Lois January

Lois January (October 5, 1913 – August 7, 2006) was an American actress who performed small roles in several B-movies during the 1930s.[1][2][3]

Lois January
Lois January in The Pace That Kills (1935)
Born(1913-10-05)October 5, 1913
McAllen, Texas, U.S.
DiedAugust 7, 2006(2006-08-07) (aged 92)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OccupationFilm, television actress
Years active1932–1987
Spouse(s)Abraham Meyer (1937–1940, divorce)
Bill Gernnant (? - ?)
Lois January in Rogue of the Range (1936)

Lois also had a secondary part in the Wizard Of Oz, towards the end of the movie, holding a Siamese cat in her arms. Toto jumps out of the basket of the hot air balloon that was supposed to take him, Dorothy and the Wizard away from the Land of Oz.

Early life

Born in McAllen, Texas as Laura Lois January,[4] she "was prodded into show business by her mother, whom Lois described as 'pushy.'"[5] January attended Virgil Junior High School and the Marlborough School for girls.[6] She also studied dance at the Denishawn School of Dancing and Related Arts and acted in stage productions in Los Angeles.[5]

Career

January's first credited role was in 1933, in the film UM-PA. Her most famous role, however, is probably as the Emerald City manicurist in The Wizard of Oz who sings to Dorothy that "we can make a dimpled smile out of a frown".[5] Although the character was unnamed, many fans believe it to be an incarnation of novel character Jellia Jamb.

During the 1930s she played in numerous westerns as the heroine, usually opposite Johnny Mack Brown, Bob Steele, Tim McCoy and Bob Baker, among others. In 1935 she starred opposite Reb Russell in Arizona Badman, and in 1936 she starred with Brown in Rogue of the Range, and alongside Tim McCoy in Border Caballero. While under contract with Universal Pictures she continued to play heroine roles in westerns, and in 1937 she starred opposite Bob Baker in Courage of the West. The reissuing of the 1935 exploitation film The Pace That Kills (under the title Cocaine Fiends) would eventually lend January even more exposure, however limited.

January's Broadway credits include High Kickers (1941) and Yokel Boy (1939).[7]

By the mid-1940s, her starring roles had waned but she continued to act in non-starring parts. In 1942 she was the "poster girl" for Chesterfield cigarettes.[5] From 1960 through 1987 she played numerous small roles on television, to include roles on My Three Sons and Marcus Welby, M.D..[8] Her last acting role was in 1987, on the television movie Double Agent. During the 1980s she attended several western film festivals.

Personal life

In April 1937, January married theatrical agent Abraham Meyer. They were divorced August 9, 1940.[9] She later married radio producer Bill Gernnant.[10]

Death

January died in Los Angeles, California of Alzheimer's disease on August 7, 2006, aged 92.[4]

References
  1. "Cocaine Fiends". amazon.com. Amazon.com, Inc. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  2. "Lois January". barnesandnoble.com. Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Inc. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  3. Shilling, Michael G. Fitzgerald and Boyd Magers; with forewords by Kathryn Adams, Mala Powers and Marion (2006). Ladies of the western : interviews with fifty-one more actresses from the silent era to the television westerns of the 1950s and 1960s. McFarland. p. 96. ISBN 9780786426560.
  4. Wilson, Scott (2016). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed. (2 volume set). McFarland. p. 374. ISBN 9780786479924. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  5. Hogan, David J. (2014). The Wizard of Oz FAQ: All That's Left to Know About Life, According to Oz. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 9781480397194. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  6. Mutti-Mewse, Austin (September 3, 2006). "Lois January". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
  7. "("Lois January" search results)". Playbill Vault. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  8. III, Harris M. Lentz (2007). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2006: Film, Television, Radio, Theatre, Dance, Music, Cartoons and Pop Culture. McFarland. p. 179. ISBN 9780786452118. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  9. "Actress Lois January Divorced by Agent". Oakland Tribune. California, Oakland. United Press. August 9, 1940. p. 12. Retrieved January 19, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Lois January With Aid of a Tease Sings Way Into Broadway's Heart". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. New York, Brooklyn. November 3, 1941. p. 14. Retrieved January 19, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
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