Forgotten Stars: Elyse Knox

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Today I will be focusing on another underappreciated forgotten starlet... 

           Elyse Knox
(December 14, 1917 – February 16, 2012)

She began her career in fashion, first studying at a school and then becoming a model.
Some of her own creations were used in magazines. That eventually led to a contract offer from 20th Century Fox studios in 1937.
She mainly performed small roles unt il '42 when she landed a leading role in the horror flick "The Mummy's Tomb" starring Lon Chaney, Jr.
(the second installment of the classic "Mummy" series.)

She appeared as herself in the Universal Studios 1944 production Follow the Boys, one of the World War II morale-booster films made both for the soldiers serving overseas as well as civilians at home. Knox also was a pin up girl during the war, appearing in such magazines as Yank, a weekly published and distributed by the United States Military.
*** Information courtesy of Wikipedia




She went on to appear in 39 films, including...
the Joe Palooka series
"Hit The Ice" with Abbott & Costello
"Moonlight and Cactus" with The Andrews Sisters

Mister Big (1943)
So's Your Uncle (1943)
Hay Foot (1942)
Sheriff Of Tombstone (1941)
Tanks A Million (1941)

and many more!

While she was appearing on Bing Crosby's radio show, she met football star Tom Harmon.
They got engaged, but ended their relationship when he entered the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1942.
Knox went on to marry someone else, fashion photographer Paul Hesse who had shot many of her print ads and magazine covers.
That marriage was brief, and after the divorce, Harmon returned from World War 2 (affer surviving two plane crashes) and they finally married in 1944.
Elyse's wedding dress was made from the parachute that saved his life. How innovative!
The couple went on to have three children... actors Mark Harmon, Kristin and Kelly.

I think she was beautiful and talented and certainly did not lack potential to become a bigger star.
She gave up her career to raise a family, retiring from acting early on...
but at least she did about 40 or so film appearances. I'd love to see them all!

Notice how one movie is called "Forgotten Women"? Ironic...
I'm just as interested in the forgotten B-starlets of yesteryear as the legendary bombshells!

Here at Classic Cinema Central, I make sure that NO star is ever forgotten! :-)