Peggy Knudsen
AMG AllMovie Guide:
Top
Peggy Knudsen
Biography
A tough-looking, blond Warner Bros. starlet of the mid-'40s, Minnesota-born Peggy Knudsen made an auspicious screen debut as Mona Mars in the noir classic The Big Sleep (1946). Although a mere bit -- one scene, a couple of lines of dialogue -- the character was much discussed prior to actually appearing in the film and demanded an actress who could match the buildup. The pivotal scene, in which protagonist Humphrey Bogart finds himself at a disadvantage in gangster Eddie Mars' coastal hideaway, had originally been filmed in 1944 with Pat Clarke in the role of Mrs. Mars. But when negative previews necessitated scenes to be added or re-shot, director Howard Hawks replaced Miss Clarke with Knudsen, a much more vibrant presence who made her few moments count. It should have been a major breakthrough for the actress but Warner Bros. missed the opportunity and instead assigned her standard "other woman" roles opposite Erroll Flynn in the marital comedy Never Say Goodbye (1946) and Ronald Reagan in the horse breeding drama Stallion Road (1947). 20th Century Fox borrowed her for a couple of B-movies, in one of which, Trouble Preferred (1948), she was top-billed as a policewoman in training, but they were too inexpensive to have much impact. Missing out on stardom, she went on to appear in supporting roles through the 1950s, both in feature films and on television, retiring after a guest spot on Texas John Slaughter (1961). The victim of a crippling arthritic condition that eventually necessitated five operations, Knudsen was reportedly cared for by lifelong friend Jennifer Jones. Her death in 1980 was attributed to cancer. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, RoviFilmography:
Top
Peggy Knudsen
Wikipedia on Answers.com:
Top
Peggy Knudsen
| Peggy Knudsen | |
|---|---|
 Knudsen in 1956. |
|
| Born | Margaret Ann Knudsen April 22, 1923 Duluth, Minnesota, USA |
| Died | July 11, 1980 (aged 57) Encino, California, USA |
| Years active | 1946-1965 |
Peggy Knudsen (April 22, 1923 - July 11, 1980) was an American character actress.
|
Contents
|
Biography
Born Margaret Ann Knudsen in Duluth, Minnesota, she made her Broadway debut in My Sister Eileen. She began her film career in 1946 in A Stolen Life opposite Bette Davis. That same year, she appeared in bit parts in several films including The Big Sleep and Humoresque with Joan Crawford.
Despite appearing in big budget features with established stars, Knudsen's career never took off and she was relegated to smaller roles in B movies. Her last film role was in the 1957 film Istanbul with Errol Flynn.[1]
In the 1950s and '60s, Knudsen appeared in guest starring roles on several television shows including Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Millionaire, Perry Mason, and Pete and Gladys. After appearing in an episode of The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet in 1965, Knudsen retired from acting.
Later years and death
Knudsen suffered from crippling arthritis for most of her later years and was cared for by her close friend, actress Jennifer Jones.[1]
On July 11, 1980, she died of cancer in Encino, California.
For her contribution to the television industry, Peggy Knudsen has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6230 Hollywood Boulevard.
Filmography
- A Stolen Life (1946)
- Two Guys from Milwaukee (Uncredited, 1946)
- The Big Sleep (1946)
- Shadow of a Woman (1946)
- Never Say Goodbye (1946)
- Humoresque (1946)
- Stallion Road (1947)
- The Unfaithful (1947)
- Roses Are Red (1947)
- My Wild Irish Rose (Uncredited, 1947)
- Perilous Waters (1948)
- Half Past Midnight (1948)
- Trouble Preferred (1948)
- Copper Canyon (1950)
- Unchained (1955)
- Betrayed Women (1955)
- Good Morning, Miss Dove (1955)
- The Bottom of the Bottle (1956)
- Hilda Crane (1956)
- Istanbul (1957)
Television
- Your Show Time (1 episode, 1949)
- Racket Squad (1 episode, 1951)
- Mr. and Mrs. North (2 episodes, 1953)
- The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse (1 episode, 1954)
- City Detective (1 episode, 1955)
- The Loretta Young Show (1 episode, 1955)
- So This is Hollywood (Unknown episodes, 1955)
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1 episode, 1956)
- The Millionaire (1 episode, 1956)
- The Gale Storm Show (1 episode, 1956)
- Panic! (1 episode, 1957)
- On Trial (1 episode, 1957)
- The Ford Television Theatre (1 episode, 1957)
- The Thin Man (1 episode, 1957)
- The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1 episode, 1958)
- The Real McCoys (1 episode, 1958)
- The Millionaire (1 episode, 1959)
- Perry Mason (2 episodes, 1958–1959)
- Tightrope (1 episode, 1959)
- General Electric Theater (1 episode, 1960)
- Pete and Gladys (1 episode, 1960)
- Bat Masterson (3 episodes, 1959–1961)
- The Wonderful World of Disney (1 episode, 1961)
- The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet (3 episodes, 1960–1965)
References
- ^ a b Wollstein, Hans J.. "Peggy Knudsen Biography". http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg&sql=2:38870~T1. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
External links
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:
Mentioned in
Trouble Preferred
(1949 Drama Film)
Betrayed Women
(1955 Drama Film)
The Case of the Spurious Sister: Perry Mason (TV Episode)
(1959 Mystery TV Episode)
Roses Are Red
(1947 Crime Film)
» More