Dorothy Granger American actress Date of Birth: 21.11.1912 Country: USA

1. Biography of Dorothy Granger
2. Early Career and Success in Comedy
3. Transition to Full-Length Films
4. Later Career and Personal Life

Biography of Dorothy Granger

Dorothy Granger was an American actress who established herself as a talented comedic actress, often playing roles in short comedies. One of her most memorable roles was that of a sarcastic, suspicious, and long-suffering wife in a series of comedies with Leon Errol. Granger was born on November 21, 1912, in New London, Ohio, USA. She moved to Los Angeles with her parents, brothers Richard and James, and grandmother Clara Wilcox Granger in the late 1920s. Her mother, Lucile, studied at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, although she did not graduate. It is likely that she instilled a love for music in her children.

Early Career and Success in Comedy

In an interview with Leonard Maltin in 1968, Dorothy revealed that she began her career in the entertainment industry at the age of 13 after winning a beauty contest at the Silver Beach summer resort near Houston. At that time, her family was living in Houston, where Dorothy and Richard enrolled in Billy Truehart's dance studio. Dorothy's comedic talent was perfect for launching her acting career, and in 1930, her father introduced her to Hal Roach, who was looking for actors for his new comedy series, "The Boy Friends." She immediately landed a job and signed a contract with Roach Studios but later signed a deal with another company in 1932.

Dorothy can be seen in comedy films such as "The Dentist" (1932) with W.C. Fields, "Punch Drunks" (1934), and "Termites of 1938" with Curly Howard and Larry Fine. In 1930, she lived in Los Angeles with her brother Richard, his wife Lucile, and her brother James. For a while, Richard and Dorothy attempted to work as a dance duo.

Transition to Full-Length Films

While Dorothy Granger became known for her comedic roles, she also appeared in full-length films, although she rarely received leading roles, and her name rarely appeared in the credits. Director George Cukor admired Granger and wanted to give her the role of Belle Watling in his film "Gone with the Wind" (1939). However, producer David O. Selznick cast actress Ona Munson, who became popular in the role of Watling.

Dorothy played Mayme Cassidy in the adventure film "North to The Klondike" (1942) with Broderick Crawford and Andy Devine, and she appeared in the musical Western "Sunset in El Dorado" (1945) with Roy Rogers. There were rumors in Hollywood that Dorothy had a romance with Clark Gable, which the actress confirmed in one of her interviews with Leonard Maltin. Dorothy was always "more advanced" than many young actresses she worked with, which sometimes led to amusing situations. During the filming of the drama "Nana" in 1934, all the girls showed their costumes to director Dorothy Arzner. Dorothy was the only one whose costume met the director's expectations. When Arzner praised her, thinking she was wearing padded breasts and asked everyone to follow her example, Dorothy said, "I'm sorry, Miss Arzner, but these are not pads!"

Later Career and Personal Life

Dorothy Granger and Leon Errol were in talks with new television networks to create their sitcom, but their plans were derailed in 1951 when Errol passed away. Throughout the 1950s, she appeared in many television series, including "I Married Joan" and "Father Knows Best," as well as in commercials. However, she never managed to create her own series. In 1963, she left the show business, describing it as a "corrupting factory." Her last public appearance was at the 60th anniversary celebration of the Screen Actors Guild in 1993.

In her later years, Dorothy helped her husband, John Hilder, run an upholstery material store in Los Angeles. She passed away from cancer on January 4, 1995, in Los Angeles, California. Unofficially, Dorothy held the title of the "Queen of Short Films" for her numerous roles in small comedies.