Mala Powers

Mala Powers was an American actress who is best known for her roles in Cyrano de Bergerac, Outrage, and Rage at Dawn. She had a vibrant career in film and television from the early 1940s until the late 1970s.

Personal and Family Life

Mala Powers was born Mary Ellen Powers on December 20, 1931, in San Francisco, California. She was the daughter of George Evart Powers and Myrtle Dell Thelen. She was married twice, first to Montague Max (Monte) Vanton from 1954 to 1964, with whom she had one child, and later to Morris Hughes Miller from 1970 until his death in 1989.

Career

Powers began her acting career in the early 1940s, making her film debut in the Universal picture Tough As They Come. She gained significant recognition for her role as Roxane in Cyrano de Bergerac (1950) and for her performance in the groundbreaking film Outrage (1950), where she portrayed a rape victim, handling a sensitive subject matter. Despite health challenges in the early 1950s that interrupted her career, Powers became known as the “B queen” of Westerns and science fiction films, while also teaching the Michael Chekhov acting method across the U.S.

Death and Legacy

Mala Powers passed away on June 11, 2007, in Burbank, California, due to complications from leukemia. She left behind a legacy as a talented actress and an influential acting teacher, noted for her work with the National Michael Chekhov Association and contributions to acting literature. Her friendships and professional relationships, particularly with Ida Lupino, helped shape her career and the film industry.

Filmography