Lois Moran was an American actress who is best known for her roles in “Stella Dallas,” “Mammy,” and “Words and Music.” She gained fame in the late 1920s and 1930s and was also the inspiration for the character Rosemary in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel “Tender is the Night.”
Personal and Family Life
Lois Moran was born Lois Darlington Dowling on March 1, 1909, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She trained in dance from a young age and moved to Paris with her mother when she was just 10 years old. Lois had a brief affair with F. Scott Fitzgerald, which influenced his writing. In 1935, she married Clarence M. Young, who served as the Assistant Secretary of Commerce, and they had one son together.
Career
Lois began her acting career in the silent film era and quickly transitioned to talkies. She starred in various films, including early musicals and later took to Broadway. After marrying, she stepped back from acting but made a brief return to television in the 1950s, co-starring in the series “Waterfront.”
Death and Legacy
Lois Moran passed away on July 13, 1990, in Sedona, Arizona, due to cancer. Despite leaving her acting career over five decades prior, she is remembered for her contributions to film and her unique place in literary history as Fitzgerald’s inspiration. Her beauty and talent made a lasting impression during her time in Hollywood.
Filmography
| Title | Release Date | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Alice in den Städten | 1974-05-17 | Airport Hostess |
| Feu Mathias Pascal | 1925-07-02 | Adrienne Paleari |
| Behind That Curtain | 1929-06-30 | Eve Mannering Durand |
| The Road to Mandalay | 1926-06-26 | Joe’s Daughter |
| Mammy | 1930-03-26 | Nora Meadows |
| Transatlantic | 1931-08-19 | Judy Kramer |
| Stella Dallas | 1925-11-16 | Laurel Dallas |
| La Galerie des monstres | 1924-09-23 | Ralda / Ofélia |
| West of Broadway | 1931-11-28 | Dot Stevens |
| The Spider | 1931-09-23 | Beverly Lane |
| Men in Her Life | 1931-11-10 | Julia Cavanaugh |
| Sharp Shooters | 1928-01-15 | Loretta |
| Words and Music | 1929-08-18 | Mary Brown |
| God Gave Me Twenty Cents | 1926-11-20 | Mary Doren |
| A Song of Kentucky | 1929-11-10 | Lee Coleman |
| Camille | 1926-01-01 | Alice Brown |
| The Reckless Lady | 1926-01-24 | Sylvia Fleming |
| The Prince of Tempters | 1926-10-17 | Monica |
| The Belle of Samoa | 1929-02-25 | The Belle of Samoa |
| The River Pirate | 1928-08-26 | Marjorie Cullen |
| The Whirlwind of Youth | 1927-04-30 | Nancy Hawthorne |
| Padlocked | 1926-08-02 | Edith Gilbert |
| Just Suppose | 1926-01-10 | Linda Lee Stafford |
| Under Suspicion | 1930-12-28 | Alice Freil |
| Soup to Nuts | 1930-09-28 | Beauty |
| Love Hungry | 1928-04-08 | |
| True Heaven | 1929-02-17 | |
| Joy Street | 1929-05-12 | |
| Not Damaged | 1930-05-25 | |
| Don’t Marry | 1928-06-13 | Priscilla Bowen / Betty Bowen |
| Blindfold | 1928-12-09 | Mary Brower |
| Waterfront | 1954-08-21 | May Herrick |