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Evelyn Ankers Evelyn Ankers
Born: August 17, 1918
Died: August 29, 1985 (at the age of 67)
Evelyn Ankers- from Hold That Ghost

Evelyn Ankers was born August 17, 1918 in Valparaiso, Chile to English parents. When her parents relocated to England in the 1920's began to think of acting.

While still in England, Eveyln would appear in small roles in the mid 1930s while she was still in school. Eveyln was cast in 'Fire Over England' (1937) with Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh and in 'Bells of St. Mary's' (1937). She was found to be not only beautiful but talented, she would soon star in low budget film roles such as 'The Villiers Diamond' (1938) and 'The Claydon Treasure Mystery' (1938).

Evelyn Ankers- from The Wolf Man With the War in Europe, Evelyn came to The United States and was immiadiatly signed to a contract with Universal in 1940. Evelyn would find fame in the 1940's at Universal as their reigning Scream Queen (She was called "Queen of the Screamers" on account of her blood-curdling vocal outbursts her films of the 40's). Evelyn often played roles or variations of roles of the cultured leading lady. Her first Universal film was with Abbott and Costello in 'Hold That Ghost' (1941) and then in 'The Wolf Man' (1941) with Lon Chaney Jr. , she was only 23 years old. She would also appear with Chaney in 'The Ghost of Frankenstein' (1942) and 'The Frozen Ghost' (1945).

Evelyn Ankers Evelyn Ankers- Publicity shot from The Wolf Man

Evelyn would marry Richard Denning in 1942 and she would work while he was in the war.

She was in 'Captive Wild Woman' (1943), 'Son of Dracula' (1943), 'The Mad Ghoul' (1943). In 1944 she would be in 'Jungle Woman' (1944), 'Weird Woman' (1944), and she would appear with Jon Hall in 'The Invisible Man's Revenge' (1944). She also appeared with Basil Rathbone (as Sherlock Holmes) in 'The Voice of Terror' (1942) and 'The Pearl of Death' (1944). She would be in a few of these movies until 1950.

Evelyn's career began to slow when the Monster films slowed. Evelyn would leave Universal in 1945 to do freelance acting at other studios. She would do mostly Mystery and Dramas at Repulic, Columbia, PRC and 20th Century Fox.

Evelyn retired from acting in 1950 be a housewife and mother. Occasionally she would still do a role on Television and in 1960 she would return one last time to play in the film 'No Greater Love' with her husband. Evelyn and Richard would move to Hawaii in the 60's stay there until her death. Evelyn Ankers died on August 29, 1985 in Maui, Hawaii. She died of ovarian cancer just twelve days after her 67th Birthday.




---------- Film Rolls ----------
(1936) Land Without Music
aka Forbidden Music (USA)
(uncredited)A Lady of the Court (segment "Who said Carlini?")
(1936) Rembrandt (uncredited) Girl
(1937) Wings of the Morning (uncredited) Bit Part
(1937) Fire Over England (uncredited) Lady-in-Waiting
(1937) Knight Without Armour
aka Knight Without Armor (USA)
(uncredited) Minor Role
(1937) Bells of St. Mary's Village girl
(1938) Second Thoughts
aka The Crime of Peter Frame
Molly Frame
(1938) The Villiers Diamond Joan Raymond
(1938) Murder in the Family Dorothy Osborne
(1938) Coming of Age Christine Squire
(1939) Over the Moon (uncredited) Girl
(1941) Bachelor Daddy
aka Sandy Steps Out
Beth Chase
(1941) Hit The Road Patience Ryan
(1941) Burma Convoy
A low-budget Universal adventure .
With Keye Luke, Turhan Bey, and C. Montague Shaw.
 
(1941) Hold That Ghost
With Richard Carlson, Bud Abbott, Joan Davis, and Lou Costello
 
(1941) The Wolf Man
With Lon Chaney Jr.
 
(1942) North to the Klondike
With Lon Chaney Jr. and Dorothy Granger in Universal's adventure North to the Klondike
 
(1942) The Ghost of Frankenstein
Evelyn Ankers gets carried around so much that she should have come with a handle.
 
(1942) Eagle Squadron Nancy Mitchell
(1942) Pierre of the Plains
Ankers was loaned out to MGM for this drama.
(1942) Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror
aka Voice of Terror (UK)
Kitty
(1942) The Great Impersonation Lady Muriel Dominey
(1943) Keep 'Em Slugging Sheila Banning
(1943) Captive Wild Woman
Mad scientist John Carradine turns an eye to Evelyn Ankers and decides to transform gorilla Ray 'Crash' Corrigan into beautiful Acquanetta.
Beth Colman
(1943) All by Myself Jean Wells
(1943) Hers to Hold Flo Simpson
(1943) Crazy House (uncredited) Cameo appearance
(1943) You're a Lucky Fellow, Mr. Smith Lynn Smith
(1943) Son of Dracula
with Robert Paige, Frank Craven, and Louise Allbritton
Claire Caldwell
(1943) The Mad Ghoul Isabel Lewis
(1943) His Butler's Sister Elizabeth Campbell
(1944) Ladies Courageous
aka Fury in the Sky (USA: reissue title)
Wilhelmina Van Kronk
(1944) Weird Woman
Ankers with frequent co-star Lon Chaney Jr.
part of Universal's Inner Sanctum
Ilona Carr
(1947) Spoilers of the North Laura Reed
(1946) Flight to Nowhere Catherine Forrest
(1946) Black Beauty Evelyn Carrington
(1946) Queen of Burlesque Crystal McCoy
(1946) The French Key Janet Morgan
(1945) The Fatal Witness Priscilla Ames
(!945) The Frozen Ghost
Ankers is hypnotized by Lon Chaney Jr
Maura Daniel
(1944) Bowery to Broadway Bonnie Latour
(1944) The Pearl of Death
with Nigel Bruce and Basil Rathbone in the Sherlock Holmes mystery
Naomi Drake
(1944) The Invisible Man's Revenge
with Alan Curtis
Julie Herrick
(1944) Jungle Woman Beth Mason
(1944) Pardon My Rhythm Julia Munson
(1947) Last of the Redmen (1947)
aka Last of the Redskins (UK)
Alice Munro
(1947) The Lone Wolf in London Iris Chatham
(1948) Parole, Inc. Jojo Dumont
(1949) Tarzan's Magic Fountain Gloria James Jessup
(1949) "Your Show Time"- The Adventure of the Speckled Band Helen Stoner
(1950) The Texan Meets Calamity Jane Calamity Jane
(1952) "Mr. & Mrs. North"- The Nobles  
(1953) "Cavalcade of America"- Sam and the Whale  
(1953) "General Electric Theater"- The Hunted  
(1955) "The Star and the Story"- Dark Stranger
aka "The Henry Fonda Show"
Ruth McCabe
(1955) "Screen Directors Playhouse"- The Silent Partner Miss Loving
(1956) "The 20th Century-Fox Hour"- The Empty Room Millicent
(1958) "Cheyenne"- The Gamble Robbie James
(1960) No Greater Love
with Richard Denning
 


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