Mary Elizabeth Hughes (November , â€" August , ) was an American
film, television, and stage actress best known for her roles in B
movies.Hughes was born in Alton, Illinois. Her' parents, George Joseph
Hughes and Mary Frances Hughes, separated when she was an infant and
divorced in . After the divorce, Hughes's mother moved with her only
child to Washington, D.C. Hughes' grandmother, Flora Fosdick, was
described as a "star of grand opera and drama [who] played with Ethel
Barrymore on the stage."As a child Hughes began acting in stage
productions. While acting in a school play in the early s, her
performance caught the attention of Clifford Brown, a repertory
theatre company owner, who offered her a part in a touring production
of Alice in Wonderland. While touring with another production in
Brown's company, she was offered a contract from a talent scout with
Gaumont-British Studios but declined the offer to finish high
school.After graduating from high school in she returned to Brown's
theatre company, where she continued to appear in various stage
productions until the summer of , when she relocated to Los Angeles
with her mother to pursue a film career. After six months of failing
to land movie roles, Hughes and her mother made plans to return to
Washington, D.C., until Hughes met an agent, Wally Ross. Ross
introduced Hughes to powerful William Morris agent Johnny Hyde. Hyde
landed Hughes a contract with MGM, and she soon landed a small,
uncredited role in the film Broadway Serenade.
film, television, and stage actress best known for her roles in B
movies.Hughes was born in Alton, Illinois. Her' parents, George Joseph
Hughes and Mary Frances Hughes, separated when she was an infant and
divorced in . After the divorce, Hughes's mother moved with her only
child to Washington, D.C. Hughes' grandmother, Flora Fosdick, was
described as a "star of grand opera and drama [who] played with Ethel
Barrymore on the stage."As a child Hughes began acting in stage
productions. While acting in a school play in the early s, her
performance caught the attention of Clifford Brown, a repertory
theatre company owner, who offered her a part in a touring production
of Alice in Wonderland. While touring with another production in
Brown's company, she was offered a contract from a talent scout with
Gaumont-British Studios but declined the offer to finish high
school.After graduating from high school in she returned to Brown's
theatre company, where she continued to appear in various stage
productions until the summer of , when she relocated to Los Angeles
with her mother to pursue a film career. After six months of failing
to land movie roles, Hughes and her mother made plans to return to
Washington, D.C., until Hughes met an agent, Wally Ross. Ross
introduced Hughes to powerful William Morris agent Johnny Hyde. Hyde
landed Hughes a contract with MGM, and she soon landed a small,
uncredited role in the film Broadway Serenade.
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