Doe Avedon (born Dorcas Marie Nowell; April 7, 1925 â€" December 18,
2011) was an American model and stage, film and television actress.Doe
Avedon was born Dorcas Marie Nowell in Old Westbury, New York, Long
Island on April 7, 1925. Her mother died when she was three years old
after which she was raised by her father who worked as a butler. At 12
years old her father died; she was raised by the wealthy family for
whom her father had worked.At the age of 19, she began working at a
bank in New York City. It was there that she met up and coming
photographer Richard Avedon. They were married in 1944 and Avedon set
about making his new wife a top model. He also changed her name from
"Dorcas" to "Doe" because he felt her wide set, brown eyes looked like
those of a doe. While Avedon appeared in numerous photographs shot by
her husband, she did not enjoy modeling and turned to acting in the
late-1940s. In 1948, she made her Broadway debut in The Young and
Fair. The following year, she cast in My Name Is Aquilon, starring
Jean-Pierre Aumont and Arlene Francis. That same year, she made her
film debut (under the name "Betty Harper") in the 1949 film noir
Jigsaw.
2011) was an American model and stage, film and television actress.Doe
Avedon was born Dorcas Marie Nowell in Old Westbury, New York, Long
Island on April 7, 1925. Her mother died when she was three years old
after which she was raised by her father who worked as a butler. At 12
years old her father died; she was raised by the wealthy family for
whom her father had worked.At the age of 19, she began working at a
bank in New York City. It was there that she met up and coming
photographer Richard Avedon. They were married in 1944 and Avedon set
about making his new wife a top model. He also changed her name from
"Dorcas" to "Doe" because he felt her wide set, brown eyes looked like
those of a doe. While Avedon appeared in numerous photographs shot by
her husband, she did not enjoy modeling and turned to acting in the
late-1940s. In 1948, she made her Broadway debut in The Young and
Fair. The following year, she cast in My Name Is Aquilon, starring
Jean-Pierre Aumont and Arlene Francis. That same year, she made her
film debut (under the name "Betty Harper") in the 1949 film noir
Jigsaw.
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