Elizabeth Allen American actress Date of Birth: 25.01.1912 Country: USA

Elizabeth Allen Biography

Elizabeth Allen, an American actress, had a career spanning three decades on stage, in film, and on television. Born as Elizabeth Ellen Gillies in Jersey City, New Jersey, she initially worked as a model under the patronage of the 'Ford Agency' before landing a role in 'The Jackie Gleason Show' in the 1950s. After honing her professional skills and working under Helen Hayes in her acting troupe, Elizabeth transitioned to both the big and small screens.

Throughout her career, Elizabeth played numerous episodic roles in various television productions. She could be seen in projects such as 'The Fugitive', 'Kojak', 'Columbo', and 'Buck Rogers in the 25th Century'. She had recurring roles in shows like 'Bracken's World', 'The Paul Lynde Show', 'C.P.O. Sharkey', 'Another World', and its spin-off 'Texas'. In total, Elizabeth worked in the entertainment industry for three decades.

Elizabeth became widely known for her role as the eerie saleswoman in an episode of the first season of the classic series 'The Twilight Zone'. In that episode, Miss Marsha White (played by Anne Francis) discovers that she is just a mannequin who was allowed to live among humans for a month. Elizabeth's character is also a mannequin whose vacation is next on the schedule, which explains her strange behavior.

In 1963, Elizabeth starred alongside John Wayne, Dorothy Lamour, and Lee Marvin in John Ford's film 'Donovan's Reef'. Shortly after, she landed another leading role in the film 'Diamond Head', starring Charlton Heston and Yvette Mimieux. Interestingly, both films were shot in Hawaii. Elizabeth also appeared with James Stewart in 'Cheyenne Autumn'. In 1963, she received the 'Laurel Award' for 'Most Promising Newcomer' in the film industry.

Elizabeth was twice nominated for the 'Tony Award' for her Broadway performances in 'The Gay Life' and 'Do I Hear a Waltz'. Her beautiful singing can still be heard in the original cast recordings of 'Waltz', which are actively sold on CD.

In 1996, Elizabeth quietly retired from show business. Her last role was in the Broadway production of '42nd Street'. She passed away in 2006 from kidney disease at the age of seventy-seven.