Frances Mercer
{{short description|American actress}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2020}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Frances Mercer
| image = Frances Mercer photo.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1915|10|21}}
| birth_place = New Rochelle, New York, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2000|11|5|1915|10|21}}
| death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| occupation = Actress, model
| years_active = 1938–1967
| spouse = G. Robert Fleming, plus 2 others
| father = Sid Mercer
}}
Frances Mercer (October 21, 1915 – November 5, 2000) was an American film actress.
Biography
Mercer was born in New Rochelle, New York, on October 21, 1915. Her father was sports writer Sid Mercer.{{cite news |title=Frances Mercer Poses for Red Book Cover |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/509167325/?match=1&terms=%22Frances%20Mercer%22%20actress%20 |access-date=September 2, 2024 |work=The Paxton Record |date=September 5, 1940 |page=1|via = Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription }} From beginning modeling as a teenager, she became one of New York's leading models before she turned to acting in the late 1930s. Her film debut was in Vivacious Lady (1938),{{cite news |title=Actress Frances Mercer, at 85 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1065842514/ |access-date=September 2, 2024 |work=The Republican |date=November 19, 2000 |location=Massachusetts, Springfield |page=B 7|via = Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription }} and she debuted on Broadway in Very Warm for May (1939).{{cite web |title=Frances Mercer |url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/frances-mercer-102318 |website=Internet Broadway Database |publisher=The Broadway League |access-date=September 2, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210824005544/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/frances-mercer-102318 |archive-date=August 24, 2021 |url-status=live}} She was featured on the cover of Redbook magazine's October 1940 issue.
She appeared in the films Blind Alibi, Crime Ring, Smashing the Rackets, The Mad Miss Manton, Annabel Takes a Tour, Beauty for the Asking, Society Lawyer, The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle, Piccadilly Incident, There's Always Tomorrow and Young and Dangerous.{{cite news |title=Obituary for Frances Mercer (Aged 85) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81488933/obituary-for-frances-mercer-aged-85/ |access-date=15 July 2021 |work=The Los Angeles Times |date=8 November 2000 |pages=297}}
Television series in which Mercer appeared included For Better or Worse and Dr. Hudson's Secret Journal. She had a radio program, Sunday Night at Nine, in New York. In her later years, when acting jobs became less available, she took other work, including being a medical assistant and a bank teller and dealing in antiques.{{cite news |last1=Oliver |first1=Myrna |title=Frances Mercer; Movie Actress, Early TV Star |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/157548815/?match=1&terms=%22Frances%20Mercer%22%20actress |access-date=September 2, 2024 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=November 8, 2000 |page=B 9|via = Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription }}
Mercer was married to G. Robert Fleming, who was the Republican nominee for California's 16th congressional district in 1956, losing to Democratic incumbent Donald L. Jackson.{{cite news |last1=Barnes |first1=Aleene |title=Actress in New Life Role |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/381189819/?match=1&terms=%22Frances%20Mercer%22%20Fleming |access-date=September 2, 2024 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=May 6, 1956 |page=Part III - 14|via = Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription }} She died on November 5, 2000, in Los Angeles, California at age 85.
Filmography
| class="wikitable" | |||
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | Vivacious Lady | Helen | |
| 1938 | Blind Alibi | Ellen | |
| 1938 | Crime Ring | Judy Allen | |
| 1938 | Smashing the Rackets | Susan 'Pat' Lane | |
| 1938 | The Mad Miss Manton | Helen Frayne | |
| 1938 | Annabel Takes a Tour | Natalie Preston | |
| 1939 | Beauty for the Asking | Patricia Wharton | |
| 1939 | Society Lawyer | Sue Leonard | |
| 1939 | The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle | Claire Ford | |
| 1946 | Piccadilly Incident | Joan Draper | |
| 1955 | There's Always Tomorrow | Ruth Doran | |
| 1957 | Young and Dangerous | Mrs. Price |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|0580263}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mercer, Frances}}
Category:20th-century American actresses
Category:American film actresses
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