COP11 Posted November 2, 2011 Posted November 2, 2011 Elyse Knox (born December 14, 1917) is an American actress. Early life Born Elsie Lillian Kornbrath to Frederick and Elizabeth Kornbrath in Hartford, Connecticut, she is not the daughter of U.S. Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox, despite many sources suggesting she is. She studied at the Traphagen School of Fashion in Manhattan then embarked on a career in fashion design. Her good looks enabled her to model some of her own creations for Vogue magazine that led to a contract offer from Twentieth Century Fox film studio in 1937. Career Knox performed mainly in minor or secondary roles until 1942 when she had a leading role with Lon Chaney, Jr. in The Mummy's Tomb, one of the series of Mummy horror films made by Universal Studios. Knox appeared as herself in the Universal Studios 1944 production "Follow the Boys," one of the World War II morale-booster films made for both the soldiers serving overseas as well as civilians at home. Knox also was a pin up girl during the War, appearing in such magazines as YANK, a weekly put out by the United States Military. In late 1945, she was signed by Monogram Pictures to portray Anne Howe, the love interest of fictional boxer Joe Palooka in Joe Palooka, Champ. Based on the very popular comic strip, the instant success of the May 1946 film led to Elyse Knox appearing in another five Joe Palooka productions. After acting in thirty-nine films, Elyse Knox retired in 1949 following her performance in the musical film There's a Girl in My Heart. Personal life Knox continued to do modeling work for print ads and while appearing on the Bing Crosby radio show she met football star Tom Harmon. They became engaged, but broke up when Harmon entered the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1942. That year, Knox married fashion photographer Paul Hesse, who had shot many of her print ads and magazine covers. The marriage was brief. Following her divorce and Tom Harmon's return from World War II (during which he survived two plane crashes and being lost in the jungle), she and Harmon married in 1944. Knox's wedding dress was made from silk from the parachute Harmon used when bailing out of his crippled plane. The couple remained together until his death in 1990. They had three children, Kristin (b.1945), an actress and painter who at seventeen married recording artist Ricky Nelson and had Tracy, twins Gunnar and Matthew, and son Sam; Kelly (b. 1948), who modeled and also acted in film and television (TJ Hooker) and was once married to automaker John DeLorean; and Mark (b.1951), film and television actor who starred in films such as The Presidio and the current TV show NCIS. Filmography Year Film Role Other notes 1937 Wake Up and Live Nurse uncredited 1940 Lillian Russell Lillian Russell's Sister performer: "Brighten the Corner Where You Are" Youth Will Be Served Pamela Yesterday's Heroes Undetermined role uncredited Girl from Avenue A Angela Girl in 313 Judith Wilson Star Dust Girl uncredited Free, Blonde and 21 Marjorie 1941 Miss Polly Barbara Snodgrass All-American Co-Ed Co-ed uncredited Tanks a Million Jeannie Sheriff of Tombstone Mary Carson Footlight Fever Eileen Drake 1942 Arabian Nights Duenna uncredited The Mummy's Tomb Isobel Evans Top Sergeant Helen Gray Hay Foot Betty Barkley 1943 Hi'ya, Sailor Pat Rogers So's Your Uncle Patricia Williams Hit the Ice Nurse Peggy Osborne Mister Big Alice Taswell Keep 'Em Slugging Suzanne Don Winslow of the Coast Guard Mercedes Colby 1944 Army Wives Jerry Van Dyke A Wave, a WAC and a Marine Marian Moonlight and Cactus Louise Ferguson Follow the Boys Herself 1946 Sweetheart of Sigma Chi Betty Allen Gentleman Joe Palooka Anne Howe Joe Palooka, Champ Anne Howe 1947 Linda Be Good Linda Prentiss Joe Palooka in the Knockout Anne Howe Black Gold Ruth Frazer 1948 Joe Palooka in Winner Take All Anne Howe I Wouldn't Be in Your Shoes Ann Quinn Joe Palooka in Fighting Mad Anne Howe 1949 There's a Girl in My Heart Claire Adamson Joe Palooka in the Counterpunch Anne Howe Forgotten Women Kate Allison 1953 I Was a Burlesque Queen Linda Prentiss archive footage 1999 Mummy Dearest: A Horror Tradition Unearthed Isobel Evans archive footage Quote
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