Gerry Pattison

Born January 6, 1924, in Venice, California's Loamshier Hospital, and raised in Santa Monica and Altadena,"[https://www.newspapers.com/image/700260756/?clipping_id=172043231 Hospital Announces December Births] [sic]". Evening Vanguard. January 30, 1924. p. 2. "Twenty-eight newcomers were into the Bay District at Loamshier Hospital during the month of December [sic]. Seventeen are boys and eleven girls. [...] The names of the parents and the stork's busy record follows: To Mr. and Mrs. D. G. Channer, 347 24th street, Santa Monica, Dec. 4, a girl. To Mr. and Mark Throssel, 927 Marco Place, Venice, Dec. 4, a boy. To Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Stone, Palms, Dec. 5, twins, a girl and boy. [...] To Mr. and Mrs. John D. Mahoney, Palms, January 5, a boy. To Mr. and Mrs. Warren S. Pattison, 318 14th street, Santa Monica, Jan. 6, a girl."[https://www.newspapers.com/image/1170839832/?clipping_id=172206202 "Halloween Puppet Party Is Enjoyed; Marionette Show Proves Popular Event"] Pasadena Star-News. Monday, October 3, 1932. p. 20. "ALTADENA, Oct. 31. 'The Frolic of the Freaks,' a lively three-act marionette circus comedy, featured a Halloween party given at the home of Mrs. Pearl M. Smith, Villa Perla, 1393 East Foothill Boulevard, Saturday. [...] At the morning performance a quartet from the Altadena kindergarten and primary foundation school entertained with a group of songs, accompanied by Mrs. Lloyd Johnson at the piano. Those who took part were Geraldine Pattison, David Vodermark, Gordon Johnson and Benjamin Earle."[https://www.newspapers.com/image/1171708688/?clipping_id=172154697 "Trojan Houses Claim Four Pasadena Pledges"]. Pasadena Star-News. February 12, 1941. p. 8. "Charlotte Davidson of South San Gabriel Boulevard went Kappa Alpha Theta and Geraldine Pattison of Glenview Terrace, Altadena, is a pledge of Gamma Phi Beta."Sloman, Easy (April 11, 1948). [https://www.newspapers.com/image/619380610/?clipping_id=172206651 "Easy Does It"]. Pasadena Independent. pp. 3, 32. "Cute redhead Gerry Pattison, formerly an Altadenan and now a Pasadenan, just finished a part in Monogram's "Stagestruck" and probably will do a western next." Pattison was the younger of two children born to Frances Mabel—née Moore—and Warren Simeon Pattison."United States, Census, 1940", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K9WW-YHH : Sun Mar 10 23:23:28 UTC 2024), Entry for Warren S Pattison and Frances M Pattison, 1940."California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGL7-GBN9 : Mon Jan 20 13:01:41 UTC 2025), Entry for Geraldine Marilyn Pattison and Warren Simeon Pattison, 06 Jan 1924. She received her early dramatic training at the Altadena Foundation School, with the school's director, Mrs. Hazel Johnson. Beginning at the age of eight, she starred, respectively, in Johnson's 1932 staging of Constance McKey's The Princess and the Pixies—as the Princess—and in her 1933 production of Mathilde Bilbro's Geewhilikins, as the Fairy Queen.[https://www.newspapers.com/image/1171898569/?clipping_id=172005391 "Child's Group Gives Play; Mrs. Hazel S. Johnson's Class Presents Act at Her School"]. Pasadena Star-News. June 17, 1932. p. 6. "'Thullo,' and his good wife, 'Gretta,' were attended by 'Rosedew,' an orphan–Geraldine Pattison–whose blonde curls and sweet manners fitted her for the glorious destiny she was to have, rivaling Cinderella. [...] And what do you think happened? Geraldine Pattison, made an orphan for the purposes of this play, also was made a princess, for the purposes of this play–and she adorned the station."[https://www.newspapers.com/image/1170910905/?clipping_id=172005441 "Playlet Is Given by Children's Cast; Foundation School Holds Outdoor Program"]. Pasadena Star-News. June 16, 1933. p. 8. "The plot is a pretty one which earth children are caught in small untruths by the King of the Follywogs and his court, and are punished by being ground into Geewhilikins, having two faces cach. The same process, happens to the old colored mammy, who has charge of the children, for she proved adept in telling 'white lies.' But the little fairy queen is able to help them out by putting three questions so easy to answer truthfully that their replies make it possible for her with her wand to turn them back into earth children with their mammy. The cast included Geraldine Pattison. taking the part of fairy queen." Pattison later attended Elliot Junior High School and Pasadena Junior College, graduating in 1941.[https://www.newspapers.com/image/622322412/?clipping_id=172005777 "Graduation in Rose Bowl Will Honor Record Number"]. The Pasadena Post. June 20, 1941. p. 11. "(Continued from Page 10) [...] Clifford C. Oliver, Robert Wendell Ong, Donald M. Oster, Esther Beverly Owens, Geraldine M. Pattison." She also attended USC, albeit briefly, where she became a pledge of Gamma Phi Beta.{{efn|In retrospect, it appears that both Patterson's college education and her subsequent professional acting debut were dramatically impacted—the former, drastically curtailed; the latter, substantially delayed—by unplanned pregnancy, marriage, and motherhood, circa 1942.}}

In the summer of 1947, a newspaper publicity campaign consisting of a few widely disseminated photos of the swimsuit-clad Pattison was followed by uncredited appearances in Stage Struck, Incident, and Joe Palooka in the Big Fight.Associated Press (July 14, 1947). [https://www.newspapers.com/article/pittsburgh-sun-telegraph/172006268/ "AP Wirephoto: Redhead"]. Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph. See also:

• [https://uplink.nmu.edu/_flysystem/repo-bin/2022-11/nmu_95332.pdf "On Her Toes"]. The Marquette Mining Journal. July 19, 1947. Sec. II, p. 2. "Gerry Pattison is a rising star, according to studio officials who signed her up for role in 'The Man From Texas.' They say her brilliant red hair has something to do with it."
• [https://www.newspapers.com/image/998970478/?clipping_id=173417866 "Takes a Dip"]. The Sacramento Union. August 2, 1947. p. 2. "GERRY PATTISON, who recently signed a Hollywood movie contract wades in California surf." In December 1948, Boxoffice reported that Pattison had been cast as the female lead in Monogram 's upcoming Johnny Mack Brown vehicle Outlaw Marshal, which, by the time of it's February 20 release, had been retitled Law of the West.American Film Institute (1971). [https://books.google.com/books?id=YZkrAQAAMAAJ&q=%22outlaw+marshal%22+%22law+of+the+west%22 The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures: Film Beginnings, Part 3]. R. R. Bowker. p. 1781. {{ISBN|9780520215214}}. It was not until as little over three months later, when the film had its New York City premiere at Loew's New York Theatre in a double bill with Gene Autry's The Big Sombrero, that the film was finally reviewed.Hale, Wanda (May 25, 1949). [https://www.newspapers.com/image/448558766/?match=1&terms=%22pair%20of%20westerns%20occupy%20the%20new%20york%20theatre%27s%20screen%22 "Autry and Brown Share in N. Y. Dual Program"]. New York Daily News. p. 85. Variety's Bril dubbed it a "mustang meller [...] [c]ut from an old pattern [and] grooved for the Sat-mat trade and secondary spots on double bills," burdened with "obvious [and] hackneyed" dialogue. As for the performances,{{Cite news|title=Film Reviews: Law of the West|author=Bril|date=June 1, 1949|work=Variety|page=11|quote=|id={{ProQuest|1285926676}}}} Patterson, in "the single femme role", was deemed "fair".

Eight days prior to the film's original release date, a photo of Pattison captioned "At Hollywood's gate" had appeared in the Los Angeles Daily News, accompanying an article promoting the Talent Quest then being conducted jointly by the paper and Fox West Coast, open to professionals and amateurs alike. Referred to in the article as "petite Gerry," one of many "entertainers waiting in the wings for next week's competition," she is described as "a dancer with Harrison Productions."[https://www.newspapers.com/image/689505281/?clipping_id=172004126 "'Talent Quest' lure grows; more theaters offer acts"]. Los Angeles Daily News. February 12, 1949. p. 2. "Among the entertainers waiting in the wings for next week's competition is dancer Gerry Pattison, dancer from Harrison Productions. Petite Gerry chose Talent Quest as the best opportunity to reach the gates of Hollywood stardom."Glickman, Dave (February 28, 1949). "Hollywood Eyes $ TV $; [https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-BC/Broadcasting-Magazine/BC-1949/1949-02-28-BC.pdf#page=64 Hollywood Eyes $ TV $ (Continued from page 3 of insert)"]. Broadcasting Telecasting. Sec. 2. pp. 3, 14. "Bud Abbott has set up a deal with Harrison Productions, television film makers, to produce a series of comedy shorts, both straight and musical. They'll be bannered Abbott Productions and will be shot on both 16mm and 35mm. Mr. Abbott will not appear in the films because of his Universal - International contract. Other well known comedians are being lined up."

A few months later, the Los Angeles premiere of Universal Pictures' crime film / teen drama, City Across the River, featured a brief but impactful Pattison appearance, albeit one harkening back to her cheesecake beginnings. Her performance, as the conspicuously big-breasted component of two young people strolling past the film's featured teenage gang, the Amboy Dukes (featuring, notably, the young Tony Curtis and Richard Jaeckel), affords the film a pivotal moment early on: three hitherto squabbling Dukes—namely, the Curtis and Jaeckel characters (plus a third, whose taunting at the hands of Jaeckel had given rise to said squabble)—unite as one to verbally harass and taunt the passing couple. Opining "Say, what a build!" and "Yeah, what a build!", the Dukes then begin crudely aping Pattison's gait before vowing to make her date "into a hamburger". What raises this role above the level of mere walk-on—and her boy friend's immediate prospects above that of ground beef—is Patterson's urgent, impassioned three-sentence plea, successfully persuading her initially defiant companion not to "mess with them".

Subsequently, Pattison appeared briefly in Bad Boy, war hero Audie Murphy's screen acting debut, portraying the decidedly skeptical girl friend of Murphy's former partner in crime, Joe Shields (William F. Leicester).

In the 1950s, Pattison's noteworthy work was confined to the small screen. First, there was "The Caboose Story," a 1952 episode of the Brian Donlevy series, Dangerous Assignment, wherein the protagonist's roughly 50-second consultation with Pattison—portraying a WAC corporal stationed at the U.S. Army Transportation Corps office in Japan—jump-starts the hitherto stalled investigation that comprises this episode's main storyline. The following year, Pattison performed much the same function, plot-wise (albeit strictly as a voice actress), in "Farewell to Birdie McKeever" (the final episode in the short-lived dramatic anthology series, Your Jeweler's Showcase). Finally, Patterson—paired with Claudia Barrett as the final two of five title characters—opposite Lou Costello in the Abbott and Costello Show episode, "Wife Wanted", featuring Lou's ill-fated intervention in a heated dispute between Cora (Pattison) and Dora (Barrett) over the rightful ownership of a trombone, wherein his attempt to play Solomon—culminating in a comic variant on that judge's signature ruling—succeeds only in uniting the two in wreaking vengeance upon their ostensibly trombone-wrecking suitor.Abhinav S [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xPnkAZBQgc&t=558s op.cit. "'Wife Wanted' Trombone Dispute Intervention"].

In April 1942, the Pasadena Star-News relayed her parents' announcement of Pattison's March 21 marriage to Kermit Christian Smith of Winton, California, a United States Navy enlistee then stationed at the San Diego Naval Hospital, where the newlyweds were currently making their home.[https://www.newspapers.com/image/628332816/?clipping_id=172068451 "Pattisons Announce March Marriage of Daughter; Makes Home in San Diego: Mrs. Kermit Christian Smith"]. Pasadena Star-News.[https://www.newspapers.com/image/690123342/?clipping_id=172069644 "Ten Stanislaus District Youths Enlist in Navy"]. The Modesto Bee. September 29, 1941. p. 5. "Ten Stanislaus district young men enlisted in the United States Navy in September, through the naval recruiting station in the main firehouse on Eleventh Street. They are: John Thurston Chapman, Harold Arthur Nicholas, Donald Martin Angle, Taylor Hoyt Posey and Martin Junior Shelton of Modesto; Burton Emery Clark of Hughson, Anthony Richard Santos, Grady Newtian Johnson and Frank Souza Bettencourt of Newman, and Kermit Christian Smith of Winton." Their union produced one child, a daughter, born October 30 of that year.[https://www.newspapers.com/image/628376599/?clipping_id=172123325 "Birth Record"]. Pasadena Star-News. November 2, 1942. p. 19. This marriage was, at the latest, terminated prior to 1948 (at which point the already remarried Smith was celebrating the birth of a newborn),"Texas, Birth Index, 1903-1997", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V8HY-8TS : Tue Feb 25 09:30:31 UTC 2025), Entry for Kermit Christian Jr. Smith and Kermit Christian Smith Sr., 11 Dec 1948. and, quite possibly, before even 1944, at which point Smith listed his mother, rather than his wife, as the emergency contact person on his draft registration form."California, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1940-1947", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGXY-5R7F : Fri Apr 04 00:29:22 UTC 2025), Entry for Kermit C Smith and J E Kramer, 10 Oct 1945. On October 2, 1964, Pattison married Hungarian-born Charles Geza Deversecy, (né Karl Karoly Verseczy), who died in 1997."Nevada, Marriage Index, 1956-2005", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VVL7-RVC : Tue Feb 25 09:52:29 UTC 2025), Entry for Geraldine M Pate and Charles Geza Deversecy."United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6K92-H2Q4 : Sat Apr 26 12:03:41 UTC 2025), Entry for Charles Deverseczy and Karoly Verseczy."California, Death Index, 1940-1997", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VP3J-XZB : Tue Feb 25 16:54:37 UTC 2025), Entry for Charles Geza Deversecy and Lenz, 27 Sep 1997. For at least the final 15 of those years, the couple resided in Carmel, California.[https://www.newspapers.com/image/521013758/?clipping_id=173304704 "People: Club Events; Meetings"]. The Californian. December 16, 1982. p. 14. "MONTEREY COUNTY ALUMNAE CHAPTER, GAMMA PHI BETA, Christmas party, 6 p.m. Sunday at the Carmel home Claude DeVersecy."[https://www.newspapers.com/image/520577246/?clipping_id=173304724 "People: Club Events; Meetings"]. The Californian. December 13, 1983. p. 20. "GAMMA PHI BETA ALUMNAE, Monterey County Chapter, Christmas party, Saturday at the Carmel home of Mrs. Charles DeVersecy. Interested Phis may call the hostess for additional information.""United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6T5F-C7QK : 6 June 2024), Charles Deversecy, 1986."United States, Public Records, 1970-2009", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJVR-CKKG : 23 June 2020), Chas Cpa Res De Versecy, 1995.

"United States, Public Records, 1970-2009", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJF3-NL1C : 6 June 2020), null, 1997.

Pattison died in 2016.

• Stage Struck (1948) – Girl in night club (uncredited)
• Incident (1948) – Secretary in Hartley's office (uncredited)
• Joe Palooka in the Big Fight (1948) – Bobby soxer (uncredited)
• Law of the West (1949) – Tennessee Lane
• City Across the River (1949) – "What a build" Girl (uncredited)Chris T. (July 10, 2019). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPDpS7y8xho&t=376s "City Across The River (1949)"]. YouTube.
• Bad Boy (1949) – Joe Shields' girlfriend (uncredited)Larkins, Bob; Magers, Boyd (2004). [https://books.google.com/books?id=PZk-CgAAQBAJ&pg=PA26 The Films of Audie Murphy]. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. p. 26. {{ISBN|978-0-7864-4508-0}}. "Bad Boy (Allied Artists, February 1949) [...] Cast: LLoyd Nolan (Marshall Brown); Jane Wyatt (Maud Brown); Audie Murphy (Danny Lester) [...] James Lydon (Ted Hendry); William Lester (Joe Shields); Dickie Moore (Charlie) [...] Milton Kibbee (Constable); Lee Phelps (Bailiff); Mike Mahoney (Officer at hospital); Gerry Pattison (Blonde with Joe)."Rehman, Jalal (February 7, 2025). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVOC89YbTjU&t=3619s "BAD BOY 1949"]. YouTube.
• Girls in the Night (1953) – Sorority girl (uncredited)
• Women's Prison (1955) – InmateSony Pictures India - English (March 9, 2025). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47uBXEmBr-8&t=400s "WOMEN'S PRISON | English Full Movie | Crime Movie | Hollywood English Movie | Women's Day Special"]. YouTube.
• Son of Sinbad (1955) – Raider (uncredited)[https://catalog.afi.com/Person/60867-Gerri-Patterson "Gerri Pattison filmography"]. American Film Institute.GWC1975 (June 15, 2023). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDGZzUE3YSA&t=4127s "Son of Sinbad (1955): First Appearance"]. YouTube.GWC1975 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDGZzUE3YSA&t=4995s op. cit. "Reappearance During Omar Khayahm's Climactic Speech"].

• Jackson and Jill (1949)
• Unknown episode(s) – Unknown role(s){{Cite news|title=TV Film Production|author=|date=April 25, 1949|work=The Hollywood Reporter|page=9|quote='Jackson and Jill' (Series of 13 30-minute video programs). Production start — April 4. Cast: Todd Karns, Helen Chapman, Russell Hicks, Vince Barnett, William Vedder, Fritz Feld, Gerry Pattison, Maude Pickett, Ben Frommer, Lester Allen, Clifton Young, William Haade, Lee Phelps, Buddy Mason, Ralph Sanford, Jan Kayne, Angela Greene, Myron Healey.|id={{ProQuest|2322737852}}}}
• Dangerous Assignment
• Ep. "The Caboose Story" (1952) – WAC Corporal (as Geraldine Pattison)PizzaFlix (January 13, 2014). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22-_LIRnD7s&t=686s "Dangerous Assignment (TV-1951) THE CABOOSE STORY (Ep 16)"]PizzaFlix [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22-_LIRnD7s&t=1532 op. cit. "Caboose Story credits"]
• Your Jeweler's Showcase
• Ep. "Farewell to Birdie McKeever" (1953) – Miss Calhoun (voice only).[https://archive.org/details/rossreportstele37ross/page/n67/mode/2up?q=%22jane+Speed%22+%22farewell+to+Birdie+McKeever%22 "Tuesday, December 22 (Cont'd)"]. The Ross Reports on Television. December 21–27, 1953. p. 8.The Unpopular Archive (April 7, 2022). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_B3BFsCsIs&t=35s "Joi Lansing! 50s TV comedy "Farewell to Birdie McKeever" (16mm)"]. YouTube.
• The Abbott and Costello Show
• Ep. "Wife Wanted" (1954) – Cora (as Jerry Pattison)

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Category:1924 births

Category:2016 deaths

Category:20th-century American actresses

Category:American film actresses

Category:American television actresses

Category:Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)

Category:People from Altadena, California