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Mary Jane Higby

Mary Jane Higby (May 29, 1909 – February 1, 1986)[1] was an American actress in the era of old-time radio and the early years of television. She is best known for her 18 years in the leading role on When a Girl Marries.[2]

Mary Jane Higby
Higby in 1953
BornMay 29, 1909
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
DiedFebruary 1, 1986 (aged 76)
New York City, New York, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
OccupationActress
Known forPlaying female lead in When a Girl Marries on radio
SpouseGuy Sorel (January 13, 1945 - ?)

Early years

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The daughter of vaudevillian parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Higby[3] (known professionally as the Higby Players) Mary Jane Higby was born in St. Louis, Missouri, "between a matinee and an evening performance."[4] According to a newspaper photograph's caption, "literally she was carried on the stage by her theatrical parents as a prop when she was only 2."[5]

Perhaps her earliest public performance occurred when she was 5 years old. An article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in 1914 listed Higby as one of "a number of helpful children [who] will give a performance for the benefit of the Post-Dispatch Pure Milk and Free Ice Fund."[6] A later article cited Higby as one of two "little performers" who were "brought out repeatedly for their excellent work."[7]

Radio

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Higby's radio debut came in 1932 "in singing and dramatic roles."[8] In 1936, she played Desdemona in a production of Shakespeare's Othello on KECA in Los Angeles, California.[9] She also participated in network radio that year as a part of the cast of Death Rides the Highways on NBC.[10]

Higby's signature role was portraying Joan Davis, the female lead on When a Girl Marries, a part she played for 18 years.[1] Her other roles in radio programs included Cynthia in The Romance of Helen Trent[11] and various supporting parts in Perry Mason[12]

Higby was also in the cast of Joe Palooka,[13] John's Other Wife,[13]: 351  Joyce Jordan, Girl Interne,[13]: 357  The Listening Post,[13]: 399  Mary Marlin,[13]: 426  Parties at Pickfair,[13]: 510  Stella Dallas[13]: 662  and This Is Nora Drake.[13]: 687 

In the 1970s, Higby once again appeared on network radio, acting in episodes of CBS Radio Mystery Theater.[14]

Television

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Mary Jane Higby with her husband Guy Sorel in 1953

Higby appeared in We, the People.[15]

Film

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Higby "had a Hollywood career as a child actress,"[16] primarily acting in silent films for which her father was the director.[2] As an adult, looking back on her cinematic experience as a child, Higby said, "... the movies frightened me. I was, it seems, always being kidnaped, riding runaway horses or, generally speaking, being yanked around."[17]

As an adult, Higby appeared in The Honeymoon Killers.[18]

Book

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In 1968, Cowles Publishing Company published Tune in Tomorrow, Higby's account of her life in radio's golden age. A reviewer called the book "a fast, bouncy, information-loaded" description of the era—one that focused on "actors, actresses, sponsors, engineers, agents, writers, sound men, on everything and everybody who made pre-TV radio tick" rather than on herself.[19]

Personal life

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Higby married actor Guy Sorel[16] on January 13, 1945, in New York City, New York.[17]

References

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  1. ^ a b DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-2834-2. P. 129.
  2. ^ a b Reinehr, Robert C. and Swartz, Jon D. (2008). The A to Z of Old-Time Radio. Scarecrow Press, Inc. ISBN 978-0-8108-7616-3. P. 126.
  3. ^ "When a Girl Marries (continued)" (PDF). Tune-In. September 1943. p. 18. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  4. ^ "Day Dramatist Tells Story of Odd Debut". Harrisburg Telegraph. No. June 8, 1940. Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. p. 22. Retrieved May 28, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  5. ^ "Reaches Stardom". The Evening News. Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. April 18, 1940. p. 26. Retrieved May 28, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  6. ^ "Children Busily Working Now to Save the Babies". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Missouri, St. Louis. May 30, 1914. p. 4. Retrieved May 28, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  7. ^ "Saturday Matinee Benefit Realizes $28.65 for Babies". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Missouri, St. Louis. June 8, 1914. p. 9. Retrieved May 28, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  8. ^ "The Girl". Harrisburg Telegraph. Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. July 12, 1941. p. 25. Retrieved May 28, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  9. ^ "Farnum Will Star in New Adventure Serial Starting Over KHJ Tonight". The San Bernardino County Sun. California, San Bernardino. January 14, 1936. p. 10. Retrieved May 28, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  10. ^ "'Death Rides Highways' on Air Tonight; Hersholt To Broadcast; Carlotta King Opens Own Program". The San Bernardino County Sun. California, San Bernardino. February 28, 1936. p. 8. Retrieved May 28, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  11. ^ "New Stars Join WHP "Romance of Helen Trent" Cast". Harrisburg Telegraph. Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. February 17, 1945. p. 15. Retrieved May 28, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  12. ^ "Perry Mason". Harrisburg Telegraph. Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. September 21, 1946. p. 17. Retrieved May 28, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h Sies, Luther F. (2014). Encyclopedia of American Radio, 1920-1960, 2nd Edition. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-5149-4. P. 350.
  14. ^ Rhoads, B. Eric (1996). Blast from the Past: A Pictorial History of Radio's First 75 Years (PDF). Streamline Publishing, Inc. p. 337. ISBN 1-886745-06-4. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  15. ^ "(TV listing)". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. New York, Brooklyn. November 4, 1949. p. 29. Retrieved May 28, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  16. ^ a b Gerhard, Inez (June 5, 1947). "Star Dust". Shiner Gazette. Texas, Shiner. Western Newspaper Union. p. 10. Retrieved May 28, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  17. ^ a b Haller, Marie (June 1953). "When a Girl Marries". Radio-TV Mirror. 40 (1): 44–45, 67, 69. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  18. ^ "(The Honeymoon Killers ad)". The Ottawa Journal. Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. February 27, 1970. p. 25. Retrieved May 28, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  19. ^ Brockman, Zoe (August 11, 1968). "Observations About Books". The Gastonia Gazette. North Carolina, Gastonia. p. 47. Retrieved May 28, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
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