Anne Gwynne (December 10, 1918 – March 31, 2003) was an American actress who was known as one of the first “scream queens” because of her numerous appearances in horror films like Black Friday (1940) and House of Frankenstein (1944).
While accompanying her father to a convention in Los Angeles, Gwynne obtained a job modeling for Catalina Swimwear. She soon began acting in small theaters and appeared in a newsreel and a charity short. In June 1939, she signed a contract with Universal and was immediately put to work in Unexpected Father.
Universal cast her in a variety of genres including film noir and musical comedy. She co-starred with Buster Crabbe and Carol Hughes in Flash Gordon Conquers The Universe, a 12-episode Universal serial (1940). Gwynne made a number of Westerns at the studio, including two she numbered among her favorite projects; Men of Texas with Robert Stack and Broderick Crawford and Ride ’Em Cowboy with Abbott and Costello (both 1942). She is remembered by fans of horror films for her work in several pictures made in the 1940s. Her first horror film was Black Friday (1940) in which she played Boris Karloff’s daughter. House of Frankenstein (1944) was the last horror picture she appeared in at Universal.
Gwynne’s vibrant on-screen presence made her a favorite among servicemen during World War II, and she was frequently featured in pin-up photos. Off-screen, she was described as warm and personable, embodying the classic Hollywood glamour of her era.
Gwynne was a television pioneer, appearing in TV’s first filmed series, Public Prosecutor (1947–48); she was a member of the regular cast, playing Pat Kelly, the district attorney’s secretary.
Below is a selection of 20 fascinating portraits of a young and beautiful Anne Gwynne in the 1940s:
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