott is arrested and during his trial he is found guilty of murdering his wife. In prison, Scott gives up hope but Carol Richman, does everything she can to save Scott.

I think this maybe one of my favorite Ella Raines, performances. Franchot Tone, also gives a wonderful performance as the accused man's best friend. I can not believe... Alan Curtis character, accepts his fate so easily without putting up more of a fight.. Anywho.. Thomas Gomez, plays the perfect detective who has his doubts about who committed the crime.

Ella Raines (August 6, 1920 – May 30, 1988), studied drama at the University of Washington and was performing in a play when she was seen by Howard Hawks.

She became the first actor signed to the new production company he had formed with the actor Charles Boyer, "B-H Productions", and made her film debut in the film, Corvette K-225(1943).

After starring in Corvette K-225, she was cast in the all female war film, Cry 'Havoc'.

In 1944, she starred in a series of big films including film noir classic: Phantom Lady, Hail the Conquering Hero, and John Wayne western, Tall in the Saddle.


Soon, she began to perform in B-films including:The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry(1945), The Web(1947) and Brute Force with Burt Lancaster.

She retired from acting in 1957.

Pawsome Pet Picture: Ella Raines.

Triva:

Her second husband, Robin Olds, was a famous fighter pilot. Son of a World War I pilot, Olds was an ace (shot down 5 or more enemy aircraft) in WWII and 4 in Vietnam. They separated in 1975 and were divorced in 1976. Ella moved back to Hollywood and lived in Sherman Oaks until her death in 1988. She is survived by two daughters, Christina Eloise Olds of Vail, Colorado and Susan Olds Scott-Risner of North Bend, Washington and a granddaughter, Jennifer Newman of Santa Monica, CA.

Happy Birthday Ella Raines

Ella Raines was born in Snoqualmie Falls, Washington, in 1920. After graduating from high school, she enrolled at the University of Washington as a drama student and participated in many plays. Following graduation, she traveled to New York and the lights of Broadway. She was eventually signed by Howard Hawks and played in Corvette K-225 (1943) as the love interest of Randolph Scott. She appeared in many A pictures very quickly, including Tall in the Saddle (1944) opposite John Wayne. She co-starred in many other films opposite such stars as Vincent Price, William Powell and Brian Donlevy (turning in a good performance as a spunky garage owner in director Arthur Lubin's underrated Impact (1949)). In the early 1950s she had her own TV series, "Janet Dean, Registered Nurse" (1954), and also had a short-lived recording career during that period. She died in 1988.

Ella Raines

Ella Raines, studied drama at the University of Washington and was performing in a play there when she was seen by Howard Hawks. She became the first actor signed to the new production company he had formed with the actor Charles Boyer, "B-H Productions", and made her film debut in Corvette K-225 in 1943.

During 1954 she performed in her own television series Janet Dean, Registered Nurse. She also performed in television series, Robert Montgomery Presents, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Presents, Lights Out, Pulitzer Prize Playhouse and The Christophers.

She retired from acting in 1957, but made one further acting performance with a guest role in the series Matt Houston in 1984.


From the movie: Phantom Lady (1944). Classic jazzy jam sessions with Ella Raines.

Impact(1949). Wanted by two women! One for Love! One for Murder!

Impact(1949).Noir. Cast: Brian Donlevy and Ella Raines. It was filmed in California including the scenes at San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf. The film was based on a story by film noir writer Jay Dratler.

Millionaire Walter William's, young wife, Irene, is trying to kill him with the help of her lover, Jim Torrance. Williams survives a hit on the head. Torrance takes off in Williams' car but dies in a head-on collision. Everyone believes that Williams was the driver.

Williams ends up in a small town in Idaho. He lands a job at a service station and falls in love with the station's owner daughter, Marsha. Meanwhile, the police arrest Williams' wife for his "murder." Marsha talks Walter into going back to clear his wife. You have to watch to see what happens next.
Click to view the movie: Suddenly(1949).

Fun Fact:
This was Anna May Wong's first screen performance since 1942.

I thought this "B" film noir is one of the best. A simple plot which has a wonderful twist. Also, to me it looks like one of the buildings is the same building in the film Vertigo(1958).

Ella Raines, studied drama at the University of Washington and was performing in a play there when she was spotted by Howard Hawks. She became the first actor signed to the new production company he had formed with the actor Charles Boyer, "B-H Productions", and made her film debut in Corvette K-225 in 1943.

During 1954 she starred in her own television series Janet Dean, Registered Nurse. She also performed in television series: Robert Montgomery Presents, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Presents, Lights Out, Pulitzer Prize Playhouse and The Christophers.

She retired from acting in 1957, but made one more acting performance in the series Matt Houston in 1984.