Allene Roberts | |
|---|---|
 Roberts in The Red House (1947) | |
| Born | Emma Allene Roberts (1928-09-01)September 1, 1928 Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. |
| Died | May 9, 2019(2019-05-09) (aged 90) Huntsville, Alabama, U.S |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1947–1957 |
| Spouse |
Ralph Cochran
(m. 1955; died 1989) |
| Children | 4 |
Emma Allene Roberts1 (September 1, 1928 – May 9, 2019)23 was an American actress.
Early years
Roberts was born in Birmingham, Alabama, the daughter of Frank W. Roberts and Velma Swain Roberts. She had three older brothers. Her father died when she was 9 years old. Her activities included playing piano, singing, and tap dancing.4 She graduated from Hollywood High School.5
In 1941, she won the "America's Most Charming Child" contest sponsored by the New York Daily Mirror,6 receiving $1,000 in cash and a $1,000 contract with Warner Bros. studio.1 The contest initially had more than 60,000 entrants; she won after that group had been reduced to 50 semi-finalists and 12 finalists.4
Career
Roberts appeared in twelve movies from 1947 to 1954, and on TV in Four Star Playhouse, Adventures of Superman7 and Dragnet. Her first big picture was The Red House (1947)3 starring Rory Calhoun, Julie London and Edward G. Robinson. That movie was considered by the critics to be the "sleeper hit" of the year.
Roberts' other films included Knock on Any Door (1949),8 Union Station (1950),9 and Bomba on Panther Island (1949).
Death
On May 9, 2019, Roberts died in Huntsville, Alabama, at age 90.3
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | The Red House | Meg | |
| 1948 | The Sign of the Ram | Jane St. Aubyn | |
| Michael O'Halloran | Lily Nelson | ||
| 1949 | Knock on Any Door | Emma | |
| Bomba on Panther Island | Judy Maitland | ||
| 1950 | Union Station | Lorna Murchison | |
| 1951 | A Wonderful Life | Mary Wood | Short |
| Santa Fe | Ella Sue Canfield | ||
| The Hoodlum | Rosa | ||
| 1952 | Kid Monk Baroni | Emily Brooks | |
| Thunderbirds | Margie Hanford | ||
| The Blazing Forest | Milly | Uncredited |
References
References
- Fernandez, Charles (May 13, 1941). "Tampa Girl, 12, Wins $2000 First Prize As Most Charming Child". The Tampa Times. Florida, Tampa. p. 1. Retrieved June 3, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Allene Roberts Cochran Obituary – Visitation & Funeral Information". www.laughlinservice.com. Retrieved May 13, 2019.
- "Allene Roberts, Actress in Humphrey Bogart's 'Knock on Any Door,' Dies at 90". The Hollywood Reporter. May 11, 2019. Retrieved May 13, 2019.
- "Tampa Girl Designated 'America's Most Charming Child'". The Miami Herald. May 20, 1941. p. 9 A. Retrieved April 13, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- Scott, John L. (October 1, 1950). "Starlet Allene Roberts Playing Blind Role Opens Filmland Eyes". Los Angeles Times. p. Part IV, page 3. Retrieved April 13, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- Stalnaker, Leo Jr. (June 15, 1949). "Allene Roberts Invites Her Friends Here to Write Her in Hollywood". The Tampa Times. Florida, Tampa. p. 3. Retrieved June 3, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- ""Adventures of Superman" Actress Allene Roberts Passes Away".
- Silver, Alain and Elizabeth Ward, ed., Film Noir: An Encyclopedic Reference to the American Style, The Overlook Press, Woodstock, NY, Third Edition, 1992 pp. 161–162
- Silver, p. 303.
External links
External links
- Allene Roberts at IMDb
- Allene Roberts at the American Film Institute
- Allene Roberts: True to her roots