Mari Blanchard

Mari Blanchard

Known for: Acting
Biography: 1923-04-13
Deathday: 1970-05-10 (47 years old)

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Biography

Petite, attractive Mari Blanchard rarely managed to get the lucky breaks. The daughter of an oil tycoon and a psychotherapist, she suffered from severe poliomyelitis from the age of nine, which denied her a hoped-for dancing career. For several years, she worked hard to rehabilitate her limbs from paralysis, swimming and later even performing on the trapeze at Cole Brothers Circus. At the urging of her parents, she then attended the University of Southern California, where she studied international law before dropping out nine units short of a degree. Her university studies did not lead to a career either. Sometime in the late 1940s, she joined the Conover Agency as an advertising model and, at the same time, was promoted by famed cartoonist and writer Al Capp, becoming the inspiration for one of his Li'l Abner characters.


As the result of an advertisement on the back page of the Hollywood Reporter, Mari was signed to a contract with Paramount. However, her early experience in the movie business proved an unhappy one, most of her roles being walk-ons and bit parts. Ten Tall Men (1951), for example, limited her to a token stroll down a street, twirling a parasol and smiling seductively at members of the Foreign Legion. It wasn't until Mari joined Universal that her fortunes improved somewhat, with a co-starring role (opposite Victor Mature) in The Veils of Bagdad (1953). After that, it was all downhill again. Burt Lancaster, co-producer and star (with Gary Cooper of the excellent A-grade western Vera Cruz (1954), had requested Mari as his leading lady, but Universal refused her release to United Artists and forbade her to accept the lucrative role (Denise Darcel ended up getting the part). Mari then lost the lead in a much lesser picture,Saskatchewan (1954), to Shelley Winters. Instead, she was cast as Venusian Queen Allura in one of the least exciting outings by Universal's leading comic duo, Abbott and Costello Go to Mars (1953).


Mari did end up with a respectable starring role in the western Destry (1954) opposite Audie Murphy. A remake of the classic Destry Rides Again (1939), she was cast in the Marlene Dietrich part and took great pains to affect a totally different look, darkening her hair so as not to be compared to the great star. Even the name of her character was changed from 'Frenchy' to 'Brandy'. "Destry" was not all smooth sailing. There was tension between her and director George Marshall (who had also directed the original version) and Mari suffered a facial injury as the result of a fight scene. The film was critically well received, but unfortunately Universal failed to renew its contract with Miss Blanchard, and her career then went into free fall.


Freelancing for lesser studios, she played a TB victim injected with a serum turning her into a Mr. Hyde-like killer in the lurid She Devil (1957) (during filming she nearly died of acute appendicitis). Mari then appeared for Republic in the eminently forgettable No Place to Land (1958) before briefly starring in her own short-lived adventure series Klondike (1960). Her last role of note was as the cheerful and likeable town madam in the rollicking John Wayne western comedy McLintock! (1963). Sometime that year, Mari Blanchard developed the cancer which was to claim her life in 1970 at the age of just 47.

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Filmography

all 48

Movies 28

TV Shows 20

Camille Reedbottom
McLintock!

McLintock! (1963)

Movie
6
Mrs. Vasquez
Burke's Law

Burke's Law (1963)

TV
6
Breaking Point

Breaking Point (1963)

TV
Sylvia Ward
Twice-Told Tales

Twice-Told Tales (1963)

Movie
Marie Coulter
The Virginian

The Virginian (1962)

TV
Dulcie Corbin
Don't Knock the Twist

Don't Knock the Twist (1962)

Movie
Contessa Maria del Aguilar
Gunslinger

Gunslinger (1961)

TV
The Roaring 20's

The Roaring 20's (1960)

TV
Kathy O'Hara
Klondike

Klondike (1960)

TV
Mr. Lucky

Mr. Lucky (1959)

TV
Not for Hire

Not for Hire (1959)

TV
The Detectives

The Detectives (1959)

TV
Hawaiian Eye

Hawaiian Eye (1959)

TV
Laura Carter
Rawhide

Rawhide (1959)

TV
4
Jean Montoya
Machete

Machete (1958)

Movie
77 Sunset Strip

77 Sunset Strip (1958)

TV
Iris Lee LaVonne
No Place to Land

No Place to Land (1958)

Movie
The Texan

The Texan (1958)

TV
Bronco

Bronco (1958)

TV
Sea Hunt

Sea Hunt (1958)

TV
Nevin
Karasu

Karasu (1958)

Movie
Irene Chase
Perry Mason

Perry Mason (1957)

TV
4.33
Adah Isaacs Menken
Sugarfoot

Sugarfoot (1957)

TV
Ann McRae
Jungle Heat

Jungle Heat (1957)

Movie
Kyra Zelas
She Devil

She Devil (1957)

Movie
Barbara Duval
Stagecoach To Fury

Stagecoach To Fury (1956)

Movie
Mary 'The Babe' Thompson
The Cruel Tower

The Cruel Tower (1956)

Movie
Gladys Winthrop
Basket of Mexican Tales

Basket of Mexican Tales (1956)

Movie
Joanie Daniel
The Crooked Web

The Crooked Web (1955)

Movie
Texas Rose
The Return of Jack Slade

The Return of Jack Slade (1955)

Movie
Chistina
Son of Sinbad

Son of Sinbad (1955)

Movie
Policewoman Laura Hunter
The Millionaire

The Millionaire (1955)

TV
Brandy
Destry

Destry (1954)

Movie
Climax!

Climax! (1954)

TV
Aldis Spain
Black Horse Canyon

Black Horse Canyon (1954)

Movie
Lou Carter
Rails Into Laramie

Rails Into Laramie (1954)

Movie
Selima
The Veils of Bagdad

The Veils of Bagdad (1953)

Movie
Queen Allura
Abbott and Costello Go to Mars

Abbott and Costello Go to Mars (1953)

Movie
3
Terry and the Pirates

Terry and the Pirates (1952)

TV
Nina - Johnny Redondo's Accomplice
Back at the Front

Back at the Front (1952)

Movie
Wanda Marlowe (scenes deleted)
Assignment: Paris

Assignment: Paris (1952)

Movie
Dona Dolores Castro
The Brigand

The Brigand (1952)

Movie
Hat Check Girl (uncredited)
Something to Live For

Something to Live For (1952)

Movie
Stella Scott
Overland Telegraph

Overland Telegraph (1951)

Movie
Sally Tever
The Unknown Man

The Unknown Man (1951)

Movie
Marie DeLatour
Ten Tall Men

Ten Tall Men (1951)

Movie
Eloise
Bannerline

Bannerline (1951)

Movie
Natalie
No Questions Asked

No Questions Asked (1951)

Movie

Ratings

Average 5.77
Based on 60.8 Thousand movie and tv ratings over time
1951
1954
1957
1955
1963
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Information

Known For
Acting

Gender
Female

Birthday
1923-04-13

Deathday
1970-05-10 (47 years old)

Birth Place
Long Beach, United States of America

Citizenships
United States of America


This article uses material from Wikipedia.
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Frank Albertson worked together with Mari Blanchard in:
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    Mari Blanchard
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