Many of these actors achieved stardom because of their start in film noir; others, despite it. In any case, at one time or another, sometimes many times, they played cops and robbers, hoodlums and toadies, doomed anti-heroes and femme fatales in one of filmdom’s richest genres. And all of us fans of film noir are richer for that. A tip of the fedora to them all.
COLEEN GRAY
Coleen Gray (1922) made many film noir thrillers, westerns and even several horror films during her lengthy acting career. She scored a critical notice in KISS OF DEATH (1947). Later that year starred in NIGHTMARE ALLEY, a landmark film of noir cynicism as a carny lifer named Molly who hits the big time with scam mentalist Tyrone Power. In 1948 she appeared as John Wayne's love interest in the memorable opening sequences of RED RIVER. In the ‘50s she played a memorably crooked nurse in THE SLEEPING CITY. She also provided solid performances in KANSAS CITY CONFIDENTIAL (1952), an underrated film (and an early prelude to RESERVOIR DOGS), and THE KILLING (1956), in which she plays a lonely woman desperate for love in noir city.
Coleen Gray was a super hottie in her day. She should have done much better
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