Sally Forrest (born Katherine Feeney; May 28, 1928 â€" March 15,
2015), was an American film, stage and TV actress of the 1940s and
1950s. She studied dance from a young age and shortly out of high
school was signed to a contract by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.She was born in
San Diego to Michael and Marguerite (née Ellicott) Feeney. Her
father was a U.S. Navy career officer, who moved his family to various
naval bases, finally settling in San Diego. He and his wife later
became ballroom dancers and taught dance classes, where their daughter
began learning her lifelong craft.Forrest began her film career in the
1940s as a chorus dancer in MGM musicals. She made her acting debut in
Not Wanted (1949), written and produced by Ida Lupino. The film's
controversial subject of unwed motherhood was a raw and unsentimental
view of a condition that was rarely explored by Hollywood at that
time. Forrest starred in two more Lupino projects, Never Fear (1949)
and Hard, Fast and Beautiful (1951), as well as other film noir films,
including Mystery Street (1950), directed by John Sturges, and the
star-studded While the City Sleeps (1956), directed by Fritz Lang. Her
musical background and training as a jazz and ballet dancer brought
roles in the transitional musicals that rounded off the golden age of
MGM; most notable was Excuse My Dust (1951).Most of her films were
made under contract to MGM, which prided itself as family
entertainment, but RKO, headed by the eccentric and controlling Howard
Hughes, presented a very different creative challenge. Son of Sinbad
(1955), now a cult classic, was one of his many pet projects where he
had a personal interest in re-designing the star's skimpy wardrobe.
With each rehearsal, Forrest noticed her harem dance costume slowly
disappearing, until it was barely compliant with the Motion Picture
Production Code.[citation needed]
2015), was an American film, stage and TV actress of the 1940s and
1950s. She studied dance from a young age and shortly out of high
school was signed to a contract by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.She was born in
San Diego to Michael and Marguerite (née Ellicott) Feeney. Her
father was a U.S. Navy career officer, who moved his family to various
naval bases, finally settling in San Diego. He and his wife later
became ballroom dancers and taught dance classes, where their daughter
began learning her lifelong craft.Forrest began her film career in the
1940s as a chorus dancer in MGM musicals. She made her acting debut in
Not Wanted (1949), written and produced by Ida Lupino. The film's
controversial subject of unwed motherhood was a raw and unsentimental
view of a condition that was rarely explored by Hollywood at that
time. Forrest starred in two more Lupino projects, Never Fear (1949)
and Hard, Fast and Beautiful (1951), as well as other film noir films,
including Mystery Street (1950), directed by John Sturges, and the
star-studded While the City Sleeps (1956), directed by Fritz Lang. Her
musical background and training as a jazz and ballet dancer brought
roles in the transitional musicals that rounded off the golden age of
MGM; most notable was Excuse My Dust (1951).Most of her films were
made under contract to MGM, which prided itself as family
entertainment, but RKO, headed by the eccentric and controlling Howard
Hughes, presented a very different creative challenge. Son of Sinbad
(1955), now a cult classic, was one of his many pet projects where he
had a personal interest in re-designing the star's skimpy wardrobe.
With each rehearsal, Forrest noticed her harem dance costume slowly
disappearing, until it was barely compliant with the Motion Picture
Production Code.[citation needed]
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