Theresa Harris

Theresa Harris

Known for: Acting
Biography: 1906-12-31
Deathday: 1985-10-08 (78 years old)

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Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Theresa Harris (December 31, 1906 [some sources indicate 1909] – October 8, 1985) was an American film and television actress, singer and dancer.


In 1929 Harris traveled to Hollywood, where she embarked on an acting career. She made her film debut in Thunderbolt, singing the song "Daddy Won't You Please Come Home". As she entered the 1930s she found herself playing maids to fictitious Southern belles, socialites and female molls. These parts were sometimes uncredited. She also floated around studios doing bit parts, usually at Warner Bros. or MGM. Aside from maids, she specialized in playing blues singers, waitresses, tribal women, prostitutes, and hatcheck girls.


Harris had a featured role as a friend of Jean Harlow in MGM's Hold Your Man (1932). In 1933 she appeared as Chico in the Warner Bros. pre-Code production of Baby Face, starring Barbara Stanwyck. That same year Harris starred in a substantial role opposite Ginger Rogers in Professional Sweetheart. As Rogers' character's maid, Harris' character subs for Rogers' character as a singer on the radio. Despite the fact that Harris' character was a major point for the story's plot development, she was uncredited for the role.


Throughout the 1930s, Harris played many uncredited parts in films such as Horse Feathers (1932), Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933), Mary Stevens, M.D. (1933) and Morning Glory (1933). She also played Bette Davis's maid Zette in the film Jezebel (1938). In 1937 she appeared in the race film Bargain With Bullets opposite Ralph Cooper for Million Dollar Productions. While doing promotion for the film, Harris spoke about her frustration over the difficulty African American actors faced in the film industry, stating, "I never had the chance to rise about the role of maid in Hollywood movies. My color was against me anyway you looked at it. The fact that I was not "hot" stamped me either as uppity or relegated me to the eternal role of stooge or servant....My ambition is to be an actress. Hollywood had no parts for me."


Harris continued to lobby for better parts but found few opportunities within Hollywood. In the 1939 movie Tell No Tales she was credited for her part as Ruby, the wife of a murdered man. Harris played an emotional scene with Melvin Douglas at the funeral. She appears in a small but vivid role as Kathie Moffat's ex-maid Eunice Leonard in Jacques Tourneur 1947 Out of the Past.


In addition to films, Harris performed in many radio programs. She was often paired with Eddie Rochester Anderson, who portrayed her on-screen boyfriend. She also appeared in several prominent roles for RKO Pictures as she was a favorite of RKO producer Val Lewton who routinely cast African American actors in non-stereotypical roles. In 1942 Lewton cast Harris as a sarcastic waitress in Cat People, followed by roles in I Walked with a Zombie (1943), Phantom Lady (1944), and Strange Illusion (1945).


During the 1950s Harris appeared several times on television shows. She made her last film appearance in an uncredited role in The Gift of Love in 1958.


Harris later married a doctor and retired from acting, living comfortably after having carefully invested the money she made during her career in the movies.


On October 8, 1985, Harris (then known as Theresa Robinson) died in Inglewood, California.

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Filmography

all 74

Movies 70

TV Shows 4

Dora - Sam's Wife (uncredited)
The Gift of Love

The Gift of Love (1958)

Movie
Irene
How to Marry a Millionaire

How to Marry a Millionaire (1957)

TV
Nancy the Maid
Spoilers of the Forest

Spoilers of the Forest (1957)

Movie
Mamie (uncredited)
Back from Eternity

Back from Eternity (1956)

Movie
Maid
Alfred Hitchcock Presents

Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955)

TV
4.75
Clare (uncredited)
The French Line

The French Line (1954)

Movie
Lulu
Letter to Loretta

Letter to Loretta (1953)

TV
Backstage Maid
Small Town Girl

Small Town Girl (1953)

Movie
Nurse Theresa
Angel Face

Angel Face (1953)

Movie
4
The Company She Keeps

The Company She Keeps (1951)

Movie
Terese
Al Jennings of Oklahoma

Al Jennings of Oklahoma (1951)

Movie
Stella, Ina's Maid
Grounds for Marriage

Grounds for Marriage (1951)

Movie
Young Woman
Lux Video Theatre

Lux Video Theatre (1950)

TV
Maid
And Baby Makes Three

And Baby Makes Three (1949)

Movie
Woman in Drugstore (uncredited)
Tension

Tension (1949)

Movie
Esther
The File on Thelma Jordon

The File on Thelma Jordon (1949)

Movie
Matilda the Maid (uncredited)
Neptune's Daughter

Neptune's Daughter (1949)

Movie
Opal
Alias Nick Beal

Alias Nick Beal (1949)

Movie
Nancy
The Velvet Touch

The Velvet Touch (1948)

Movie
Daisy (uncredited)
The Big Clock

The Big Clock (1948)

Movie
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
The Lady from Shanghai

The Lady from Shanghai (1947)

Movie
5
Eunice Leonard (uncredited)
Out of the Past

Out of the Past (1947)

Movie
4.75
Julia, the maid
The Trespasser

The Trespasser (1947)

Movie
Cleo (uncredited)
Miracle on 34th Street

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

Movie
5.92
Louise
Smooth as Silk

Smooth as Silk (1946)

Movie
Actress
Swingtime Jamboree

Swingtime Jamboree (1946)

Movie
Maid
Strange Illusion

Strange Illusion (1945)

Movie
Alma
I Walked with a Zombie

I Walked with a Zombie (1943)

Movie
6.29
Minnie (uncredited)
Cat People

Cat People (1942)

Movie
5.67
Bessie Mae
Tough as They Come

Tough as They Come (1942)

Movie
Hat Check Girl
Sing Your Worries Away

Sing Your Worries Away (1942)

Movie
Hattie
Our Wife

Our Wife (1941)

Movie
Cleo
Blossoms in the Dust

Blossoms in the Dust (1941)

Movie
Mother Listening to Hurdy-gurdy (uncredited)
Here Comes Mr. Jordan

Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941)

Movie
Clementine
The Flame of New Orleans

The Flame of New Orleans (1941)

Movie
Josephine
Love Thy Neighbor

Love Thy Neighbor (1940)

Movie
Maid (uncredited)
Santa Fe Trail

Santa Fe Trail (1940)

Movie
Josephine
Buck Benny Rides Again

Buck Benny Rides Again (1940)

Movie
Beulah - Powder Room Attendant
City of Chance

City of Chance (1940)

Movie
High Yaller girl
One Hour To Live

One Hour To Live (1939)

Movie
Olive (uncredited)
The Women

The Women (1939)

Movie
Ruby
Tell No Tales

Tell No Tales (1939)

Movie
'Pick'
The Toy Wife

The Toy Wife (1938)

Movie
Zette
Jezebel

Jezebel (1938)

Movie
3.5
Maid
Big Town Girl

Big Town Girl (1937)

Movie
Grace Foster
Bargain with Bullets

Bargain with Bullets (1937)

Movie
Maid (uncredited)
The Lady Escapes

The Lady Escapes (1937)

Movie
Athlete
Charlie Chan at the Olympics

Charlie Chan at the Olympics (1937)

Movie
5.09
Dressing Room Maid / Luana's Maid
Go Into Your Dance

Go Into Your Dance (1935)

Movie
Ladies Room Maid at Party
Desirable

Desirable (1934)

Movie
Sacrificed Girl (uncredited)
Black Moon

Black Moon (1934)

Movie
6
Evelyn (uncredited)
Finishing School

Finishing School (1934)

Movie
Marie
Success at Any Price

Success at Any Price (1934)

Movie
Lily - the Maid
The Worst Woman in Paris?

The Worst Woman in Paris? (1933)

Movie
Jessica (uncredited)
Blood Money

Blood Money (1933)

Movie
Joan's Maid
Broadway Thru a Keyhole

Broadway Thru a Keyhole (1933)

Movie
Lili (uncredited)
Penthouse

Penthouse (1933)

Movie
(uncredited)
Morning Glory

Morning Glory (1933)

Movie
Andrews' Maid Alice (uncredited)
Mary Stevens, M.D.

Mary Stevens, M.D. (1933)

Movie
Chico
Baby Face

Baby Face (1933)

Movie
Lily Mae
Hold Your Man

Hold Your Man (1933)

Movie
Janet's Maid (Uncredited)
Private Detective 62

Private Detective 62 (1933)

Movie
Vera (uncredited)
Professional Sweetheart

Professional Sweetheart (1933)

Movie
Woman in 'Pettin' in the Park' Number (uncredited)
Gold Diggers of 1933

Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)

Movie
6.22
Ladies' Room Attendant (uncredited)
Grand Slam

Grand Slam (1933)

Movie
Ladies' Room Attendant (uncredited)
Night After Night

Night After Night (1932)

Movie
Amanda
Faithless

Faithless (1932)

Movie
Laura (uncredited)
Horse Feathers

Horse Feathers (1932)

Movie
6
Powder Room Attendant (uncredited)
Merrily We Go to Hell

Merrily We Go to Hell (1932)

Movie
Black Woman (uncredited)
Union Depot

Union Depot (1932)

Movie
Native Mother (uncredited)
Arrowsmith

Arrowsmith (1931)

Movie
6
Maid at Dude Ranch
The Road to Reno

The Road to Reno (1931)

Movie
Camp Follower (uncredited)
Morocco

Morocco (1930)

Movie
8
Singer
Thunderbolt

Thunderbolt (1929)

Movie

Ratings

Average 6
Based on 335 Thousand movie and tv ratings over time
1929
1933
1940
1934
1958
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Information

Known For
Acting

Gender
Female

Birthday
1906-12-31

Deathday
1985-10-08 (78 years old)

Birth Place
Houston, United States of America

Citizenships
United States of America

Also Known As
Teresa Harris, Theresa Robinson, The Beautiful Maid


This article uses material from Wikipedia.
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