Jean Peters was an American actress who is best known for her roles in Captain from Castile, Niagara, and A Man Called Peter. She had a brief but impactful career in Hollywood, marked by her refusal to be typecast and her retreat from the public eye.
Personal and Family Life
Jean Peters was born on October 15, 1926, in Canton, Ohio. She spent her childhood with her mother, who owned a tourist camp, after her father’s death. Although she initially studied to become an English teacher, a beauty contest win led her to Hollywood, where she signed a contract with 20th Century-Fox. She was married three times, first to Stuart Warren Cramer III, then to Howard Hughes, and lastly to Stan Hough.
Career
Peters began her acting career in the late 1940s, gaining attention with roles that showcased her talent outside of the glamorous Hollywood persona. She played significant parts in films such as Anne of the Indies and Pickup on South Street, receiving critical acclaim for her performances. After marrying Howard Hughes, she withdrew from acting for many years, later returning for a few television roles, including an appearance in Murder, She Wrote.
Death and Legacy
Jean Peters passed away from leukemia on October 13, 2000, in Carlsbad, California, just two days before her 74th birthday. Despite her relatively short career, she left a lasting impression on Hollywood and was remembered for her strong performances and desire to avoid being typecast. She dedicated her later years to charitable work and maintained privacy regarding her past relationships.
Filmography
| Title | Release Date | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Viva Zapata! | 1952-02-07 | Josefa |
| A Blueprint for Murder | 1953-07-24 | Lynn Cameron |
| Pickup on South Street | 1953-05-27 | Candy |
| Three Coins in the Fountain | 1954-05-01 | Anita Hutchins |
| Deep Waters | 1948-07-22 | Ann Freeman |
| Broken Lance | 1954-09-25 | Barbara |
| Apache | 1954-07-09 | Nalinle |
| Vicki | 1953-10-05 | Vicki Lynn |
| Captain from Castile | 1947-12-25 | Catana Perez |
| A Man Called Peter | 1955-03-31 | Catherine Wood Marshall |
| As Young as You Feel | 1951-06-15 | Alice Hodges |
| Anne of the Indies | 1951-10-18 | Captaine Anne Providence |
| Niagara | 1953-01-26 | Polly Cutler |
| It Happens Every Spring | 1949-06-10 | Deborah Greenleaf |
| Love That Brute | 1950-06-06 | Ruth Manning |
| Take Care of My Little Girl | 1951-07-06 | Dallas Prewitt |
| Lure of the Wilderness | 1952-07-16 | Laurie Harper |
| The Men Who Made the Movies: Samuel Fuller | 2002-07-02 | Candy (archive footage) |
| Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nellie | 1952-06-27 | Nellie Halper |
| O. Henry’s Full House | 1952-08-07 | Susan Goodwin (segment “The Last Leaf”) |
| Marilyn Monroe: Beyond the Legend | 1986-04-19 | Self (from Niagara [1953]) (archive footage) |
| Murder, She Wrote | 1984-09-30 | Siobhan O’Dea |
| Arthur Hailey’s The Moneychangers | 1976-12-04 | Beatrice Heyward |
| Peter and Paul | 1981-04-12 | Priscilla |