Mary Jane Frehse (July 18, 1915 â€" September 6, 1985), known as Jane
Frazee, was an American actress, singer, and dancer. (Her studio
biography gave her birthdate as 1918, causing some confusion among her
fans; Minnesota historian Dave Kirwan confirms the actual date and
birthplace.)Jane, age six, and her 12-year-old sister Ruth
(1909â€"2001) formed a singing vaudeville act known as The Frazee
Sisters. The act broke up in 1940, when Jane landed a leading role in
the B film Melody and Moonlight (1940) for Republic Pictures. Shortly
after the film's release she was signed by Universal Pictures and was
featured in Buck Privates, the high-grossing 1941 comedy/World War II
film starring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. The strong impression she
made in that film elevated her to leading-lady roles in Universal's
popular "B" musicals, usually appearing opposite Robert Paige. She
left Universal in late 1942, when she married actor-director Glenn
Tryon, who was 16 years her senior. The actress was still very much in
demand, and returned to Republic for more musicals. She also appeared
frequently in budget features for Columbia Pictures.After World War
II, most of the larger Hollywood studios curtailed their lower-budget
productions and produced fewer features. This affected scores of
actors, who sought refuge at the smaller studios that had been making
low-budget features all along. Thus Jane Frazee found steady if
unprestigious work at Monogram Pictures and Lippert Pictures, in
addition to her Republic duties. This led to the even lower-budgeted
and faster-paced field of westerns, and ultimately television
(including the early adventure series Adventures of Superman).
Frazee, was an American actress, singer, and dancer. (Her studio
biography gave her birthdate as 1918, causing some confusion among her
fans; Minnesota historian Dave Kirwan confirms the actual date and
birthplace.)Jane, age six, and her 12-year-old sister Ruth
(1909â€"2001) formed a singing vaudeville act known as The Frazee
Sisters. The act broke up in 1940, when Jane landed a leading role in
the B film Melody and Moonlight (1940) for Republic Pictures. Shortly
after the film's release she was signed by Universal Pictures and was
featured in Buck Privates, the high-grossing 1941 comedy/World War II
film starring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. The strong impression she
made in that film elevated her to leading-lady roles in Universal's
popular "B" musicals, usually appearing opposite Robert Paige. She
left Universal in late 1942, when she married actor-director Glenn
Tryon, who was 16 years her senior. The actress was still very much in
demand, and returned to Republic for more musicals. She also appeared
frequently in budget features for Columbia Pictures.After World War
II, most of the larger Hollywood studios curtailed their lower-budget
productions and produced fewer features. This affected scores of
actors, who sought refuge at the smaller studios that had been making
low-budget features all along. Thus Jane Frazee found steady if
unprestigious work at Monogram Pictures and Lippert Pictures, in
addition to her Republic duties. This led to the even lower-budgeted
and faster-paced field of westerns, and ultimately television
(including the early adventure series Adventures of Superman).
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