Actress, Singer. She was best known for playing the character roles of party girls, ladies in waiting, party guests, village girls, sanitarium patients, and historical figures like Calamity Jane, usually in westerns, horror, and mystery films. A beautiful leading lady of Universal Motion Picture Studios she was known by the nicknames, "The Queen of the Screamers," and "Queen of the B-Movies," she will be best remembered for playing roles in several classic horror films including that of 'Norma Lind' in "Hold That Ghost" (1941), 'Gwen Conliffe' in "The Wolf Man" (1941), 'Elsa Frankenstein' in "The Ghost Of Frankenstein" (1942), 'Claire Caldwell' in "Son Of Dracula" (1943), 'Isabel Lewis' in "The Mad Ghoul" (1943, She also sang the song, "I Dreamt I Dwelt In Marble Halls," and "All For Love,"), 'Julie Herrick' in "The Invisible Man's Revenge" (1944), and as 'Maura Daniel' in "The Frozen Ghost" (1945), usually starring the likes of Lon Chaney, Bela Lugosi, Abbott & Costello, and others. She is also remembered for playing the role of 'Kitty' in the classic crime mystery thriller film, "Sherlock Holmes And The Voice Of Terror" (1942). The film which was directed by John Rawlins, which was written for the screen by Lynn Riggs and John Bright, which was based on the story, "His Last Bow," by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and which also starred Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Reginald Denny, and Thomas Gomez, tells the story of when a Nazi saboteur jeeringly predicts to the nation new depredations, via their radio 'Voice of Terror,' the Intellegence Inner Council summons the great master detective Sherlock Holmes to help in the crisis. She is also best remembered for playing the role of 'Robbie James' in the episode entitled, "The Gamble," of the classic western television series, "Cheyenne," which originally aired on January 28, 1958, and which also starred Clint Walker, Theodora Davitt, Phil Tully, and James Seay, tells the story of whiling helping a friend keep her saloon from a crooked gambling combine, Cheyenne Bodie runs it while she gets to know her daughter who for ten years has been at school back East and knows nothing of how her mother earned the money that kept her there. She was born one of two children as Evelyn Felisa Ankers in Valparaiso, Chile, to English parents Sidney Raymond Ankers (1888-1973), and his wife Evelyn Goodyear Victoria Madeleine "Eva" Wood Ankers (1887-1954), on August 17, 1918. Her father, an engineering miner had been working in Chile at the time of her birth. The family moved to England during the 1920s and this is where she began her interest in acting. She was educated locally and she began appearing in British films in minor roles while she was still in school. She later moved to the United States at the beginning of World War II. She appeared on Broadway in New York City, New York, in the stage production of the play, as 'Lucy Gilham' in "Ladies In Retirement" (March 26, 1940, to August 03, 1940). During this time, she also made the transition to appearing in films and on television. She made her actual film debut playing the role of a 'Lady of the Court' in the comedy musical film, "Forbidden Love" (1936, She also sang the song, "Who Said Carlini," in the film). The film which was directed by Walter Forde, which was based on a story by Fritz Koselka and Armin Robinson, which was adapted for the screen by Rudolph Bernauer, and which also starred Richard Tauber, Jimmy Durante, and Diane Napier, tells the story of which takes in place in Lucco where everyone loves music, singing at any occasion, work can wait and so the state's debt. So the ruling princess bans music. Then singer Carlini returns home. Aided by a journalist and his daughter they fight the proclaim -with music. Besides, playing roles in several classic horror films including that of 'Norma Lind' in "Hold That Ghost" (1941), 'Gwen Conliffe' in "The Wolf Man" (1941), 'Elsa Frankenstein' in "The Ghost Of Frankenstein" (1942), 'Claire Caldwell' in "Son Of Dracula" (1943), 'Isabel Lewis' in "The Mad Ghoul" (1943, She also sang the song, "I Dreamt I Dwelt In Marble Halls," and "All For Love,"), 'Julie Herrick' in "The Invisible Man's Revenge" (1944), and as 'Maura Daniel' in "The Frozen Ghost" (1945), and playing the role of 'Kitty' in the classic crime mystery thriller film, "Sherlock Holmes And The Voice Of Terror" (1942), her many other film credits include, "Rembrandt" (1936), "Fire Over England" (1937), "Wings Of The Morning" (1937), "Knight Without Armor" (1937), "Bells Of St. Mary's (1937), "Murder In The Family" (1938), "The Claydon Treasure Mystery" (1938), "Coming Of Age" (1938), "The Villiers Diamond" (1938), "Second Thoughts" (1938), "Over The Moon" (1939), "Bachelor Daddy" (1941), "Hit The Road" (1941), "Burma Convoy" (1941), "North To The Klondike" (1942), "Eagle Squadron" (1942), "Pierre Of The Plains" (1942), "The Great Impersonation" (1942), "Keep 'Em Slugging" (1943), "Captive Wild Woman" (1943), "All By Myself" (1943), "Hers To Hold" (1943), "You're A Lucky Fellow, Mr. Smith" (1943), "His Butler's Sister" (1943), "Ladies Courageous" (1944), "Weird Woman" (1944), "Follow The Boys" (1944), "Pardon My Rhythm" (1944), "Jungle Woman" (1944), "The Pearl Of Death" (1944), "Bowery To Broadway" (1944), "The Fatal Witness" (1945), "The French Key" (1946), "Queen of Burlesque" (1946, She played the role of 'Crystal McCoy' in the film and also sang the songs, ""Oh No, Not Much," and "How Can I Tell You," in the film), "Black Beauty" (1946), "Flight To Nowhere" (1946), "Spoilers Of The North" (1947), "Last Of The Redmen" (1947), "Parole, Inc" (1948), "Tarzan's Magic Fountain" (1949), and "The Texan Meets Calamity Jane" (1950). Besides, playing the role of 'Robbie James' in the episode entitled, "The Gamble," of the classic western television series, "Cheyenne," which originally aired on January 28, 1958, and which also starred Clint Walker, Theodora Davitt, Phil Tully, and James Seay, tells the story of whiling helping a friend keep her saloon from a crooked gambling combine, Cheyenne Bodie runs it while she gets to know her daughter who for ten years has been at school back East and knows nothing of how her mother earned the money that kept her there, her many other television credits include, "Your Show Time," "Mr. & Mrs. North," "Stump The Stars," "Cavalcade Of America," "General Electric Theater," "Adventures Of The Falcon," "The Star And The Story," "Screen Directors Playhouse," and "The 20th Century-Fox Hour." Her last film role was playing 'Helen Lund' in the film short drama, "No Greater Love" (1960). The film which was directed by Jan Sadio, which was written for the screen by Donald Johnson, and which also starred Richard Denning, Ernest Anderson, Art Linkletter, Robert Cornthwaite, Ross Elliott, Walter H. Judd, and Maidie Norman, tells the story of a dentist and his wife who join Christian missionaries for duty in Africa. She initially quit Universal Studios in 1945, but then did freelancing work for Columbia Pictures and Poverty Row's Releasing Company (or PRC), until she retired from acting during the 1950s to raise a family, but she would occasionally come back to make a film or make an appearance on a television series. On an interesting note, the actress once said, "Right after he [Lon Chaney Jr.] and I had finished Son of Dracula (1943), I think, the studio invited the major magazines to a dinner party on the lot to meet all the horror stars. Everybody was there--Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, and George Zucco. Lon, seated near my husband [Richard Denning] and me, proceeded to direct a number of rude, uncalled-for remarks toward Dick. Being a gentleman, Dick ignored them. Until . . . "How come", I recall Lon saying to Dick, "you're in the Navy and still in Los Angeles?" Dick replied, "It's a lot better than not being in the service at all during wartime"--which was Lon's situation. A while later, Lon said, "I've got a little ice cream on my sleeve", and wiped it on Dick's dress blues. That did it. Dick took his ice cream--which was pistachio green, in keeping with the horror motif--and pushed it in Lon's face. With all that green dripping from his face, he looked as if he were back in make-up for one of his monster characters." She passed away following a battle with ovarian cancer at her home in Haiku, on the Island of Maui, Hawaii, on August 29, 1985, twelve days after her 67th birthday. A memorial service was held in honor at the Makawao Union Church in Maui, Hawaii, and she was buried in Maui Veterans Cemetery in Makawao, Hawaii. She was married to the actor Richard Denning (1914-1998), in Las Vegas, Nevada, on September 12, 1942, and they were together until her death on August 29, 1985. Her husband Richard Denning passed away in Escondido, California, on October 11, 1998, at the age of 84, and he is buried with her. The couple had one child together, the actress Dianna Denning.
Actress, Singer. She was best known for playing the character roles of party girls, ladies in waiting, party guests, village girls, sanitarium patients, and historical figures like Calamity Jane, usually in westerns, horror, and mystery films. A beautiful leading lady of Universal Motion Picture Studios she was known by the nicknames, "The Queen of the Screamers," and "Queen of the B-Movies," she will be best remembered for playing roles in several classic horror films including that of 'Norma Lind' in "Hold That Ghost" (1941), 'Gwen Conliffe' in "The Wolf Man" (1941), 'Elsa Frankenstein' in "The Ghost Of Frankenstein" (1942), 'Claire Caldwell' in "Son Of Dracula" (1943), 'Isabel Lewis' in "The Mad Ghoul" (1943, She also sang the song, "I Dreamt I Dwelt In Marble Halls," and "All For Love,"), 'Julie Herrick' in "The Invisible Man's Revenge" (1944), and as 'Maura Daniel' in "The Frozen Ghost" (1945), usually starring the likes of Lon Chaney, Bela Lugosi, Abbott & Costello, and others. She is also remembered for playing the role of 'Kitty' in the classic crime mystery thriller film, "Sherlock Holmes And The Voice Of Terror" (1942). The film which was directed by John Rawlins, which was written for the screen by Lynn Riggs and John Bright, which was based on the story, "His Last Bow," by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and which also starred Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Reginald Denny, and Thomas Gomez, tells the story of when a Nazi saboteur jeeringly predicts to the nation new depredations, via their radio 'Voice of Terror,' the Intellegence Inner Council summons the great master detective Sherlock Holmes to help in the crisis. She is also best remembered for playing the role of 'Robbie James' in the episode entitled, "The Gamble," of the classic western television series, "Cheyenne," which originally aired on January 28, 1958, and which also starred Clint Walker, Theodora Davitt, Phil Tully, and James Seay, tells the story of whiling helping a friend keep her saloon from a crooked gambling combine, Cheyenne Bodie runs it while she gets to know her daughter who for ten years has been at school back East and knows nothing of how her mother earned the money that kept her there. She was born one of two children as Evelyn Felisa Ankers in Valparaiso, Chile, to English parents Sidney Raymond Ankers (1888-1973), and his wife Evelyn Goodyear Victoria Madeleine "Eva" Wood Ankers (1887-1954), on August 17, 1918. Her father, an engineering miner had been working in Chile at the time of her birth. The family moved to England during the 1920s and this is where she began her interest in acting. She was educated locally and she began appearing in British films in minor roles while she was still in school. She later moved to the United States at the beginning of World War II. She appeared on Broadway in New York City, New York, in the stage production of the play, as 'Lucy Gilham' in "Ladies In Retirement" (March 26, 1940, to August 03, 1940). During this time, she also made the transition to appearing in films and on television. She made her actual film debut playing the role of a 'Lady of the Court' in the comedy musical film, "Forbidden Love" (1936, She also sang the song, "Who Said Carlini," in the film). The film which was directed by Walter Forde, which was based on a story by Fritz Koselka and Armin Robinson, which was adapted for the screen by Rudolph Bernauer, and which also starred Richard Tauber, Jimmy Durante, and Diane Napier, tells the story of which takes in place in Lucco where everyone loves music, singing at any occasion, work can wait and so the state's debt. So the ruling princess bans music. Then singer Carlini returns home. Aided by a journalist and his daughter they fight the proclaim -with music. Besides, playing roles in several classic horror films including that of 'Norma Lind' in "Hold That Ghost" (1941), 'Gwen Conliffe' in "The Wolf Man" (1941), 'Elsa Frankenstein' in "The Ghost Of Frankenstein" (1942), 'Claire Caldwell' in "Son Of Dracula" (1943), 'Isabel Lewis' in "The Mad Ghoul" (1943, She also sang the song, "I Dreamt I Dwelt In Marble Halls," and "All For Love,"), 'Julie Herrick' in "The Invisible Man's Revenge" (1944), and as 'Maura Daniel' in "The Frozen Ghost" (1945), and playing the role of 'Kitty' in the classic crime mystery thriller film, "Sherlock Holmes And The Voice Of Terror" (1942), her many other film credits include, "Rembrandt" (1936), "Fire Over England" (1937), "Wings Of The Morning" (1937), "Knight Without Armor" (1937), "Bells Of St. Mary's (1937), "Murder In The Family" (1938), "The Claydon Treasure Mystery" (1938), "Coming Of Age" (1938), "The Villiers Diamond" (1938), "Second Thoughts" (1938), "Over The Moon" (1939), "Bachelor Daddy" (1941), "Hit The Road" (1941), "Burma Convoy" (1941), "North To The Klondike" (1942), "Eagle Squadron" (1942), "Pierre Of The Plains" (1942), "The Great Impersonation" (1942), "Keep 'Em Slugging" (1943), "Captive Wild Woman" (1943), "All By Myself" (1943), "Hers To Hold" (1943), "You're A Lucky Fellow, Mr. Smith" (1943), "His Butler's Sister" (1943), "Ladies Courageous" (1944), "Weird Woman" (1944), "Follow The Boys" (1944), "Pardon My Rhythm" (1944), "Jungle Woman" (1944), "The Pearl Of Death" (1944), "Bowery To Broadway" (1944), "The Fatal Witness" (1945), "The French Key" (1946), "Queen of Burlesque" (1946, She played the role of 'Crystal McCoy' in the film and also sang the songs, ""Oh No, Not Much," and "How Can I Tell You," in the film), "Black Beauty" (1946), "Flight To Nowhere" (1946), "Spoilers Of The North" (1947), "Last Of The Redmen" (1947), "Parole, Inc" (1948), "Tarzan's Magic Fountain" (1949), and "The Texan Meets Calamity Jane" (1950). Besides, playing the role of 'Robbie James' in the episode entitled, "The Gamble," of the classic western television series, "Cheyenne," which originally aired on January 28, 1958, and which also starred Clint Walker, Theodora Davitt, Phil Tully, and James Seay, tells the story of whiling helping a friend keep her saloon from a crooked gambling combine, Cheyenne Bodie runs it while she gets to know her daughter who for ten years has been at school back East and knows nothing of how her mother earned the money that kept her there, her many other television credits include, "Your Show Time," "Mr. & Mrs. North," "Stump The Stars," "Cavalcade Of America," "General Electric Theater," "Adventures Of The Falcon," "The Star And The Story," "Screen Directors Playhouse," and "The 20th Century-Fox Hour." Her last film role was playing 'Helen Lund' in the film short drama, "No Greater Love" (1960). The film which was directed by Jan Sadio, which was written for the screen by Donald Johnson, and which also starred Richard Denning, Ernest Anderson, Art Linkletter, Robert Cornthwaite, Ross Elliott, Walter H. Judd, and Maidie Norman, tells the story of a dentist and his wife who join Christian missionaries for duty in Africa. She initially quit Universal Studios in 1945, but then did freelancing work for Columbia Pictures and Poverty Row's Releasing Company (or PRC), until she retired from acting during the 1950s to raise a family, but she would occasionally come back to make a film or make an appearance on a television series. On an interesting note, the actress once said, "Right after he [Lon Chaney Jr.] and I had finished Son of Dracula (1943), I think, the studio invited the major magazines to a dinner party on the lot to meet all the horror stars. Everybody was there--Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, and George Zucco. Lon, seated near my husband [Richard Denning] and me, proceeded to direct a number of rude, uncalled-for remarks toward Dick. Being a gentleman, Dick ignored them. Until . . . "How come", I recall Lon saying to Dick, "you're in the Navy and still in Los Angeles?" Dick replied, "It's a lot better than not being in the service at all during wartime"--which was Lon's situation. A while later, Lon said, "I've got a little ice cream on my sleeve", and wiped it on Dick's dress blues. That did it. Dick took his ice cream--which was pistachio green, in keeping with the horror motif--and pushed it in Lon's face. With all that green dripping from his face, he looked as if he were back in make-up for one of his monster characters." She passed away following a battle with ovarian cancer at her home in Haiku, on the Island of Maui, Hawaii, on August 29, 1985, twelve days after her 67th birthday. A memorial service was held in honor at the Makawao Union Church in Maui, Hawaii, and she was buried in Maui Veterans Cemetery in Makawao, Hawaii. She was married to the actor Richard Denning (1914-1998), in Las Vegas, Nevada, on September 12, 1942, and they were together until her death on August 29, 1985. Her husband Richard Denning passed away in Escondido, California, on October 11, 1998, at the age of 84, and he is buried with her. The couple had one child together, the actress Dianna Denning.
Bio by: The Silent Forgotten
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